Tobacco Asia

Tobacco Asia 69 Productivity is determined by the environ- ment, and profit is influenced by display presenta- tion. Thus, 20 Sticks franchisees carry out decora- tion and renovation of their stores according to the requirements of China Tobacco (Guangdong). At first glance, the hardware facilities of the franchise retailers may not be stunning, but compared to the traditional ones where the shopping environment is dim and messy and products are scattered on the shelves, and it is clear the effectively improved franchise retailers have achieved significant results in transformation and upgrading. Help to establish modern operation awareness In addition to improving the hardware environ- ment, it is also particularly important to enhance the business awareness of rural retailers from an ideological perspective. For example, in Jiangsu province's Shishan village, amidst a row of gray bungalows, a beautiful "Spark 365" sign stands out. Walking into the convenience store, a daz- zling array of goods and neatly arranged shelves come into view. The owner in front of the check- out counter is skilled in scanning QR codes for checking-out goods. All of these features are dif- ferent from conventional retailers. Xu, the owner of this convenience store, was first impressed by the concept and model of "Spark 365". After submitting the franchise appli- cation, in the following two months the market- ing personnel of the tobacco branch in Xinzhou district provided meticulous assistance in store de- sign, layout adjustment, and display optimization. They conducted multiple on-site investigations and carefully studied and formulated store up- grade plans. After multiple communications and reasonable planning of the store layout, the conve- nience store finally achieved a major transforma- tion at the beginning of this year, becoming the first "Spark 365" franchise retailer in the district. In addition to enhancing the appearance of the store, the marketing personnel also pay atten- tion to enhance their soft power. Account managers visit the retailers twice a month and teach them how to use dual screen machines, and how to market the products. Through daily maintenance of product display, they gradually realize that product display and a good shopping experience are also important marketing methods. Meanwhile, the retailers also learn to strengthen inventory management, store management, use data to analyze business situation, and establish modern business awareness. Spreading local culture as per local conditions Compared to cities, many rural areas still retain ancient villages, authentic food, and traditional culture. The local tobacco branches will combine store renovation with cultural dissemination when assisting rural retailers. Banyueli village in Xinan town, Fujian prov- ince, is home to indigenous She people. The She ethnic group originated from Fenghuang Moun- tain in Chaozhou, Guangdong province and was the most influential indigenous ethnic group in ancient Chaoshan. The fusion of She culture and Han culture has formed the unique Hakka and Chaozhou cultures. Xiapu tobacco branch under CNTC plans to create a more comprehensive and convenient rural network of retailers to assist in the revitalization and development of local rural areas. Lei Renhua, a local owner, received the help of the local branch to transform his store into a "convenient station", and also a "dissemination lecture hall" of She cul- ture. They helped him install cabinets and hang a unified store logo. After the image upgrading was completed, there was also an extension of service functions, such as creating a convenient rest area, providing convenient services like drinking water, umbrellas, cell phone power charging, express de- livery services in the store, specialty shipping, ex- press storage, etc. With the development of cultural tourism, the village developed paper cutting, wedding cus- tom experience, bonfire party, and other experience projects. Lei Renhua took the opportunity during store reconstruction to renovate the second floor of the store and build it into a homestay, provid- ing tourists with a one-stop service of food, accom- modation, and travel, extending the consumption chain to generate income for his small store. In short, in the vast land of rural areas in China, increasing profitability is the biggest wish of retailer owners and the starting point for the tobacco industry to offer assistance. Whether it is carrying out standardized terminal construc- tion, establishing modern business awareness, or spreading local culture according to local condi- tions, these are very meaningful attempts. CNTC has been helping modernize retail shops in rural areas, leading to improved operations and business.

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