C-Store Growth

While working to help c-store manager, we found  a funny thing happened on the way to c-store growth. In order to work on growth, store managers needed to focus on a lot of different parts of their operations: Growth, Profits, Value, Satisfaction, Simplicity, Improvement, Self-Motivation, Efficiency, Helpfulness, Caring, Development, Usefulness, Happiness – who doesn’t want all …

The changes and competition in the convenience retail world demands strong operations. Building a brand, having loyal customers and establishing a strong community presence cannot be attained and sustained without reliable operations. The convenience business is about people: your customers and your staff. Your operations determine how well you deliver convenience through your staff to …

Given the challenges with c-store staffing, c-store operators benefit by addressing the impact of c-store onboarding debt. All business are impacted by their ability to hire, train, manage and develop their staff. The recent challenges, such as Covid, created many changes to the working environment and significantly changed the labor costs and work expectations. Just …

There are three main aspects of c-store operations ROI. C-Store operations have a virtually unlimited capacity to grow and attain on-going improvement. These results are evident with successful chains such as Casey’s, Kwik Trip, Wawa, Sheetz, and others. They show the power of great businesses that have both a strong operational system and the ability …

Managers forget the numbers to fix problems. A store manager cannot make a customer buy anything. They can only address how the store operates. The key is store manager problem solving. They must manage staffing, stocking, inventory, finances, cleanliness, preparation and how the store operates. Their work directly influences the customer experience. Before they fix …

The presenters at a recent food-service-focused-c-store conference provided a unique perspective on their successes. C-Store operations have already or may soon become primarily focused on food service. The presenters included a single store operator, several top 10 chains, investment bankers, leading vendors and leading consultants in the convenience space. Here are the ten things I …

Surveys of c-store managers identify five keys to grow food sales.  Food service is critical to the future success of most c-stores. A strong store manager can typically thrive in a store with great food offers as many of the jobs are the same as non-food stores. However, there are key differences. Preparing and supporting …

Management keys for c-store food service utilize existing store manager skills, but require a few important new skillsets to maximize results. C-store managers have a complex job and the demands on their skills continue to grow.  C-Store operations’ complexity has increased with a combination of new services, technology, marketing and staffing challenges. The expansion of …

Store manager ROI strategy involves three components. Financial impact, store operations and leadership development drive the return on investment. Overall chain health requires each store to provide value in three areas. The return provided to the chain is maximized when all three areas are addressed. That is, the store provides Financial return, Operates well Grows managers …

With the big investments made into c-store technology, it is important to ask: Does your operations system help your c-store manager support the customer experience?  Too often, the store manager is given more responsibility without adequate system support for the daily operations. Store managers face challenging responsibilities and unprecedented staffing shortages. C-Store operations support systems …

Abigail Cerra, ReFuel, discusses 7 key parts to c-store loyalty systems. While the rollout of a loyalty system can be daunting, there are a set of things to consider that can be addressed to successfully achieve the customer loyalty implementation. Based on her experience of implementing several loyalty programs she identifies a few keys to …

Building a system to develop c-store management to drive culture, live the brand and create growth requires discipline, process and consistency. Establishing a culture where staff consistently deliver what you promise your customers provides value that generates customer loyalty. With consistent results, the compensation and job satisfaction are generated in the store that keep the …