Utula shop is a good example of combining additional services and retail of goods. In addition to retail, the shop has social activities to attract customers.
Utula village shop is in Ruokolahti municipality. It serves some 100 local residents and 300 leisure time residents. Shop selection includes food, daily consumption goods, tools and small appliances. It also has a cafeteria & bar, gas pump and reception point for events and lodging in the village house. Nearest shop providing food and daily consumption goods locates 20 km away. Therefore, Utula shop has a significant role in maintaining services in a rarely populated area in Ruokolahti.
Utula shop-keepers have created multiservice as key success factor for profitable business. In addition to over 1000 shop articles, the cafeteria and bar serve as a social hub for people to meet. Shop owners also organize events at summer time (approx. dozen per summer) that attracts both locals and summer time residents.
Along the commercial services, special attention is addressed to services and actions creating community. Shop owners cooperate with Utula village association and other actors. Shop acts as a reception point for local village lodging house. Multiservice concept offers customers the premises to spend time and organise events. The latest activity is a “pensioners’ parliament” that is held in the shop bar. This increases the amount of shopping customers. The diversity of income is grown and the customers are more bound to the shop. Beneficiaries of the shop’s multiservice concept are local inhabitants, summertime residents and tourists.
Resources needed
Described practises require knowledge on segmented customer needs, an ability to innovate and good networking skills. A key success factor at background is a service combination resulting to a will to visit the shop. The service concept is important and working, yet financial support will be needed.
Evidence of success
The multiservice concept is developed during past years and it reacts to needs indicated from environment. The shop does not market itself but it has gained reputation and publicity among customers and local media.
At the beginning of year 2020 the shop got as the only village shop in South Karelia state aid from government program for multiservice village shops.
Difficulties encountered
Challenge is the low population in the village, so special efforts are needed to attract the leisure time residents. The skills to make new innovative multi services and marketing in a changing society makes another challenge.
Potential for learning or transfer
Utula village shop is an example of wholly private owned business that has recognised the value and meaning of services with social aspect in rural areas. The practise encourages actors to study the potential customer segments needs and to concept them as services which is fully transferable operating model.
As a daily open working shop, Utula shop is available for learning and its bar/restaurant offers also premises and services for learning sessions.
Tags: Development, Social, Services, Innovation, Tourism
