C-Store Operations Best Practices

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.

image of a store manager that meets the key criteria for c-store success. Owners and operations leaders look for seven key things great c-store managers deliver to maximize their ROI on their store locations. 

Seven Key Things Great C-Store Managers Deliver

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Focus - Accountability Principles | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability
November 22, 2022 — 

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 …

image of Abigail Cerra who describes Abigail Cerra, ReFuel, share her experience regarding what she experienced as the keys to success for c-store loyalty systems.

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 …

Image of Weigels store. C-store customer experience includes the store, the staff, the brand and the service.

Customer Experience Versus Service

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Guest Columns
September 22, 2022 — 

Customer experience versus service is the core concept address to maximize customer c-store relationships. In this multi-part series, we will take a dive into the importance of Customer Experience (CX) and how to deliver it to every customer that comes into our convenience store. It is the most important marketing tool there is in our …

image of c-store manager doing yoga headstand as symbol to explain How c-store managers avoid overload is easy. Create high c-store retention: keep low c-store turnover by avoiding high staff stress le

How C-Store Managers Avoid Overload

C-Store Operations Best Practices | Focus - Accountability Principles | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Uncategorized
August 29, 2022 — 

How c-store managers avoid overload is an important question for c-store chains. Many operators fear c-store manager burnout so much, they strictly limit changes that impact store managers. They even limit those changes that will make the store manager’s job easier. They often report there are just too many challenges with staffing, supply, regulations, and …

Image of c-store manager taking time to listen to staff to build understanding, clarity and alignment. C-Store management questions CLEAR the air. Leaders maximize the value of questions by trusting, respecting and understanding their team.

C-Store Management Questions CLEAR the Air

C-Store News & Work Shops | C-Store Operations Best Practices
July 31, 2022 — 

C-Store management questions CLEAR the air. Great managers use questions to build teamwork, develop new skills and avoid misunderstandings. Clarify problems Learn how your team thinks Encourage new thinking Appreciate staff knowledge and skill Respect your team Probing Questions Questions help to get answers and share information effectively. The goal of communication is to share …

Image of boy considering Given c-store staffing issues and inventory shortages, there are many pros and cons of c-store managers using data analytics.

Pros and Cons of C-Store Managers Using Data Analytics

C-Store Analytics & Scorecards | C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Technology
July 3, 2022 — 

Given c-store staffing issues and inventory shortages, there are many pros and cons of c-store managers using data analytics. Some argue that there is absolutely no way to ask store managers to do anything except to just keep the doors open. Hence, it can be scary to add another task to store managers for fear …

Image of an open c-store which is a main challenge for many operators with tight labor markets

C-Store Managers Are Facing Challenges

C-Store News & Work Shops | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability
May 3, 2022 — 

C-store managers are facing challenges of shortage, overload and isolation. Customers and vendors create a highly dynamic set of daily, small transactions. Each requires focus and accuracy. This demands a high level of energy to maintain a level of good work all day long. Labor and supply issues force hard decisions and require more management …

Image of C-Store Growth Mindset book cover by Tom Bandy and Mason Cowan

C-Store Growth Mindset

C-Store Growth | C-Store News & Work Shops | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Focus - Accountability Principles
April 22, 2022 — 

C-Store Growth Mindset: Making Peace with Accountability Is Published The C-Store Growth Mindset book has been published. The findings are based on a decade of operations and a career of retail data analytics. It chronicles family chains that practice the growth mindset to grow their chain. BandyWorks’ Tom Bandy and Mason Cowan published field-proven case studies …

image of C-Store POS system used for to offer the top multipack and loyalty scan data discounts from major manufacturers. Tobacco scan data companies include Altria, RAI(RJR) and ITG. Their loyalty product include Marlboro, Newport, Copenhagen, and Grizzly.

Good Data Cuts Through Bad Behavior

C-Store Control | C-Store Operations Best Practices | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Shrink & Loss Prevention
June 27, 2021 — 

Good data cuts through bad behavior. When we have good data and use it to coach and train, we see bad behaviors corrected. It is often said to inspect what you expect, but some also like to use data analytics to help keep an eye on the behaviors they want to see and to look …

Four Levels of C-Store Performance Growth

Four Levels of C-Store Performance Growth

C-Store Analytics & Scorecards | C-Store Control | C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Promotions Analysis
October 30, 2018 — 

There are four levels in c-store performance growth. All together, they define the C-Store Performance Maturity Model.  Combined, the levels produce a guide to successful, sustainable growth. The levels are sequential: Firstly, Founding addresses financial issues. Secondly Organizing addresses management, Thirdly, Growing addresses sales and Finally, Thriving. As progress occurs, higher sales and better teamwork …

C-Store Performance – The Proven System for Growth

The Proven System for C-Store Growth

C-Store Growth | C-Store Operations Best Practices | C-Store Promotions Analysis | C-Store Technology | Managing C-Store Change & Accountability | Shrink & Loss Prevention
September 25, 2018 — 

Big chains keep getting bigger. There is a reason. Many use a proven system for c-store growth. Top growth derives from operational maturity, defined as mastery of five c-store performance management areas.   I. Back Office Managing finance, inventory and pricing II. Staffing Hiring, on-boarding and retaining III. Operations Delivering convenience consistently and profitably IV. …

Image of c-store. There are five reasons to use c-store retail data analytics. C-store operators use retail analytics and these five beneficial attributes to control the store performance, save time and increase profits.

Growing Your Business Through Successful Dealers – Southern New England Energy Conference Monday, Sept 24 10:00 AM

C-Store Growth | C-Store News & Work Shops | C-Store Operations Best Practices
September 17, 2018 — 

Growing Your Business Through Successful Dealers – Southern New England Energy Conference Monday, Sept 24 10:00 AM Breakout Session C-Store Performance for Jobbers – Growing Your Business Through Successful Dealers  “C-Store Performance – The proven way to increase sales, simplify work and make time to grow.” Presented by BandyWorks CEO, Tom Bandy If the dealers to …