C-Store Tips

Building a scalable c-store operations team can be a challenge for convenience store operators. Let’s focus on one major variable in the equation: Your people. They are the key to improve c-store operations. The average turnover rate for full time employees in the industry can be substantial. As high as 130% in recent reports (NACS). …

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 …

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 …

The annual Christmas exchange means having just one relative to pick a gift. Trying to find just the right gift is always so hard. When I drew the name of my brother in law that loves different whiskeys, I knew I was in trouble. I sent a panic call to my good friend that runs …

C-Store cigarette scan data increases tobacco sales by getting rebates from Altria and RJR and by increasing your sales volume using discounts that are reimbursed to you. If you have loyalty you can dramatically increase the value by giving your clients as much as $1 per transaction – again reimbursed to you. So you get …

We asked our best C-Store Managers – What Do You Need to Increase Sales? We often work with top stores that already have great customer service, nice clean stores and top results. The expectation was more money for new hires and bigger bonuses for increased sales results. We certainly heard about more money with a …

One of the most challenging jobs is controlling c-store labor hours to match sales. There are many things that are important to control in a C-Store. Getting the labor right is a key to ensure you have good operations with the labor costs that match the store sales when they happen. Too much – you …

Clean Bathrooms – Do They Really Impact C-Store Performance? I get asked this question a lot these days. I was interviewed recently. The reporter asked the question whether having a cleaning bathroom really made a difference to store sales or overall customer satisfaction. She admitted that it mattered to her and she believes that most …

Tom Bandy has written a book about C-Store Tips – If You Have Time to Lean. These tips are collected in one book. Winning C-Store customers and keeping them is the result of smart work by everyone who works in a convenience store, from the team who keep the coolers humming to the owner. We’ve …

When managing C-Store High Performance – How Important is Appreciation? Firstly, High performance teams display their success on a regular basis. When you are part of such a team you become part of its environment. That is, you are recognized and engaged. As a result, you feel the sense of teamwork. Secondly, you are noticed …

Define the power of the check list. Everyone loves to check off a job as done. Naturally, getting a job done is satisfying. Use the power well and everyone wines. For example, c-stores use checklists.  They have duty lists in the stores. Likewise IT backup lists in the IT departments. Just about anything that must …

C-Store owners challenge data geeks to do something useful for their sales results. For example, using tools to make your c-store data sell more snickers. They often argue that data cannot sell anything or help with the real work of providing convenience. Obviously, they are right in many ways. It is the c-store staff that …