Chief Customer Officer at Wakefern Food Corp.

Steve Henig, Wakefern’s Chief Customer Officer, has been an innovator with the nation’s largest retailer-owned cooperative throughout his career.

In his current role, Henig works with Wakefern members, leaders, and associates to create a single, consistent brand voice for customers. He oversees Wakefern’s Advertising, Social Media, Brand Strategy, Consumer Affairs, E-Commerce, Sales Planning, and Analytics and Insights teams. Henig previously served as Vice President of Digital Commerce and Analytics and was responsible for Wakefern’s e-commerce initiatives, app development, and analytics. He made innovative changes to the company’s online shopping service, "Order. Pickup. Deliver.," and helped ShopRite become the first supermarket in North America to implement an automated micro-fulfillment center to enhance online service. Before that, he served as Vice President of Corporate Merchandising and Marketing for Wakefern.

Henig began his career with Wakefern’s General Merchandise division in 1991 and later joined the company’s Leaders in Training program. He has held positions over the years in the Dairy, Deli, Grocery Marketing, Corporate Merchandising, and Marketing divisions.

Henig earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science at The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and a Master of Business Administration at Monmouth University. In addition to his responsibilities at Wakefern, he is currently an adjunct marketing professor at The College of New Jersey. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the National Grocers Association Board of Directors.

As the Chief Customer Officer, could you provide an overview of your role and responsibilities within the company?

As Chief Customer Officer for Wakefern Food Corp., I oversee customer care, e-commerce, Shopper Marketing, analytics, advertising/social media, and Brand Marketing, and work with our Wakefern Members, leadership, and associates to develop a consistent brand voice for customers. The decisions we make are always based on our commitment to serving our customers and strengthening our connections with them. My goal is to amplify the voices of our customers and refine our offerings for our customers to provide the products and services they want and need at the best value.

What are some of the challenges that CCOs need to address in the domain of digital marketing and technology, ranging from recovery to resilience and reinvention?

The pace of change in the industry presents both big opportunities and big challenges – and it is the reason we are always working to innovate and bring the best technology tools to our business and our customers. Most people don’t think of the supermarket industry as being on the cutting edge of technology, but we are always looking at ways to leverage technology and our knowledge as grocers to provide the best shopping experiences and value to our customers.

The pandemic accelerated the adoption of digital technology by three to four years. And that required us to accelerate our digital marketing efforts and the omnichannel experience at our physical stores, on our apps and websites. While brick and mortar remains a critical part of the shopping experience, the reality is online grocery shopping is here to stay and will only increase in importance. By 2025, more than 21% of all grocery sales in the US are expected to be online purchases. That’s why we are always working to improve our e-commerce and omnichannel shopping experiences.

"The decisions we make are always based on our commitment to serving our customers and strengthening our connections with them. My goal is to amplify the voices of our customers and refine our offerings for our customers to provide the products and services they want and need at the best value."

At the same time, we also recognize the need to meet all our customers where they are. While digital marketing has become more important than ever, traditional forms of advertising have not gone away. Tools like circulars, newspaper ads, and billboards are still very popular, effective, and important to our customers. We need to continue these longstanding practices, while also finding new ways of working with new partners.

Companies need to recognize that digital tools are the pathway to their brands. Those digital pathways allow customers to understand offerings, share value equations, and ultimately engage with brands.

In the last 10 years, the rapid growth of marketing technology suppliers has brought exciting new ways to connect with customers and grow brands. While some businesses thrive in this new context, others struggle to see the value in technology. Your views on this?

The rise of digital marketing and new technology offers exciting opportunities for business but also comes with responsibilities and challenges. By focusing on customer needs, effective change management, and a strategic approach, businesses can leverage technology to enhance their marketing efforts and overall customer experience. Marketers have been given a great gift to be able to connect with customers in more meaningful, personalized ways, and they should remember some key strategies for effective digital marketing:

• Make Connections: By leveraging data and insights, companies can tailor marketing efforts to cater to individual customer needs and preferences, leading to meaningful interactions and connections.

• Use Tech as a Solution: It’s essential for businesses to assess whether the technology truly addresses their customers’ needs and supports their goals. Technology should bring tangible value improvements to the customer experience.

• Understand the Investment: Adopting new technology often requires a big investment of time and resources. The implementation process can be complex, especially compared to traditional marketing tools. It requires careful planning, training, integration into existing business systems, and lots of patience. Instead of seeking instant results, understand that adopting new technology is a long-term commitment that will evolve over time.

• Embrace Change Management: The introduction of new technology often brings about changes in processes and workflows. It’s crucial to manage these changes effectively to ensure a smooth transition for both employees and customers. Clear communication and training are key elements of successful change management.

• Integrate with Legacy Systems: Many businesses have legacy systems that need to coexist with new technology. Seamless integration is essential to ensure that data flows smoothly between systems and that there are no disruptions in operations or customer experiences.

Would you like to give a piece of advice for the community as to how should they approach this industry?

Challenge yourself to think about the future and adapt your business to the ever-changing new normal. From the impact of new products to thinking about how Gen Z and Gen Alpha will impact your business with their use of mobile technology, to automated warehouses leveraging artificial intelligence, our industry keeps changing.

My best advice is to love your customers…not technology. Understand what your customers want and deliver to their needs. Every decision should be all about the customer.