C-Store operations best practices evolve with experience, technology and creativity. Retail competition is high. Therefore, smart owners and managers seek new ways to serve customers. Naturally, they want to provide new items that are desired. Obviously, they desire higher margins for higher convenience and value.
New products, faster service, cleaner shopping, home delivery, choices, and sometimes just simpler options are all included. Successful C-Store operations best practices make use of hot products as well as long term service excellence. Monitoring results, listening to customers and measuring ROI are all part of choosing the items of value.
In addition to great merchandise and service, operations have a direct impact on results. Operators that achieve high growth, stable margins and increasing loyalty operate well. Technology, management and training drive operations success. Best practices apply to technology selection. Of course, management is critical. Top performers have the same items as the bottom performers. Different cashiers in the same store have different outcomes. Stores are the same. Management and execution make a difference.
C-stores that thrive study best practices. They measure their results with POS scan data analytics and compare themselves internally and externally. The use of data is an objective way to find areas of strength. Of course, objective data will show weakness as well. The key is to know the actual status and focus energy on the priority work that drives sales and provides control.
C-Store Operations 2024 Key Take-Aways
C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Tips | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
December 24, 2024 —
Jim Neaton, Stephanie Galentine, and Greg Garrison participated in the BandyWorks Year-in-Review panel on December 10 and shared these c-store operations 2024 key take-aways. The active session was attended by owners, operations leaders and store managers. The participating panelist operate dozens of stores each. They include the owner and leaders of Sunrise Stores, Lassus, and …
Avoiding Burnout in Retail Operations
C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Tips | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Store Manager Development
December 22, 2024 —
Watching Jacinta create her hand-decorated Christmas cookies for her child’s elementary school party, I thought I may have the perfect expert to help explain her secrets for avoiding burnout in retail operations. So, I asked her about the secret to balancing work and family life. She responded quickly, “Admittedly, I was a people pleaser in …
Discipline, Kindness and Direct Communication for C-Store Operations
A Day In the Life of a C-Store Manager | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Store Manager Development
October 14, 2024 —
Having made plenty of bad choices in her youth, Jacklyn knows the value of personal choices and our ability to control our destiny. Admittedly, having lived a tough life in her youth, Jacklyn has used her personal recovery to shape her personal life. She brings the value of discipline, kindness and direct communication for her …
Five C-Store Operations Drivers and Impediments
C-Store Control | C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Store Manager Development
April 25, 2024 —
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 …
Three Aspects of C-Store Operations ROI
C-Store Control | C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Store Manager Development
July 16, 2023 —
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
C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Store Manager Development
May 25, 2023 —
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 …
Ten Things I Learned at the CSNews Convenience Food Service Exchange
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 …
Five Keys to Grow Food Sales
C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices
April 10, 2023 —
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 …
Owners and operations leaders look for seven key things great c-store managers deliver to maximize their ROI on their store locations. In order to receive the desired c-store leadership, owners and operations leaders must provide the vision and mission. Store managers are responsible to hire, develop and encourage teamwork by building alignment with the purpose …
7 Key Parts to C-Store Loyalty Systems
C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Guest Columns | Scan Data & Loyalty Program
October 7, 2022 —
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 …
