Customer relations

At the beginning of 2023, we took stock of the chain’s service improvement efforts. Between June and December 2022, the number of positive reviews about Magnit stores on map applications doubled, while the number of complaints dropped by 6%. This was the result of our efforts to improve the quality of products, service, and in-store operations.

In order to motivate staff to always display a positive attitude towards customers, the Customer Service Department has developed the Friendly Service training programme. The programme teaches us how to provide quality, professional and respectful customer service. As part of the training, store employees and their managers learn in detail about existing standards and new customer service techniques, as well as scenarios of difficult customer situations. During the year, our regional managers provided training to more than 3,500 Magnit employees.

Inspired by the results of the Friendly Service training, the Customer Service Department together with Magnit’s Corporate Academy, developed another training project – the Leadership Workshops. Team and Customers. In this training, managers of retail outlets learn about the relationship between management’s actions towards the team and the quality of service, and learn how to find the causes of and solve problems.

In 2022, the Customer Service Department developed and implemented a new tool for assessing in-store service – the In-store Experience Rating. The project was launched and successfully piloted in the Moscow region under the supervision of the senior customer experience manager. In 2023, it will be rolled out across the whole chain.

The rating generates monthly customer experience reports. We use them to monitor and evaluate performance against key service criteria, to identify each store’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of customer experience and see its competitive advantages.

We keep improving the design of our stores to help customers better navigate the shopping area and to draw attention to new offers, promotions and services. In December 2022, we introduced a visual design standard for advertising and information materials for the Magnit Convenience format. The new standard defines the set of advertising and information materials to be placed in sales areas, the ways they should be placed and criteria for navigation design. In 2023, such standards will be developed for all Magnit formats to boost consumer loyalty and attract new customers.

In the reporting year, we launched the Active Sales pilot project in 25 large format stores in the Moscow region, Northwestern, Central and Southern federal districts. The project aims to improve the quality of counter service. Our employees had interactive training sessions where they practised service scenarios, learned the stages of sales and the approach to communication with customers presented in active sales videos and mini-videos with benchmark service examples.

All 25 participating stores received appreciations from the Company, and the best employees in the leading stores were awarded incentive prizes. In 2023, we plan to expand the Active Sales project to Magnit Extra and Magnit Family stores in all districts.

The Central District team, together with the Customer Service Department, launched a project Everything to the Family and Relatives aimed at building good relationships with customers. The project is founded in the Magnit’s caring, almost ‘family-like’ approach to customers. Its first phase involved a survey of 1,650 customers from 13 branches with respondents asked what they liked about the Magnit Convenience format and what needed improvement. Following the survey, our staff brainstormed ways to solve the problems and drew up action plans to improve customer experience. The project is designed to improve customer loyalty.

Store quality depends on the smooth operation and high level of organisation at the checkout. To improve and finesse check-out operations, we have implemented a number of projects in 2022.

Cashier’ rating

Our colleagues from Magnit’s function responsible for checkout standards and the regional manager for the Caucasian District have developed a cashier rating to assess the performance and speed of checkout staff in large format stores. Based on the rating, we organised cashier contests in federal districts, including incentives for winners. This project allowed us to further motivate Magnit’s cashiers and improve service quality.

Developing cashiers’ competencies

In the reporting year, Magnit jointly with WorldSkills Russia developed the competencies of cashiers and established a contest for retail chain employees. We drafted all the necessary regulations and trained specialists to oversee all the contests. We are confident that thanks to the project we will raise the status of the cashier profession, improve skills and strengthen values among retail staff.

Checkout Expert chatbot

Magnit is committed to adopting new technologies to improve customer experience. In 2022, we created the Checkout Expert chatbot to help our staff find answers to questions about checkout processes and standards and communicate with colleagues responsible for checkout standards to ask additional questions or submit suggestions for process improvements.

Showcase with checkout metrics

Safeguarding our customers’ personal data that can be used for marketing purposes is an overriding priority for Magnit. We process personal data with due regard to rights’ protection and freedoms of personal data subjects, including the right to privacy, personal and family secrets.

All personal data come to Magnit from data owners or their legal representatives. Information we receive is processed in accordance with the laws of the Russian Federation on the basis of the consent of the personal data subjectUnless otherwise provided for under Federal Law No. 152-FZ.. We take care to ensure data confidentiality. Upon request, the personal data owner or their legal representative can access or revoke their data.