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What promotions do we do to get more customers to the point of sale?
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How do we improve the customer experience so that they buy more at each visit?
Considerable investments in the digitalization of operations, the closure of small stores and the expansion of the commercial area of the best located sales points, is part of the strategy that companies are beginning to implement in the new context of business transformation.
Managers of large corporations agree that several companies were already making progress in digitizing sales and operations, but the pandemic ended up persuading decision makers of the need to focus on online sales, and simultaneously accompany it with a plan to transform physical stores.
The Circle K chain of stores, originally from the United States, will open its first store on June 19, which will be in Zone 9 of the country's capital.
Grupo Intur, a business firm that already operates the chain of stores in Honduras and Costa Rica, reported that it will be in charge of investments in Guatemala and that the first point of sale will be in Plaza Asadis, Boulevard Liberation.
It has been announced that the Colombian coffee brand Juan Valdez is requesting permission to open a store in the Arkadia Shopping Mall in Zone 10 of the capital.
It is anticipated that the coffee shop will be open to the public later this year. The Juan Valdez brand is also competing in the segment of roast and ground coffee, as it will be available in supermarkets, which already sell the brand Buen Día.
The Costa Rican company has announced it will be opening five stores in Guayaquil airport and has signed contracts to operate at air terminals in Guatemala City and Montevideo and Punta del Este in Uruguay.
For the expansion of its operations, Grupo Britt has invested about $5 million, which will come from both equity and bank financing. Including these projects, there will be 13 countries where the company operates.
The Colombian coffee shop chain announced stores in Guatemala, El Salvador and Costa Rica.
Elfinancierocr.com reports: "In Costa Rica, Juan Valdez will find a competitive market full of national and international brands such as Starbucks, Illy Gourmet, Saboreatéycafé and KafeHaus, among others."
"Juan Valdez is the only coffee chain in the world whose shareholders are the producers."
The Guatemalan chain has announced its expansion plans for 2012, with the opening of eight new stores in Guatemala and their foray into the Salvadoran market.
Walter de la Cruz, general manager of the chain said the projected investment is $1.4 million.
"By 2012 the firm's goal is to have 32 stores nationwide, and also activate international expansion, so the second half of the year could see the opening of its first store in El Salvador", published Siglo21.com.gt.
Company executives visited El Salvador to discuss malls and evaluate the possibility of investing in new stores.
The Spanish chain reported that its sales in Latin America have reported growth rates above 10%, which is encouraging them to explore the possibility of expanding in that market.
Isak Halfon, the Executive Vice President of International Expansion for the company, , said on a visit to El Salvador that "Latin America has got out of the financial crisis and is now growing," while José Gomez, the vice president of International Business Development, said "if things continue as they it will be a very prosperous decade for Latin America. "
Café Barista has confirmed its regional expansion plans for 2011; it will start in El Salvador, followed by Costa Rica and Panama.
Walter de la Cruz, president of Café Barista, told Nacion.com that they are preparing their strategic expansion plan, defining opening dates and locations.
Additionally, the company plans to open eight new stores in Guatemala, in addition to its current 17 coffee shops.
As part of its expansion plan, Cemaco will open three new stores in 2011.
On March 18 it will open a new store at the Mall Flores del Lago.
Maria Fernanda Jaramillo, executive vice president of the company, told Prensa Libre that "an express format will be created by the middle of this year at the Avenida de las Américas, in area 13.... The expansion plan also includes opening a store on route to the Atlantic...".
The Guatemalan chain announced a partnership with Corporación Multi Inversiones for the opening of new stores.
Eight new stores, which will join the 17 already existing, will open in Guatemalan territory.
Walter De La Cruz, CEO of Barista told Prensalibre.com that "... through this alliance, we expect to open the first store outside national territory, in the Salvadoran capital."
The company with a presence in Guatemala and El Salvador will enter Honduras and Mexico on the first half of 2011.
Expansion plans include opening three new outlets in the border city of Tapachula, Mexico and the same number in Honduras.
The company executive told Elperiodico.com.gt, "... the new openings will be followed by franchised units, but only after we get to know the new markets better."
Grupo Tikal Futura is building Flores del Lago Commercial Center on kilometer 29,5 of the Pacific Highway.
This commercial center has also an area for medical services and a specialties clinics, movies and recreational areas.
"The manager added that the commercial complex will have a built area of 22,475 square meters and will be located in a 120,000 square meter lot", reported PrensaLibre.com.
The supermarket chain is plannning to open 22 stores during 2009 in Central America, generating about 1,000 job openings.
The press release published by Siglo 21 on its website states: "In a year when the region's economic environment is showing itself to be extremely challenging, this level of growth and investment demonstrates the company's commitment to the welfare of Central American families, with a greater operating efficiency that will allow it to continue offering the lowest prices to its customers."
The American toy company enters the Guatemalan market with the opening of a commercial location at Plaza Fontabella.
Cristóbal Véliz in his article published in Sigloxxi.com writes: "The company projects that between April and May they will open a second branch office of the Alex Store, which will be located in the Eskala Roosevelt shopping center, which will be having a grand opening soon.