In 1976, George W. Duren saw the value in reopening a closed grocery store in the factory town of Port St. Joe, Florida. Until 1999, the most prominent employers were a paper mill and chemical factories when the city received the devastating news that the mill would be closing. Mr. Duren, not wanting to see the community suffer, had the vision to help develop the area, seeing St. Port Joe not as a small town with closed factories but as a tourist destination.
With this vision and dedication, Duren’s Piggly Wiggly came to life along with a modern strip shopping center. Today, Duren’s is a staple for the local community and the booming tourist industry. Founder George Duren’s commitment is shown daily by living through servant leadership and core values, including being a role model and setting a strong leadership example by being the standard-bearer in the community and giving exemplary customer service in his store.
Partnering with Shift4 (formerly POSTEC) and LOC Software was an easy decision. “LOC Software provides vital movement information quickly to our department managers, allowing us to serve our customers effectively and efficiently,” said Ron Reid, general manager for Duren’s.
Using the LOC Software Suite of applications provides real-time reporting and an expansive toolbox of information to help Ron distribute data to the department heads immediately. This information validates ordering decisions, allowing the store’s decision-makers to respond much quicker. This ability is crucial in getting products to their customers quicker and more efficiently. In addition, having readily available data has assisted in building a confident and fully informed team in making the right decisions for a fast-paced environment.
Most recently, Duren’s wanted to communicate more efficiently with their customers through social media and implementing a loyalty program. Shift4/POSTEC, partnering with RSA and LOC Software, made this happen! This integration platform reaches their customers quicker than printed media. With the cost savings, Duren’s has been able to reallocate store labor to floor activities, such as cleaning, stocking, and signage. Customer service, online and in-store, is achievable by using the correct tools.
“With unparalleled experience and insight into the independent grocery segment, and the continued expansion of that knowledge with strong business partners like George and Ron at Duren’s, the team at Shift4 stands ready to move BOLDLY FORWARD, leveraging the power of LOC Software to bring world-class solutions to our customers,” said Dan Henkel from Shift4/POSTEC Grocery.
By staff being able to focus on products, Duren’s can use LOC’s integrated pricing tools to continue to provide the best pricing presentation while continuing to improve the bottom line. Using feature-rich LOC Software and driven by the Shift4/POSTEC team, Duren’s has been able to automate price and cost changes for many large and specialty suppliers. Leveraging LOC to automate the receiving process provides an accurate inventory with minimal intervention from staff. In addition, with the help of Shift4/POSTEC, Duren’s team can accomplish its business goals.
“Shift4 has proven time and time again to not only provide responsive customer service and support, but a deep knowledge of grocery industry operations, strengthened by a staff that comes from the grocery industry,” Reid said. Using a product like LOC Software and having a support partner in Shift4 aids Duren’s to be the complete food store in Gulf County, Florida’s Forgotten Coast.
For more information, visit durenspigglywiggly.com.
To learn more about Shift4, visit shift4.com.
For more information about LOC Software, visit locsoftware.com.
Brought to you by Rene Stai of LOC Software
