Autonomous butcher shop: digital solutions at SÜFFA
The much-discussed shortage of skilled workers in Germany is no longer a theoretical or future problem, but can be felt everywhere. According to a study by the German Economic Institute, more than half a million jobs were already vacant at the turn of the year. In addition to social professions or information technology, the trades are particularly affected. Numerous butcher shops have already had to shorten their weekly opening hours or close branches due to a lack of staff. There is no improvement in sight. On the contrary: According to calculations by the Federal Statistical Office, by the mid-2030s almost a third of those currently employed will be gone when the baby boomer generation retires. Nevertheless, existential fears are inappropriate. Rather, it is important to assess the situation soberly and to look for practicable solutions - which often harbor unexpected new opportunities. The Stuttgart SÜFFA, trade fair for the meat industry, takes up the explosive and complex topic in a digital press conference (June 28.6.2023, XNUMX).
Networking and exchange at the SÜFFA
"As one of the most important industry platforms, SÜFFA provides comprehensive information on more than 20.000 square meters on how butcher shops can react to new or changed requirements," says Andreas Wiesinger, member of the management board at Messe Stuttgart. “The trade fair visitors expect technical innovations and tailor-made solutions for production or sales as well as qualified and competent help with investment decisions or personnel issues. All in all, we want to focus more on craftsmanship, while at the same time making the trade fair a little more international and thereby strengthening the community spirit, because networking and exchange are more important than ever in the digital age. This applies in particular to the question of the shortage of skilled workers, which is countered in very different ways. SÜFFA shows what is possible.”
Job description in public: "Increasing attractiveness"
It is fundamentally important to increase the attractiveness of the job descriptions in the butcher's trade "in public perception, to arouse interest and to point out career opportunities", emphasizes Wolfgang Herbst, deputy state guild master of the state guild association for the butcher's trade in Baden-Württemberg eV Through targeted work in schools, " open doors" or trial apprenticeships, the association can actively provide assistance here. Ultimately, however, it is up to the local companies to convince young people on the threshold of professional life of the advantages of their own company. If you want to attract and retain talented young people, you have to “communicate this in a complex way and, above all, offer something”. That is why many companies are also involved in areas such as health care and further training, would pay for the costs of a driver's license or - with corresponding services - even a master craftsman's examination. Last but not least, the vocational school competitions held at the SÜFFA are an important tool for image cultivation. "I'm always impressed by the fantastic results that are presented there," enthuses Herbst. "With all the current problems, this gives hope for the future."
Highly motivated specialists from India
Recruiting young talent is one of the major challenges of the coming years, agrees Joachim Lederer, head of the state guild for the butcher trade in Baden-Württemberg eV “Good staff is a company's most important asset. In addition to target group-oriented advertising for our trade, the integration of foreign applicants is essential, because without integration we will not be able to cover our need for skilled workers in the medium term. How long do we want to wait?” In cooperation with the Freiburg Chamber of Crafts and Trades, the Lörrach-Waldshut butchers’ guild launched a pilot project at the end of 2020, as part of which young people from India are to be won over for training in the German meat industry. Lederer reports that good experiences have been made with the highly motivated junior staff who have come to southern Baden so far. "The project got off to such a good start that we are now enjoying a great deal of attention from the media and politicians, and far beyond national borders."
Find and bind: "More is more"
Eyüp Aramaz, Managing Director of the Germany-wide marketing and recruiting agency Aramaz Digital and lecturer in social media, personnel marketing and employer branding at the FHM Bielefeld, sees a solution in highly target group-oriented employee recruitment: "Due to demographic change, digitization and social media in particular Conditions are very different today than they were just a few decades ago. An advertisement in a newspaper or trade journal is no longer enough if you want to find good employees. Today omnipresence is the be-all and end-all – more is actually more. We are therefore pursuing a holistic strategy. This applies above all to the smartphone, which has long outstripped traditional media in terms of usage time.” Thanks to modern application management systems, the application process is also greatly simplified, automated and centralized. Efficient digital induction processes and benefit systems then ensured long-term loyalty to the company for employees once they had been recruited.
Metzgerei 24/7: "Rethink the business model"
Where no qualified personnel can be found despite all efforts, technology can help. Friedberger SmartStore24 GmbH offers completely digital shop systems that open up a wealth of new possibilities. Closing times can be avoided, opening times can be extended as desired, branches can be maintained or even opened - with optimal availability of the product range. "Butchers have to think about their business model," says Managing Director Michael Kimmich. The SmartStore systems enable "a strategic turnaround" and are therefore much more than machines that only "promise a small additional business". How does it all work? “Customers enter the point of sale using an EC card or registration code – a classic shop or a sales container. Inside you will find a complete self-service shop. Finally, the cash register scans the selected products using an RFID tag, debits the final price and at the same time gives inventory feedback to the operator.” The twelve locations where the systems have been used so far have given promising feedback , "with up to five-digit sales per week," says Kimmich, who is already planning other projects. "Because we work with different partners, we can offer a point of sale at a desired location within six weeks."
Without staff: "Convey atmosphere and value"
Anyone who wants or has to do without any employees on site faces new problems. "It is important to consistently continue the corporate identity of the company," explains Winfried Groß, Managing Director of Schrutka-Peukert GmbH, shopfitter in Kulmbach. “Customers expect a certain atmosphere and an appreciation that has been built up over the years. That is why we have developed refrigerated cabinets that cannot be compared to a typical self-service shop and convey the value of a specialist shop in terms of colour, material and lighting design.” Depending on the spatial conditions, hybrid solutions are also conceivable, in which part of the existing shop is sealed off and the rest remain accessible outside regular opening hours. "For the counter, we recommend an energy-efficient attachment that can be used equally for service and self-service. It is also possible to buy self-service products during regular opening hours and complete the process using a payment terminal. In this way, there is no need to staff a classic cash register.” Pure sales container branches, in turn, opened up numerous possibilities for local supply and thus completely different market segments: “Butcher shops can reposition themselves here.”
About SÜFFA
People and markets come together at the SÜFFA in Stuttgart. It is the meeting place for the butcher trade and medium-sized industry. In the halls, exhibiting companies from the fields of production, sales and shop fittings present themselves to the competent specialist audience. The SÜFFA specials also make the trade fair an event that no specialist company should miss.
