The Glovo Local Advantage

Post pandemic, nearly 1 in 2 businesses say they are in survival mode. With soaring prices and with lower consumer demand weighing heavily on small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), businesses are struggling to reach new customers in an increasingly crowded and competitive landscape.

This surprising feedback is the result of a survey we conducted in more than 3,200 small and medium-sized food, restaurant, and retail businesses across 9 countries. The perfect storm of higher inflation, lower consumer spending, and increased macroeconomic risks means the businesses need to rely on agility and innovation more than ever if they want to thrive in a difficult environment. 

Earlier this year, we launched Glovo Local, a toolkit for small and medium restaurants & retail stores to help them digitize their business while growing their online channels. Over 90% of our partners are SMEs and our goal with this project is to be the best digital ally for businesses. 

With the results of our 2022 SME Study in hand, these are the 3 biggest challenges for businesses in 2023 that can be resolved with Glovo Local. 

Innovate to scale

Modern consumer behaviour has changed the game when it comes to gaining a competitive edge. While word of mouth remains integral for the success of small businesses, the way consumers communicate with each other has changed from in-person conversations to online reviews. 

The shift to digital doesn’t just stop at recommendations either; it also corresponds to a need for greater agility. In the UK and Spain 80% and nearly 50% businesses surveyed, respectively, agree that a technology partner can help their business innovate and scale while in Romania, 59% of businesses believe a technology partner will help them stay competitive.

While adapting to new technologies can be tricky, businesses that work with Glovo Local, gain access to tools that can help them manage ( and grow their businesses. By improving their relationship with technology, businesses can reduce organizational hiccups, improving the customer experience and increasing the likelihood of repeat business.

Drumming up new customers  

For 34% of SMEs, one of their biggest challenges is reaching new customers. This data comes as no surprise as the number of digital touchpoints for consumers becomes a confusing mess of websites and landing pages, making it difficult for businesses to collect consumer feedback in one place. In fact, while 43% of SMEs say the pandemic has caused them to listen more to consumers, an additional 58% say better customer outreach could help them prepare their business for the future.

To help businesses reach new customers, Glovo Local offers partners the opportunity to take advantage of growth and marketing activations, such as ads and promotions, that will help them grow their business in the Glovo App through self-service technology and aid them reaching their goal of increasing their visibility while generating engagement. Partners will also have the option to attend training sessions, training partnerships, and tutorials, giving them access to a wide range of learning & development tools and opportunities to develop their business. 

Digitisation means taking your businesses to the next level

One third of UK businesses see digitisation as integral to their growth yet in many countries surveyed, there still is a lot of room to grow and untapped potential in creating a truly digital experience. In Morocco for example, over half of SMEs do not consider themselves digitized and in Spain, only slightly more than half of the companies surveyed have implemented new technologies to become more agile.

While 48% of SMEs across all countries agree that their customers’ digital experience is becoming more important than the in-person experience, this journey remains a struggle for many small businesses. 

When it comes to going digital, Glovo Local is able to provide SMEs with the tools and solutions they need. Not only will businesses be able to seamlessly manage orders for customers but they’ll be given a range of digital options and logistical solutions for the delivery of their orders through the Glovo app.

With businesses facing more difficulties than ever before, standing out among the competition in a digital landscape will be the biggest challenge of 2023. Glovo Local and all its brand new technological capabilities and solutions have been developed with one goal in mind – to help businesses grow – not only see a way through current economic turmoil, but to go from surviving to thriving. 

About Glovo Local

Launched in all 25 markets in which Glovo operates, Glovo Local is the first such program in Europe, Africa, and Asia that provides a consolidated portfolio of services and solutions for small & medium-sized businesses, specific to their needs.

Services available to them include digital and operational solutions for their own channels and stores; dedicated tools to help them manage their operations at point of sale (from data insights to providing supply chain solutions), and grow their businesses with marketing and advertising capabilities to help them reach new customers and increase their visibility. All of this is embedded in an ecosystem of learning and development opportunities with dedicated tutorials and support within their digital journey.

Glovo Local is an all-in-one hub where local businesses can pick and choose solutions based on their needs and wants through a single point of entry.

Read the full Press Release here