That’s exactly what Greg has been focused on. With over two decades in restaurant kitchens and now leading foodservice development across multiple stores, he brings a perspective shaped by experience and refined through adaptation.

From Restaurant Kitchens to C-Store Strategy

Greg’s path into convenience retail started long before he ever stepped into a c-store environment. With 25 years in the restaurant industry, he’s worked across corporate chains, independent concepts, and franchise operations.

Food has always been part of his life.

“I’ve worked in over 10 different restaurant kitchens throughout my career,” he shares. “It’s something I’ve always been around.”

That experience now carries into his current role, where he’s spent the last year and a half building and refining food programs across multiple stores – creating consistency, structure, and a more unified approach.

Want to hear directly from Greg? Watch the full interview.

Why C-Store Food Isn’t the Same as Restaurants

One of the biggest lessons Greg learned was that convenience stores can’t be run like restaurants.

“It was a hard realization,” he says. “I don’t have restaurant people working for me.”

In restaurant environments, teams are trained in industry language, systems, and expectations. In c-stores, employees often come from different backgrounds. That shift requires a different leadership approach.

“You have to communicate in a way that makes sense to them. Once I did that, I saw a lot more buy-in.”

That change in perspective helped improve engagement across stores and strengthened overall execution.

Building C-Store Foodservice Consistency Through Simplicity

At the core of Greg’s approach is keeping things simple and repeatable.

In restaurant kitchens, experienced cooks often rely on instinct. In c-stores, consistency comes from clear systems and tools.

“You can’t expect someone to know what two ounces feels like,” Greg explains. “So, you give them the tools to get it right every time.”

That includes:

• Standardized recipes
• Measured tools like scoops and ladles
• Portion control by volume or count
• Clear, repeatable processes

These small details make a big difference. Over time, they reduce waste, improve product quality, and strengthen C-store foodservice consistency across every location.

Maintaining C-Store Foodservice Consistency Across Locations

Not every store operates the same way. Some locations run more developed food programs with daily specials, while others focus on simpler offerings like pizza and hot sandwiches.

Even with those differences, consistency across locations remains a priority.

“The same pizza should be the same no matter which store you walk into,” Greg says.

That means balancing:

• Standard recipes and ingredients
• Adjustments based on store volume

Higher-volume stores can produce more at once, while smaller locations need to produce less more frequently to avoid waste.

“It depends on the store and the customers coming in,” he explains.

According to industry trends in convenience retail (NACS), consistency is a key driver of repeat purchases.

Rolling Out Programs to Support C-Store Foodservice Consistency

When introducing a new food program, Greg focuses on preparation.

“What worries me most is whether I’ve given my team everything they need to get started,” he says.

That includes:

• Clear training
• Answering key questions upfront
• Hands-on support during rollout
• Follow-up and coaching afterward

Compared to restaurants, c-store teams often need more structured guidance and ongoing support to maintain C-store foodservice consistency over time.

Advice for Leaders Getting Started

For managers looking to introduce or expand foodservice, Greg keeps his advice practical:

Know what you’re getting into
Foodservice is fast-paced and demanding. It requires planning and preparation.

Have the right equipment in place
“Ingredients are easy to get,” he says. “You need the tools to execute.”

Understand your market
Make sure there’s a need for what you’re offering, and think about how you’ll stand out.

Keep it simple for your team
Your staff may not have restaurant experience, so systems need to be easy to follow.

Be clear on your model
Whether it’s hot-and-ready or made-to-order, customers expect speed and consistency.

Making It Work Across Every Store

Greg’s approach comes down to adapting what he learned in restaurants to fit the realities of convenience retail.

It’s not about turning stores into restaurants. It’s about building systems that teams can follow, customers can rely on, and stores can scale.

Ultimately, C-store foodservice consistency comes from simple systems, clear expectations, and ongoing support. When teams understand the process and have the right tools, execution becomes easier, and results follow.

This is exactly what we focus on in our store manager workshops – helping teams turn strategy into consistent execution. Reach out to learn how we support stores in building consistent operations across teams.

The post C-Store Foodservice Consistency: Greg’s Approach That Works appeared first on BandyWorks.

From Silos to One Conversation

Before the workshops, Jonathan saw a familiar problem: managers working hard, but separately. Communication existed, but it was fragmented. Text messages replaced conversations. Managers knew voices, not faces. Questions were answered one-on-one instead of once, as a group.

The workshops changed that rhythm.

Instead of five separate conversations, managers began having one shared conversation each week. Over time, something shifted: questions surfaced, ideas were exchanged, and managers realized they weren’t alone in the challenges they were facing.

Why Buy-In Came First

Jonathan was clear about one thing: the workshops only worked because leadership committed to them fully.

If the team already had everything figured out, there would have been no reason to bring in a partner. The workshops were a recognition that gaps existed and, that improvement required outside perspective.

Rather than resisting the process, Jonathan leaned into it. The goal wasn’t to defend what was already working – it was to uncover gaps, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities. That mindset set the tone for the entire team.

Buy-in wasn’t demanded. It was demonstrated.

Making Upselling and Performance a Team Effort

The workshops weren’t just about leadership theory. They tied directly to execution.

Managers reviewed numbers together. They talked about upselling, efficiency, and store-level performance. When someone asked a question, others often realized they had the same one but hadn’t spoken up yet.

That shared learning mattered.

Upselling stopped being an individual responsibility and became a team discipline. Managers learned what worked, what didn’t, and how small changes could drive better results without adding pressure.

The Biggest Challenge: Time

The hardest part was scheduling.

Some stores had limited staff. Some managers were on shift. Making time felt inconvenient at first. But once managers saw value, the question changed from “Why do I have to make time?” to “How do I make time?”

That shift made all the difference.

What Made the Workshops Work

Jonathan credits the success to a few simple principles:

• Consistent cadence (short, weekly sessions)

• Shared visibility into performance and priorities

• Open discussion instead of top-down instruction

• Practical application tied to daily store realities

The result wasn’t perfection – it was progress.

A Leadership Lesson That Sticks

C-store leadership workshops don’t succeed because of slides or software. They succeed when leaders commit, managers feel connected, and conversations turn into action.

For Jonathan, the biggest win wasn’t just better numbers – it was seeing managers grow together, support each other, and take ownership of improvement.

That’s what real leadership development looks like in convenience retail.

Hear from Jonathan directly!

Related Links for Leadership in Action

See how Vince Hammock runs one of the top-performing convenience stores in his company. His focus on trust, discipline, and people-first leadership offers lessons for anyone looking to grow in the C-store industry.

The post C-Store Leadership Workshops That Drive Upselling and Manager Buy-In appeared first on BandyWorks.

C-Store Manager Leadership: Building Great Teams That Drive Success

Growing leaders from within is a sign of strong culture and team development. Both Lassus Brothers and JD Streett believe in promoting from within.

“Most of our managers have moved up through the organization,” says Stephanie Galentine, COO, Lassus Brothers Oil.

“Ninety percent of our managers started as a cashier,” adds Darrell Meek, Operations Manager, JD Streett & Co. “When we have to hire from the outside, I feel like I failed because we didn’t develop our people.”

Homegrown leadership builds trust, stability, and loyalty that can be difficult to bring in from the outside. When the organization does bring in management from the outside, having a strong cultural identity allows both the new manager and existing teams to align quickly.

The Linchpin of Store Success

One of the often-overlooked responsibilities of the store manager is driving culture with store teams. “The cool thing about our culture is that it’s hard to leave us. We really rely on that.” (Stephanie Galentine).

Culture only matters if leaders make time for it. Stephanie adds, “If I’m not willing to protect the calendar and make time for training, then my words aren’t matching my actions.”  Strong leadership means protecting time for people – training, recognition, and open communication. That’s what keeps great employees and loyal customers.

Running a successful store requires building strong teams, inspiring ownership, and turning daily operations into lasting results. A small store can outperform a larger one when the manager leads with purpose.

“It doesn’t really matter how big the store is. A strong manager can make it work, but if you get a bad manager, it’s just going to be problems.” (Tom Bandy, CEO, BandyWorks).

Good managers spot small issues before they grow, coach more than correct, and build a bench of leaders with a strong sense of ownership. “I don’t want the managers focusing on numbers. I want them focusing on being a leader… because if they don’t develop people under them, there are no numbers.” (Darrell Meek).

When managers invest in their people, performance follows naturally. Short check-ins, small coaching moments, and recognition build the kind of team that drives consistent results.

Smart Delegation: Intentional Assignment and Responsibility

At some point, every manager says, “I don’t have time for that.” Darrell’s coaching answer reframes it: “When a manager says, ‘I don’t have time,’ I ask, ‘Okay, what can we delegate off your plate to make that time?’”

Delegation isn’t a loss of control; it’s an investment in your team’s growth and your own bandwidth for coaching and improvement. Smart delegation means matching responsibility to readiness and great managers intentionally grow their people by giving them meaningful ownership of results.

Intentional delegation pairs with coaching and training on the job.

“Sometimes messages have timing to them. You might hear it in the spring, and it doesn’t touch what’s going on, but come fall, that same training hits differently.” (Stephanie Galentine). Training is layered and ongoing, not one-and-done. When managers revisit lessons and apply them at the right moment, the impact compounds over time.

The Intangibles That Build Great Stores

You can’t always measure leadership on a report, but you can feel it in a well-run store. Great C-store leaders show:

• Awareness to spot issues early
• Diligence to correct errors and develop skill
• Commitment to address weak habits
• Patience to build solutions with current tools
• Courage to try new approaches

These traits drive every key number on the P&L.

The Real ROI of Leadership

Investing in leadership isn’t optional; it’s foundational. Managers who lead with purpose build teams that deliver even when times get tough. Leadership multiplies results through people. When it becomes daily habit, stores don’t just perform, they thrive.

Action Steps for Managers

1. Protect 15 minutes daily for staff coaching.
2. Review training materials monthly and reinforce one key lesson.
3. Delegate at least one recurring task to develop a team member.
4. Recognize one employee action that shows ownership every week.
5. Keep leadership visible – model calm, curiosity, and consistency.

Access the full discussion and recording here!

Related Links – Maximize C-Store Leadership Development ROI

1. ROI of Becoming Noah’s Boss for C-Store Operations
2. Three Aspects of C-Store Operations ROI – BandyWorks
3. Store Manager ROI Strategy – BandyWorks

The post C-Store Manager Leadership: Building Great Teams That Drive Success appeared first on BandyWorks.

Managing a store means constant challenges: staffing, stocking, service, and unexpected problems. If managers use a fall-focused checklist, they can guide their teams, reduce stress, and turn seasonal demand into stronger sales and smoother shifts.

So, what actions should be on a c-store manager’s leadership checklist?

C-Store Leadership Checklist – Lead, Develop & Grow

• Plan for Back-to-school traffic – Mornings and afternoons get busier when schools are in session. Having extra coffee, breakfast items, and after-school snacks ready keeps the line moving.

• Adjust schedules early – Once school starts, student workers usually change their hours. Get schedules set ahead so you’re ready for busy mornings and weekend rushes.

• Stock seasonal favorites – Pumpkin spice, apple cider, candy, and game-day snacks sell fast in fall. Keep shelves full and displays fresh.

• Coach for customer rushes – Teach your team how to handle after-school crowds and game-day traffic. A little prep goes a long way in keeping service smooth.

• Get game-day ready – Football weekends bring heavy traffic. Double-check beer, chips, pizza, and grab-and-go meals before Friday nights and Saturdays.

• Coach on suggestive selling – Remind the team to suggest a coffee with a breakfast sandwich, or candy with a drink. Small add-ons add up, especially in fall.

• Celebrate weekly wins – Shout out the team after handling a Friday night rush, keeping shelves full during school pickup, or setting up a strong fall display. Those moments matter.

• Use seasonal checklists – Add fall-specific tasks like stocking candy displays, refilling hot chocolate, resetting shelves after game days, and keeping pumpkin or harvest promos fresh.

• Keep customer focus first – Fall means longer lines, but you can only serve one customer at a time. Stay positive, give each person full attention, and remember, once the busy season ends, they’re still your regulars.

• Follow up on fall projects – Whether it’s a new promo display, a loyalty push, or a weekend staffing plan, keep tabs daily. Small check-ins prevent last-minute stress when the rush is on.

Leadership That Lasts

Fall is busy, but it’s also one of the best times to build habits that keep stores strong year-round. Making a list of actions and sticking to it each day creates strong habits and stronger teams. Of course, unexpected issues will always come up. But keeping this checklist at the center ensures the essentials get done and progress continues.

The result: less stress, stronger teams, and consistent store performance.

Strong fall performance starts with a solid routine—see how C-Store Managers Start with a Daily Plan to keep things on track.

For more inspiration on leadership, check out Simon Sinek’s take on what it really means to be a great boss. Simon Sinek Noah

The post C-Store Checklist for Fall Success: Leadership Made Simple appeared first on BandyWorks.

DD Bennett is the manager at Markle and DD would tell you her leadership approach was developed the hard way.  “I’ve been with Crossroads for 18 years, It was my first job. I started in high school and just stuck with it”. Growing up in Markle, DD got to know the owners of Crossroads early on. “They must have liked what they saw. They made me feel like I mattered. They made an effort to keep me”. That early encouragement sparked a journey that would take her from teenage team member to kitchen lead to store manager.

 A Rough Start, A Strong Return

Her path wasn’t smooth. In 2012, Crossroads acquired a new location, one that included a Subway and DD was selected to manage it. “That was supposed to be my store, But “I’ll say it—I failed at that role”. At the time, she was pregnant, balancing major life changes, and overwhelmed. “I just wasn’t myself. I wasn’t doing a good job. But they didn’t give up on me. After maternity leave, they saw I was struggling, and they gave me a shot back at the Markle kitchen”. That shift back into the kitchen turned out to be the reset she needed. “They gave me space to regroup. And slowly, I got back on my feet”.

 C-Store Management Growth, One Role at a Time

Before taking on store manager duties again, DD worked through leadership in the kitchen. “It let me build up experience. I wasn’t as assertive back then—I let things slide. And that hurts morale. You have to be able to hold the line if you want to build a strong team”. Now, with years of hands-on learning behind her, she leads with clarity, and purpose. She has a kitchen manager now who reminds a lot of herself—started in high school, worked her way up. “She’s solid on food safety, knows her stuff, and follows procedure.

“We’ve built something that works”. Their store isn’t just a convenience stop. It’s a one-stop local market, especially for workers from nearby factories. “We’re kind of the grocery store around here,” DD explains. “We’ve got Broaster Chicken, Hunt Brothers pizza, deli salads, there’s a lot going on.”

C-Store Leadership Keys: Assertiveness Over Toxicity

DD doesn’t let bad energy linger. “If you keep letting one toxic employee poison the rest of the team, it spreads like wildfire. You’ve got to shut it down early”. That’s where communication comes in. Her relationship with her bosses—based on trust and consistency—is something she now models with her own team. “They’ve always backed me. If I have a problem with an employee, I talk it over with them. They’ve given me the confidence to make decisions, and I pass that same support down to my assistant managers.”

If her team spots a problem, she expects them to speak up. “I always tell them, if you see something wrong, don’t be afraid to address it. If someone give attitude and if it doesn’t change, bring it to me. I’ve got your back because that’s how my bosses have mine”.

 C-Store Leadership Key: Support, and Self-Reflection

She points to tools like their employee handbook as essentials. “It’s not just a formality. We highlight the basics when someone’s hired, and we actually use it. It’s there to bring people back to the expectations and it’s in writing.”

But tools alone aren’t enough. What makes a difference is ownership. “My bosses don’t expect me to run to them with every little thing. If I’m doing that, I’m not doing my job. But when there’s a real issue or an emergency they know I’ll let them know. It’s about judgement.”

C-Store Leadership Keys:  Advice for New C-Store Managers

“It’s communication. If you can’t communicate with your team, the whole operation breaks down.” She believes growth comes from self-awareness and striving to improve—for yourself and your team. “Knowing when to communicate up comes with confidence. That only comes from experience. For those moments that feel too big or too uncertain? I’ve been uncomfortable my whole life, I’m not afraid of jumping in and getting my feet wet and hit the ground running.”

C-Store Leadership Keys: A Culture of Confidence

Reflecting on her journey, DD credits her workplace culture for helping her grow into the leader she is today. “Not every manager is lucky. If you don’t feel supported by your higher-ups, talk to them. It all comes back to communication. I’ve been lucky. I’ve been blessed with bosses who truly support me. I do my best to pass that on.”

Read more about C-Store Manager Leadership Development

Building a Scalable C-Store Operations Team

ROI of Becoming Noah’s Boss for C-Store Operations

The post C-Store Leadership Keys: Kitchen to Command appeared first on BandyWorks.

So often we are given choices and asked to prioritize and pick. Priorities, focus, and discipline are necessary to run a successful business. C-Store operations are no exception.

Leadership for Team Building

While working with top managers to improve areas of growth and control, leadership skills and techniques are shared. Growth areas of focus include:

1. How to promptly to address issues, and train at the same time.
2. How to motivate staff and make thing fun without losing accountability.
3. Asking – What is the right type of person to hire?
4. Is there something unique about younger workers to create bad attitudes toward work?
5. And many other labor & staffing issues…

It seems no manager has a perfect store or perfect employees, but those that consistently perform well have a structured set of priorities in terms of hiring, delegating, communicating and follow-up. As problems surface and are addressed, many times, the best managers find that they must change before their staff will perform as needed.

C-Store Managers Feedback

During group discussions with managers working to improve their leadership, they often share how they have allowed staff to be confused about expectations and have not addressed problems directly nor quickly enough.

Experienced managers will often provide detailed assessments of how bad performance happened and specific areas where they bear responsibility for the mistakes. Of course, they do not allow staff errors to go un-addressed.

With patience, alignment, and consistency, they address and coach their team to improve. No one expects perfection and there are always different ways to work. The rules that seem to stick, however, are mutual respect, fair expectations, allowance for real-life, commitment to good work, and recognition of the good and the bad that happens.

Store managers expect that daily checklists are completed on-time. That is, exceptions are justified by compelling problems, not just forgetfullness. Of course, store managers lead from the front. They pitch-in and support staff. In the best teams, all staff members speak directly, and are shown by example how to address differences and how to train and support the right way to take care of customers.

Adjusting to New Operations Initiatives

Several customers have recently changed to 100% ID scanning or birthday entry. For many cashiers, they fear this change can affect customer relationships or create extra friction at checkout. What’s the right approach when ID checking older, regular customers? Tension exists when trying to comply with ID requirements and maintaining strong customer service. For managers, these updates may require breaking established habits with staff. Not every decision and policy can have 100% agreement. It’s up to team leads to explain the “why” as much as possible, while, at the end of the day, meeting compliance.

Other items, however, may have less friction when building alignment. Showing customers valuable promotions saves them money on things they love. Keeping the store fully stocked and clean means customers are happy and staff feel proud of their work. Giving extra attention, smiles, and kindness builds happy experiences that make work fun and rewarding.

The Way to C-Store Growth

Not surprisingly, when stores have loyal customers, work is balanced, profits are growing, appreciation is given, and pay is good. Staff tend to like their jobs. They find satisfaction and are more likely to stay in their work.

The Funny Thing that Happened

Retention, profits, control all work well together. Developing great leadership takes time and resources, but provides great stores, strong ROI and happy, long-lasting worker retention. Perhaps it is not so funny or unusual at all. When we have great team, everyone enjoys the job more, stays longer and gets better results.

The post A Funny Thing Happened On the Way to C-Store Growth appeared first on BandyWorks.

C-Store Operations Drivers

1. Achievement

Mike Crowell

Results matter. Operations need to know how they are doing. Managers responsible for their stores need to know how they are doing. Having a basic understanding of the numbers provides a clear picture. Basic information includes key store sales, traffic, fuel, compliance, inventory and customer service. Knowing if things are better or worse with meaningful comparisons lets the manager know if things are better or worse.

Running a store does not allow much time for number crunching so having the key information readily available is a starting point for knowing how things stand and where to focus priorities. Mike Crowell, Operations Director Small & Sons Convenience, found that setting goals and measuring results was the key to focused action. He found that “team building started once we set goals together. Before goals were set, we just found problems, but there was not much resolution. That is, after we started, then the next fire would take over and we would not get our work completed before the next problem took our attention.”

2. Alignment

C-store operations alignment with all managers is a force multiplier. Mason Cowan writes in the C-Store Growth Mindset, that it “leads to astonishing results. It enables a team to achieve performance levels that are far greater than the individual best of the team members. His list of benefits include:

• Shared goals
• Stronger trust
• Time savings
• Faster work
• Increased creativity
• Higher confidence
• More fun

3. Accountability

To achieve a top C-Store performance accountability trust must be strong. In order to operate remote stores well, there must be a level of trust. This trust must be bi-directional. Employees must believe they will have the resources they need for success and HQ staff need remote operations to perform as required. That is why many accountability coaches say, ‘Trust or Bust’. Trust is required by everyone in the organization. Trust is a natural outcome of alignment.

The combination of an objective approach to measure achievement and strong alignment typically makes accountability a natural result. While any sequence of focus can work, the accountability driver often follows improvement with either achievement or alignment. Of course, accurate, meaningful measurements of results along with strong team cohesiveness makes accountability simpler.

Once you know where you are going, the path and the resources become the mechanism to achieve the desired results. When there is a purpose, training is motivated. With the resources of time, skills, facility and product provided, the operations can be performed. Checklists, schedules, and feedback provide the mechanisms to make it clear how to do the work that is needed to achieve the required results. With measurement, performance can be assessed. Finally, with a culture of responsibility and problem solving, change is possible, so employees develop to achieve the results. With a process in place, employees’ ability to execute is simple and specific.

4. Attention

Crowell found that paying attention was the key to making a substantial improvement in his operations. The desire to do better was our key to taking the first step. Sometimes, just picking a place to start is the hardest part. We were never complacent despite havimg lots of operations defects for which we were not happy.

• Engage with people
• See the situation
• Be objective
• Appreciate quality
• Address problems
• Consider others
• Understand priorities

5. Aspiration

Looking at what is possible, rather than what is now. As Crowell stated his team started improving as he set goals. Measuring the results provides focus. Mike felt that if his team was not complacent, that is, they wanted to get better, no obstacles could hold them back. His aspiration initially was simply to have a strong operation that allowed his team and himself to enjoy their job. Of course, with success the cycle returns to goals and new and bigger goals are the natural benefit of success.

Mike is not alone in the goal setting. John Doer worked for Andy Grove when he started making computer chips. In his TED talk, he refers to Grove as the ‘greatest manager of all time’. Grove thought goals provided clarity which provide execution guidance. he argued “The objective is the direction. The key results have to be measured, but at the end you can look and without any argument say, “Did I do that, or did I not do that?” Yes. No. Simple. Hence, the desire to be great, the setting of the goal and its measurement make the cycle robust and successful.

C-Store Operations Impediments

1. Complacent

BJ Cooper

Attitude and effort are key hiring traits. BJ Cooper. district manager at JD Streett, summarizes the challenges with complacency when trying to achieve c-store growth: “Going through the motions, or hearing an employee describe their job as ‘I am a cashier at the local gas station, it pays the bills’” is a complacency red flag.  A job has to provide income of course, but if the check is the only thing, it almost never works out. Complacency is even more of a problem with new managers, assistants and supervisors. The lack of lack of ambition or a growth mindset is a huge red flag.

Focusing on the hiring, avoiding short-cuts is a natural place to begin. However, many managers find that personal interaction and getting their staff to open up and share their goals can remind both the manager and the staff about their motivation. Good hiring and strong leadership can remove this obstacle and turn it into a motivated driver.

2. Neglect

Perhaps the last stage or worst trait of all the five c-store operations drivers and impediments is just not paying attention or caring. Sometimes, neglect can be a circumstance rather than a choice. For example, if one manager has to cover three stores and one is far away and just not large enough to justify time, when the other two stores are so much bigger. Sometimes neglect is the best of bad choices. However, having such a situation is typically the result of long-term problems that have not been addressed.

Once neglect is the driver, it is both good and bad. The bad, of course, is that things are really bad. The good is that any attention and good work will make things better. Some people that have a lot of patience thrive at removing this issue. With enough time and patience, these stores or operations are very rewarding to put back on a path towards success.

3. Unreliable

Finding ways to remove the impediments (the red backward arrows) came from a desire to get better. One of the key symptoms of missing accountability is the lack of reliability. In their book, Bandy & Cowan list the common phrases used that reflect missing accountability. This way of thinking or working can be identified with phrases or situations such as:

• Does this person really care about their work?
• I must tell them every single step.
• No one tells me about problems they experience.
• There is no work ethic anymore.
• No one tells me anything, there is no communications going on.
• My boss doesn’t care about me.

Addressing the problems in an operation can happen with small steps. Just the desire to improve can be enough. For example, “I got help to set goals and that is when the move from red to green happened. We were not ever complacent, but we were unreliable.” according to Mike Crowell, Operations Director, Small & Sons Convenience Stores.

4. Conflict

While conflict is unavoidable, the right kind of conflict is needed. Teams that have strong alignment will know how to communicate and share ideas about improvement. Such a conflict is based on a desire to improve or fix problems. The kind of conflict that hinders operations are personal and misaligned efforts. It is perfectly reasonable for individuals to have their own needs and goals. However, individuality should not be in conflict with one’s work goals or there is not a synergy and fit to make things better. As opposed to a well-aligned team, those without a shared vision or mission will have a harder time addresses problems or communicating with full trust.

Healthy teams are not afraid to avoid problems or make suggestions. There is no conflict when respectful feedback and communication is used to make things better. Everyone knows the challenges and effort needed, however, to spend time motivating and chasing teammates to do their work.

5. Mediocre

The lack of a desire to improve is often a definition of mediocracy. Few expect their teammates to be perfect or achieve unreasonable targets. Everyone, however, expects an effort and the ability to know that each person is working to help contribute. Aspiring for better does not mean unrealistic dreams, or seeing the world differently than it really is. Giving up on the possibility, however, tends to create a negative force and limits the ability to maximize improvements and build trusting teams.

Improving C-Store Operations

Many question where to start and how long it will take. Others just focus on the next thing. The interesting thing about cycles is that they tend to work together. Many find that those that have some level of motivation can make small progress from either getting rid of an obstacle or by making something just a little better. It is not necessary to have the full plan in place or understand all the strengths and weaknesses. A desire to start is enough. The will to change is enough to grow and control the five c-store operations drivers and impediments.

Addressing change management as operations adjustments are implemented helps to keep the positive cycle in effect and makes it possible to remove those negative forces that impede operations. As you move forward and learn, consider these aspects of change management:

• • Buy-in
  • Respect
  • Win-Win
  • Pace
  • Fears
  • Progress not perfection

Additional Resources for C-Store Operations

Three Aspects of C-Store Operations ROI

C-Store Managers Start with a Daily Plan

C-Store Performance Accountability – Trust or Bust

Grandma’s Secret Sauce for C-Store Accountability

Resources

The post Five C-Store Operations Drivers and Impediments appeared first on BandyWorks.

Onboarding starts with the hiring process. The candidate’s selection may overlook known issues, or may not verify that the candidate is a fit for the job. Of course, in a staffing crisis, it is tempting to make exceptions just to get a body in the store. However, if there are missing skills, attitudes or situations that limit work attendance/performance there is a cost. This cost is one example of onboarding debt. C-store operationas require strong onboarding – it takes time to provide and time to complete. Putting staff to work that are not fully onboarded means risking rework, bad service or making other staff do more.

Onboarding Takes Time and Resources

Onboarding debt will have to be paid. It may mean the manager has to do more work, other staff must cover, or the service will degrade (e.g., shorter store hours, poor service, incomplete work). Once hiring is done, then the work to ensure the new hire knows the job begins. Having procedures, explaining the schedule, establishing the company expectations for its brand, and level of service must be addressed. Of course, giving the new staff the opportunity to work initially with the oversight and guidance of experienced staff is basic minimal onboarding.

Obviously, the best companies do a lot more. Those initial training items that are skipped, rushed or improperly completed reduce the capability of the new hire’s knowledge and skill. Onboarding deficiencies can be made up with experience, retraining, extra hours and learning the job. However, the onboarding costs will be paid:  either by other staff and/or the customer’s experience.

The Impact of C-Store Onboarding Debt

C-store onboarding impact is easy to see when not done well. Staff are overworked, managers become frustrated, turnover grows, and the work environment is not pleasant. The debt includes:

1. Manager overload
2. Bad customer experience
3. Inneffective loyalty utilization
4. Overly dramatic/unpleasant work environment
5. Lost customers
6. Lower sales
7. Higher overtime
8. More shrink
9. Increased fines
10. Run-down physical locations

Paying Off the C-Store Onboarding Debt

There are many ways to pay the cost of onboarding. Many argue cost increases the longer the full onboarding is delayed. These onboarding tasks address:

1. Hiring
2. Alignment
3. Process
4. Works Skills
5. Practice/Feedback
6. Mistake Assessment
7. Personal Goals
8. Personal Needs

Hiring

Hiring is the start of onboarding. Short cuts with hiring multiply problems during the initial training period. Simon Sinek recommends brutal honesty when recruiting and interviewing. In order to have a fit and achieve alignment with the team member, it make sense to allow candidates to self-select. Further, the interview process should provide questions, interactions, and enough exposure that both the candidate and the company understand if both would like to be on the same team.

It takes more time to pick and there may need to be an earlier start, but without a fit the later work to attempt to force good teamwork may be much more expensive. Worse, it may mean that the new hire quits (or could be fired in really bad situations) and require the entire process to start again. Repeated training, slow learning or poor performance may result and thus begin the onboarding debt

Alignment

Building a team is one of the results of strong onboarding. As stated in the book, C-Store Growth Mindset, teamwork requires purpose, trust, and time. Having candidates choose to join as their personal goals and preference match the vision and culture of the company, provides the foundation for alignment. Honesty in the recruitment process regarding the way the team works together helps candidates choose. Even better, it establishes a promise that when fulfilled during onboarding creates trust with the staff member.

As with all onboarding work, time is required. It takes time to fully understand how to work and interact with team mates and customers. The training of new staff, will exemplify the true values of the company and establish the actual culture that a worker feels and delivers.

Process

Operational processes define the specific work tasks, responsibilities, frequency, and tracking requirements that guide operations. They are the specific guidelines to operate the company to achieve its vision and mission.

Each responsible team member needs to know the processes that they are responsible to fulfill. Additionally, it is important to understand other processes that support the team to know when to ask for help or escalate incomplete work that hinders their work. Team work is not only doing our own job, but assisting in communication of incomplete work (e.g., maintenance, supply, regulations).

James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, states that ‘It’s the systems and processes – the habits – that drive our success’. He emphasizes the development of focus on the things that lead to the results. For example, we may not be able to control traffic or market basket size, but we can ensure the store is clean, well stocked, and service is friendly and welcoming. As part of his research and findings there is the concept of building an identity around the habits that create success.

With great onboarding, not only are staff well trained on the work skills and responsbilities, but also the culture of delivering the work. The process serves the teamwork.

Work Skills

Training for work skills is perhaps the most understood, anticipated and tracked part of the job. We know we have to get them to sign payroll forms, learn how to clock in/out, run the cash register and where to find the supplies. What may not always be addressed, however, are the important parts such as greeting, cleaning, stocking and making the store a pleasant place to visit. The frequency, time, and approach to the job makes a difference.

It is safe to assume that a person wants to do a good job and would like to know how to succeed. Taking the time to explain the responsiblities for the job and to explain the documentation and follow-up process allows a new staff person to meet expectations. Asking questions and emphasing the key areas of concern engage the new hire.

It is important to remember that onboarding can be stressful. There may be hesitancy to ask for clarification or slow down the trainer – especially a trainer that seems to be in a hurry. The onboarding provides lots of time to address the reason why a job is done and why it matters to the customers, the manager and the other workers at the store.

Practice/Feedback

Staff feedback is perhaps the most overlooked part of onboarding. Staff that want to learn crave feedback. They do not know how they are doing until they experience the results of their actions. Further, many argue that learning does not existing unless knowledge is put into action. In order to positively influcence the impact of c-store onboarding-debt each staff must execute and use the onboarding work and recieve feedback. This feedback is paramount to learning and positive results. Role playing situations, having new hires shadow top performers, repeating the same tasks to gain confidences are straight-forward and effective ways to train. Providing time to work with encouragement and helpful tips, allows understanding to come from action. Positive and clear feedback yields strong skills and high confidence.

Mistake Assessment

Errors and problems will happen. Every store manager understands that operating a store involves dealing with problems. The right person, with the right personal goals, aligned with the chain values, brings a great attitude to work. Mistakes are just part of the regular work. Learning and fixing issues is the key. Great onboarding and great management does not mean there are not problems. However, the problems just do not seem so bad with staff aligned towards a shared goal.

Personal Goals

Alignment, often referred to as buy-in, requires a personal connection. When managers understand staff personal ambitions, dreams, and plans it makes it much easier to connect and coach. Obviously, when someone feels they are on the path to their success, they have higher motivation and a willingness to participate fully.

One of the easiest ways to build teamwork is to spend some time with your staff. Getting to know them over time and building trust will increase the interest and desire to learn more. Great store managers know their staff and their personal goals. They help them to find the right opportunities for extra hours, new training, supervisor or management development, and days-off to attend special events. These opportunities can be offered to show appreciation and increase the team commitment. Store managers and supervisors can consider these questions as they plan their staff reviews and coaching sessions:

• How much time is allocated for managers to get to know their staff?
• What are the key interests for each team member?
• How does each person like to communicate?
• What types of appreciation matter the most?
• Which ones like to offer new ideas?
• Are there some members that see problems that make service harder?

Personal Needs

Similar to personal goals are personal needs. These items however may be more important. They directly impact how one may be able to fit into the store work. Needs may be thought about as limitations or short-comings. C-stores often work 7 days-a-week and long hours, even 24 hours a day. Some workers are only able to work certain days and certain hours. Such limitations may be due to child care, another job, transportation or even legal restrictions.

When hiring, getting the personal needs established and confirming during the onboarding can help to build trust and expectations for both the new hire and the store management. It may be useful to ask more questions in the interviews and to re-establish once the new hire starts work:

1. What is your availability to work each week?
2. Are there any issues that may impact your availability for scheduling?
3. What are your preferred working days?
4. What types of things could impact your ability to work the scheduled shift?
5. What types of training do you like to receive?
6. Do you have any learning limitations that our trainers need to address?
7. Are you able to lift boxes, empty trash, perform physical jobs?

Related Sources for C-Store Onboarding Impact

Convenience Store News Convenience Foodservice Exchange – Investing in Food Service Success

Three Aspects of C-Store Operations ROI

Resources

The post The Impact of C-Store Onboarding Debt appeared first on BandyWorks.

That is, operational strength also means adding new services such as food and delivery, adding innovative products and services, and expanding the customer value in terms of frequency and volume. Finally, they know how to recruit, hire and on-board the right staff from the entry level all the way up into the highest management positions.

1. Alignment Engages Operations

Many start with alignment as the foundation of c-store operations. Of course, knowing your purpose is the key to having alignment. Simon Sinek refers to purpose as the ‘Why’ of the organization. Knowing the purpose makes all subsequent decisions easier. What gets done, how it occurs, and what we choose to do first is based on our belief in achieving our vision.

A clear vision will include values that are real. Everyone experiences the culture of a company and knows its authenticity. Real values applied to a genuine mission builds trust. The clarity of purpose make hiring simpler both for the employee and the employer. Building a great brand and delivering a great customer experience happens in the store between people. How hiring is done and how the on-boarding is delivered determines the way cashiers (and all staff) perform their job. It directly impacts the customer experience. Greg Ehrlich, President of FriendShip Stores, simplifies his operational direction. He lists  ‘culture, brand and data analytics’ as the chain’s three strategic priorities. In essence, the purpose (Vision) of the company, when executed well as part of the operations, can be tracked, managed, and mastered.

2. Process Is the Blue-Print

Boring. Tedious. Demanding. … Simple. Effective. Profitable. The core of operations is the process. Making it clear, training thoroughly, and taking the time to ensure it is understood makes the operations consistent and scalable. Ironically, having a precise way to do work can increase innovation and improvements. By making the routine straightforward and ensure job expectations are met, things go better. Successful, non-stressed staff are more free and confident to provide new ideas and make changes. In fact, the best cultures have processes that assume improvement through on-going changes.

Most operations assume some level of failure or unusual activities. As work becomes standardized, results are consistent and there is time for thinking, training and brainstorming. New things can be added, old things can be made better. Having a good set of results provides the extra time, money and skillsets to do even more. Good things follow from good work.

Having the process in place ensures the essential priorities are met, the results are measured for quality and ‘profits’ can then be applied to grow careers, services, stores and customer traffic. Everyone wins when work goes as planned.

3. C-Store Operations in Action

Creating return is the natural outcome of operations. Having a goal provides motivation to track and adjust how the work is done. Managers are responsible to ensure the alignment is in place, the processes are understood, and the results are tracked. Operations are the management effort to adjust work to the desired team outcomes. It includes process follow-up, results tracking, and alignment coaching.

Follow Up Adjusts C-Store Operations

Many consider follow up to be the definition of accountability. Certainly, checking in and ensure staff perform their jobs, fulfill their requirements for frequency and quality are essential jobs. Obviously, not every job is done perfectly. This part of the job can seem stressful to both sides of the follow up conversation. However, when done well with alignment to the goals, and fit with the vision; it can be the most rewarding and satisfying part of the job.

No one expects a team to work without making mistakes. Who could be held accountable to the standard of perfection? Delivering bad news can be painful. However, understanding we are not trying to be perfect but rather to keep getting better, the feedback loop changes from negative to positive. When viewed as a normal part of the job, follow up can be the most satisfying and enjoyable part of work for both the ‘boss’ and the worker. Follow up, then is where the three aspects of c-store operations ROI come together.

Recognition and Insights Are Feedback Essentials

When a team is working towards a goal and gets proper recognition for jobs done well, new skills mastered and progress in their work, it is much more likely that feedback can be viewed as a natural part of the job. Having a path of growth and knowing where one is on that path can change a ‘nag’ into a normal part of teaching or coaching. Focusing on the goal and providing accurate and useful feedback allows everyone to be part of problem solving. That is, all work is team work.

One of the overlooked areas for maximum operational improvement, is the team feedback loop. Listening to challenges,  and soliciting new ideas not only helps to make the job better, but increases buy-in and job satisfaction. Managers that remain open to ideas, listen to the ‘real’ work situation, and seek out staff ideas are much more likely to have their guidance accepted. Who else, understands a work challenge than the one that is doing the work every day?

Coaching Improves and Maximizes C-Store Operations

Once skills are known, management follow up naturally shifts to coaching and mentoring. Improvements occur as work is mastered. Hence, just finding ways to help improve attitudes, techniques and priorities can make the same labor yield higher results. Of course, using staff goals as the motivation makes it more likely to have buy-in and willingness. While it is nice to have a great company goal, staff are much more motivated with their personal goals. When personal goals are aligned to company goals, change and effort become easier.

Tracking Measures C-Stores Operations

Sales, labor, customers, products all have counts. Counts provides insights into activity. These counts represent a measure of operational activity. Profits measure overall performance. Of course, maximizing returns means generating profits. Looking at long term value rather than just the immediate returns can produce the maximum store value.

Measurements are useful for showing trends. Trends require some level of historical data as well as knowing what needs to be measured. Measurements can evolve to track those things that provide insights into current behaviors.

For operations, it is useful find those measurements that predict the desired outcomes. Of course, daily sales show how monthly and long-term sales are going. Additionally, other counts like customer traffic, basket size and operational activity measurements are also available. Knowing when customers arrive and what they want during different parts of the day provides adequate staffing to serve them when they are present.

Knowing what is needed to be done to be ready is another level of operational measurements. Cleaning, stocking, ordering and training all take time. Having staff and services ready means acting before the customers want to buy. Knowing how much product to have, how many staff are needed and how well the services are delivered provide insights that enable adjustments.

Where to Start to Maximize C-Store ROI

Unless a store is brand new with no operational history, operational ROI is already in place. Building alignment, creating or improving processes and fine-tuning fulfillment are all possibilities. Assessing where you are and what needs improvement helps to find the first area of focus. Like Yogi Berra famously stated “when you come to the fork in the road, take it.” That is, get started if you are not sure what is needed. As you review and work the operations improvement process the areas that need attention will naturally come to light.

With operations, all areas impact results. If tracking is already in place then identify the strengths that can be maximized first. Next assess if there are weaknesses that are having a large negative impact on the operational strengths.

As an alternative many companies start with alignment. Having a compelling vision can drive operations. All organizations have a purpose and mission. They may not be well understood and they may not be matching to the store staff. Spending time to clarify your goals and ensure staff want to participate can yield amazing effort. Not everyone will fit to an organization. Choosing well and supporting the team is essential to alignment.

A third area is to work on operational procedures. Processes that make the job simple and provide great service make work outcomes better. Having teams create or improve process can be part of the culture that keeps teams engaged and growing.

Being consistent, looking to grow, opening the culture to new ideas while staying true to the mission establishes a company that can adapt, grow and add value over time. A chain is its people and having them aligned makes the potential return nearly unlimited.

What is Possible?

Naturally, the question to consider as leaders prioritize investments must consider maximizing returns. Growing c-store chains must apply their resource of money, time and talent as a scarce resource. During Joe Sheetz’ time leading, he argued that he could grow best by reinvesting in existing stores. GPM has proven that acquiring existing chains and bringing their central office functions in-house but keeping the on-going brand and operations was a successful growth approach. Wawa has proven that building new stores and rolling their operations allows for profitable and long-term growth. Single store owners, know they can add new services, hire more staff and expand a facility beyond what they can do on their own.

Different Choices

All of these strategies work and typically any operator with more than one store will use all the approaches at some point in their history. For all approaches, however, operational integrity is essential. Growth strategies, both for sales and profit, require strong operations. Without a consistent and clear approach to success, organizations cannot sustain profitability and keep the stores running.

In summary, including the operational impact for all growth is mandatory. No growth occurs unless the store can run and fit into the chain. Given the operational impact, growth companies know they can always expand either profits, stores or sales by improving the operations. Every marketing plan, each new store, all the new food offerings demand cashiers and store staff to deliver and produce. No one executes perfectly, but we can keep learning and growing. Best of all, improvement yields more improvements. Making things better is fun and satisfying and maximizes both the operational ROI and the overall chain value.

Additional Resources to Maximize C-Store ROI

Store Manager ROI Strategy

https://www.yeoconference.com/speaker/tom-bandy/

C-Store Managers Start with a Daily Plan

Resources

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Before they fix a problem, however, managers need numbers to see the problems quickly. They obviously cannot control the numbers, yet the numbers show the trends. Having the ability to see how the store is performing demands not only numbers, but numbers in context of the stores past results. Context with numbers is increased with historical trends based on the day of the week, the season and same store comparisons. Ironically, however, once the problems are found the numbers have served their purpose for problem solving – identification. As such, in fixing the problem we can forget about the goals and instead focus our work on the things we can control.

Problem Solving Comes After Problem Identification

The solution, however, demands the source. Once the problem is known, such as low beer sales, then the analysis can be focused on a specific issue. Focusing simplifies problem solving. Is it a stocking, pricing, retailing or overall competitive issue?. Experienced retailers can solve almost any problem. The key is know which problems to address. Even better, to know which ones to fix first. It is so hectic in c-stores, setting the store manager priorities is very helpful to their ability to succeed.

Numbers Show the Trends

Stores are valued based on sales, first and foremost. Naturally, the sales numbers are essential and should be reviewed frequently. They let us know where we stand. Store sales scorecards can quickly show the status and even a grade to show if we are improving or not.

However, once the status is known, the numbers have served their problem-solving purpose and the management work changes from identification to analysis. That is, knowing where the problems lie, allows for the problem’s source issue to be pinpointed. With the problems in the context of how much they are impacting the overall store performance, it is simpler to know which problems need the most attention.

Managers Forget the Numbers to Fix Problems

The irony of the solution is that the numbers no longer matter to implement the fix. Of course, the end result matters and the numbers show the trends that prove the solution works long-term. Having solid trends, provides the long-term perspective and accurate comparisons that prove that solutions are working over time. That is, they are not just simply coincidental results based on short terms issues like weather, constructions or things outside of the control of the manager.

As a secondary benefit to the problem solving, the objectivity provided by the numbers reduce the subjective nature or personalizing (e.g., blaming) that can so easily occur when analyzing problems. By using the facts, it is easier to see the situation separated from the staff. The objective analysis better allows for the attention to be directed towards the fix rather than towards a person. Mistakes and problems are normal, putting the effort into solutions, builds teamwork. Of course, success and problem-solving also makes the job more satisfying. Naturally, objective and fair accountability builds morale and ensures the staff know they will be treated fairly.

Scorecards Help Identify, Focus & Communicate

Users of scorecards and reliable analytical data report these benefits:

1. Read Short & Long Term Store Sales
2. Easily Identify Problems
3. See Sales Trends
4. Prompt Action in the Store
5. Focus Investigations (Drill Down Analysis)
6. Simplify Store Communication

More Information About Store Manager Problem Solving

Seven Key Things Great Store Managers Deliver

C-Store Growth – Accountability 

The post Managers Forget the Numbers to Fix Problems appeared first on BandyWorks.

1. Feasibility of consistent supply chain and store operations is critical
2. Your branding and service message must be compelling
3. Know who you are
4. Consistent quality makes the brand
5. Operational simplicity and practical solutions win the day
6. Store level training determines success
7. Changes with quality delivery create value
8. Create value for your customers
9. Gen Z care about health and your vision
10. Store managers need support

Feasibility

Tom Brennan of Casey’s shared his objectives for food success. Any offer must be desirable, feasible and viable. His food leaders choose options and provide them to the stores. Casey’s store kitchen staff are responsible for the execution. Their teams relish the assignment and have a strong sense of pride in their work. As a result, their staff develops as artisans that create food consistently. This type of food helps define the Casey brand.

The feasibility is ensured by having the kitchen processes updated for all new offers. Training is an essential part of the kitchen updates. Of course, evaluation with guest feedback is crucial to maintain the quality.

Message Matters

Joe Dondanville, Ott Communications, and Mark Hess, 33 Degrees, share how digital signage makes the brand look modern as well as providing an impactful image. Signage can provide revenue from manufacturers that want to impact in store purchases. Menus make it easy for customer to order food. Further, videos offer the chance to provide an entertaining way to tell the store’s story. It helps the customers to feel the culture and understand the brand.

Know Who You Are

Jac Moskalik, of Kum & Go, Billy Colemire, of Stinkers Stores, Greg Ekman, of BP/Thorntons, provided examples of food offerings that differentiate them from their competitors. However, this differentiation does not have to be entirely unique. Knowing who you are and who you serve allow you to match offerings with your unique brand. Incremental variations, to match your customers tastes, create interest and keep them coming back for more.

Consistent Quality

Kevin Smart, TXB, described his process of finding food services that drive customers. The process optimizes four components:

1. Innovation
2. Local Sourcing
3. Quality
4. Value

They invest in building the brand with staff that focus exclusively on the guest experience. The objective is to get food into the mouths of their guest. They create  offers that include drink clubs and free tastings. Of course, the brand value and success derives from providing a consistent quality the meets the needs of their guests on a repeat basis.

Simplicity

Mark Salerno, of Kitchen Technology Innovations, shared examples of food orders, signage, production management and training guides. He provided examples of custom built solutions that provided specific process delivery with systems that had guaranteed service and uptime. For chains with enough stores, a custom solution provides a competitive advantage. The custom solution makes the kitchen production and guest orders a lot simpler to process. Hence, the focus is on quality and customer experience rather on tedious manual transaction handling.

Store Level Training

Paul Servais, of Kwik Trip, described his hire-train-coach approach to company growth. It was the key to ‘move the needle’ with their operations that empowered the growth from 250 to 850 stores in the last few decades. The ‘never let up’ attitude for growth is based on training execution at the store level. As a result, the company has a nearly exclusively developed their leadership team organically. As such, they bring on acquisitions as well as build green-field stores in new markets and maintain their culture and brand as the grow.

A specific and well-defined career path is laid out to all staff. Since operatiosn leaders all have food experience in the stores, they are able to move new food into their vertically integrated system on a regular basis. The result is a culture of success that has clear, if not blunt, accountability to the team.

Embrace New with Quality

Tony Sparks, of Curby’, Mike Fogarty, of Choice and Ben Lucky, of Highs, provided insights on their store innovations. Curbys has created a dramatically expanded drink bar in an urban bar without fuel. Choice uses a hub-and-spoke approach to surround one large store with multiple small spaces within high-traffic areas. They use the shared labor across all spaces to maximize labor. Using a slightly more traditional overall store approach, High’s creates specialize food from different regions of the world. As such, they maximize the more international tastes of large metropolitan customers. In summary, they all are using modern, upscale stores with more technology and higher-priced offers. Of course, they are seeking the high-income guests with higher value sales.

Incremental Progress

Tom Bailey, of Rabobank, discussed the impact of disruptive versus innovative food service offers. While there have many many successful disruptive food offerings such as specialized milk, some of the most profitable offers were variations on existing top brands such as Mountain Dew and Doritos. On a smaller scale some chains offer limited time offers and seasonal flavors.

Gen Z Marketing

Pascal Kriesche, of Smoodi, shared his vision of providing healthy, appealing offerings. He explained how many, especially Gen Z, guests are willing to pay more for healthy, sustainable offers. Getting them into the stores does not require all other offers to be change. Naturally, in the right market, a small, but prominent healthy island of offers will drive new customers and greater profit per square foot. As an alternative, sharing the coffee island is a reasonable place for a healthy smoothie as well.

C-Store Manager Focus

Tom Bandy, of BandyWorks presented what store managers need to succeed with food. The list of operational focus areas include:

1. Vision & Culture Support
2. Increased Visits
3. Large Baskets
4. Higher Margins
5. Operational Transparency
6. Store Investment ROI

The one thing they ask for most of their leadership, is the time to appreciate and build their team. Naturally, strong motivated teams deliver the service their guests deserve.

Additional Resource for C-Store Manager Focus

Five Keys to Grow Food Sales

Management Keys for Food Service Success

The post Ten Things I Learned at the CSNews Convenience Food Service Exchange appeared first on BandyWorks.

1. Suggestive Selling
2. Keep the Hot Case Full
3. Clean Store, Happy Staff
4. Customer Service
5. Strong Signage

Suggestive Selling

Each person working in the store is the best influencer of the customer experience. Staying active and engaged keeps customers feeling welcome. Further, sharing ideas and offering suggestions helps customers to try new things, feel appreciated and more likely to buy more. Suggestive selling is never pushy, aggressive or over the top. Engaging with the customer will naturally lead to questions and conversations about the food. Normal interactions include opportunities to provide ideas and suggestions to customers. Thus upselling and suggestions are the first of the five keys to grow food sales.

Keep the Hot Case Full

No one can buy something that is not available. Food sales tend to bunch at normal meal and snack times. Traffic patterns are consistent and allow preparation of food to be ready and available with the appropriate quantities. Many top managers prefer to have a little bit too much rather than too little. Excessive waste is not to be tolerated, but growing sales cover reasonable waste in the name of having what is wanted. Clients that are hungry and who have limited time often frequent those places with ready food that they love to eat.

Clean Store, Happy Staff

No one trusts a store that is dirty or has unclean bathrooms for their food. If the store is not clean then the assumption is that the kitchen is not sanitary as well. Customers quickly judge a store by its appearance. Likewise the staff’s appearance and attentiveness matter. Looking sharp and acting enthusiastic provides confidence to a customer that is buying food for herself, her family and friends. Taste and presentation are critical, but nothing works in food when the store does not look clean and healthy.

Simple things like standard pants, a company shirt and a kitchen apron provide a uniform look that adds to the polish of a store. Food requires both its own special requirements but demands the store be well maintained and cleaned.

Customer Service

Perhaps the most frequent assignment a store manager addresses is customer service. Some managers argue that food service management is the same as any other retail management- all about customer service. Of course, this is an extreme position and there are differences for successful c-store food growth. However, the main point is that whether selling food or selling the ‘c-side’, customers want to receive great service. With food, there are a few basics any new staffer must get right:

1. 1. 1. Wash your hands
      2. Wear clean clothes
      3. Groom well
      4. Make eye-contact
      5. Get the order right

Customers want to be greeted, served promptly by someone they trust. Most importantly, they want to get good food that they ordered, that tastes great and is safe to eat.

Strong Signage

Having great signs, especially the digital signs provides not only a great way for customers to see your food offers, but also makes the store look modern and nice. Digital signs allow advertisements, fun images to support the customer experience while also building the store brand. Further, it shows the store is current and knows how to manage itself. Well designed signage not only provides a functional service to help customers order more easily, but also provides a look and feel that can make a more drab store special. Of course, the signs need to be well designed, follow the store brand and contribute to the overall customer experience.

More Critical Management Tips for C-Stores

Management Keys for C-Store Food Service

Store Manager ROI Strategy

Examples of Food Service Promotion – Sheetz

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