News

Kroger ramps up data analytics to spur customer, consumer engagement

Supermarket chain aims to tap deeper data insight to drive more strategic business efforts.

September 16, 2015

In a quest to better use data analytics to drive consumer and customer engagement Kroger is pumping up the job requirements of its top IT leader.

Kroger CIO Chris Hjelm is now executive VP of a new analytics subsidieary in addition to his job efforts in directing research and developerment, handling customer support, indirect sourcing and even corpriate travel, according to a Wall Street Journal blog post.

The supermarket chain is making the role change in order to use customer and consumer trend data regarding purchase activity to be more competitive in the retail food sales industry. It will be able to better track data related to customer loyalty programs as well as personalized marketing campaign activity and impact.

"Suppliers don’t see the consumer side of the data on their own," Retail Systems Research Managing Partner Nikki Baird told the WSJ. "They can see in a given store they’ve sold 1,000 units of corn in a day. But that doesn’t tell you anything about who bought it and what they bought with it. That’s where the opportunity is."