The NACS Show kicked off at McCormick Place in Chicago on Tuesday with a number of educational sessions for retailers. Topics ranged from developing sustainability practices to growing your company culture to various ways small operators can attract customer attention.
SUSTAINABILITY
In a session titled, “The Business Case for Sustainability Practices,” speakers Lori Stillman, vice president, research for NACS; Michael Sansolo, research director, Coca Cola Retailing Research Council; and Melanie Isbill, chief marketing officer for RaceTrac, discussed how c-store retailers can improve on sustainability practices.
COVID-19 changed the way shoppers think about c-stores, noted Sansolo. C-stores became a key place that shoppers could rely on during the pandemic.
The Coca Cola Retailing Research Council has a new report on sustainability coming soon. The report found that today, there is a growing expectation among customers that retailers are going to lead on sustainability too just like they’ve lead the way during the pandemic.
Gen Z sees sustainability as one of the most important issues facing their world. “They are the future of our shoppers and the future of our staffers,” Sansolo said.
Sansolo noted 80% of customers feel c-stores have a responsibility for packaging waste, and 72% evaluate you on community involvement and social issues (COVID and more).
“Sustainability efforts lead to improved loyalty and greater willingness of shoppers to promote their store,” he noted.
Sansolo discussed the costs to inaction and how sustainability can help the bottom line, and how you can use sustainability initiatives to make yourself a more attractive employer for Gen Z. Simple steps include something as easy as adding recycling bins. Here are some additional steps that can make a high impact but are easy to implement:
- COVID measures: hand sanitizer, masks, social distancing
- Diverse hiring practices
- Encouraging employee volunteerism
- Reduce energy consumption and communicate
- Product certification, i.e. fair trade coffee
- Feature products with recyclable or reduced packaging
- Offer refillable cups and mugs
- Implement food waste programs
- Provide recycling bins at the pump
RaceTrac’s Isbill noted convenience stores should identify what they’re already doing when it comes to sustainability and take the opportunity to share what they’re doing with employees and customers.
But how you send the message is important as well. “We have to be considerate about who we are,” Isbill said. “How is the message you’re sending going to land with the end consumer? If you’re saying you’re good for the environment, they’re going to say, well, you sell gasoline. …”
Instead, communicate the steps you’re taking to become better on sustainability issues.
“We can do simple, subtle things that give us big rewards in the eyes of our shoppers,” Stillman said. For example, paying a fair wage and donating service items to the local food bank are a good place to start, she noted. “Fix the things that are within reach,” she recommended. “If you focus on the hard, big things, you’re going to miss the subtle things.”
CUSTOMER LOYALTY
In a session titled, “Building Customer Loyalty Through Employee Culture & Engagement,” moderator Gary Price, executive vice president, total truck solutions and facilities for Love’s Travel Stops; and speakers Jenny Love Meyer, chief culture officer for Love’s Travel Stops; and Travis Sheetz, president and COO of Sheetz, discussed company culture.
Culture is key to employee satisfaction and in turn customer satisfaction and revenue and profit growth, and it starts at the top of your organization.
“For me when you talk about culture it’s akin to water in the aquarium. It’s always there, it’s almost invisible, furthermore it has to be nourished,” Love said.
Sheetz pointed out that culture is more than just treating people well. It’s the values that dictate the norms and behaviors at your company, and a true measure of your culture is what goes on when you’re not there.
When companies have a strong and positive culture, that’s going to come across the counter to the customers as well. And if you don’t, customers will feel that too.
Sheetz and Love discussed how they are driving their company culture, including how they adapted during the pandemic.
“Culture is vital for employee engagement especially now,” Love noted. “Frequently it’s not about the paycheck, but what else is there, what kind of purpose and value I can gain from working for your organization.”
Using surveys or other measurements is key to understanding your culture.
“Start by surveying folks — why do they stay?” Meyer suggested. “Look at different evolutions of an employee’s journey, starting with recruiting and implementing your culture into that.”
Love’s uses surveys to look at its culture and employee engagement across its stores and uses feedback to improve retention and turnover, and to understand which stores are aligned or not aligned with the company culture.
Price pointed out, “if current employees are referring friends, there must be a good culture in that store.”
Sheetz noted that it looks at outputs, meaning customer satisfaction, along with inputs including employee culture surveys on stores and store leaders. “If inputs go the wrong way, outputs will go the wrong way,” he said. In other words, if there’s a problem with your culture, it’s only a matter of time before your customers are going to experience that too.
Both Sheetz and Love’s reward and celebrate employees and found ways to do so virtually during the pandemic to help that part of their cultures thrive. Sheetz noted he learned how to become a better and frequent communicator to help drive culture, even remotely. He explained that when you have a strong culture, you’re making deposits into a cultural bank account and building equity that one day you may need to withdraw by way of asking employees to go the extra mile, just as many retailers had to do during the COVID-19 pandemic.
While it’s important to be consistent when it comes to culture, it’s also important to adapt and evolve with the newer generations, Sheetz pointed out.
Gen Z and millennials have different expectations today than the generations before them. For example, social issues are more important to younger employees, and they want to know where your c-store stands on social issues. Work-life balance and flexibility are important, Sheetz noted.
That said, culture is going to be different depending on each organization.
“Know your organization,” Meyer said. “Survey your employees to learn why they stay at your organization. That really becomes the basis of your culture.” From there, look for the ‘low-hanging fruit’ that can help grow those parts of your culture that are working and add ingredients to make it better.
INDEPENDENT OPERATORS
In a session titled, “4 Ways to Stand Out as a Small Operator: Tips From the Gas Station Gourmet,” Al Herbert, writer and producer of Gas Station Gourmet, shared tips and tricks to help small operators attract customer attention.
Small operators can drive business by positioning their c-store as a community hub that customers look forward to visiting.
Herbert shared the example of Latitudes in Rio Rancho, N.M. After a focus group of women revealed that 80% didn’t want to go to a convenience store, the owner looked into what they did want. It turned out they wanted a place that felt like a grocery store but was also a place where they could hang out. The owner created a lounge in his c-store, with sofas, televisions and a fireplace. Soon salesmen started coming in to do reports, and quilting groups and book clubs started gathering, and of course all those visitors bought beverages and products at the store.
There are many ways for c-stores to become a local gathering spot, from offering wine tastings and farmers markets to featuring local music nights to reaching out to local churches and other community businesses. If you have outdoor space, consider adding a dog park, and sample food to those using the area.
“If you’re not getting the volume, go out and make it happen. Something as simple as marketing calls can do it,” Herbert advised.
Events are a great way to drive the local community to your store. Herbert shared many creative ways c-stores are hosting events and driving customers into the store. One store puts their shelving on wheels, so they can roll them out of the way to create more space during events.
Foodservice is in high demand today. When it comes to regional foods, give customers what they want. Don’t forget to sample the food to customers. There are many small stores doing a great business with fresh, quality food.
Whatever your store is doing to stand out, communicating that to customers makes all the difference.
Social media is an important tool for telling that story and driving customers to your stores. Herbert recommended that stores create a presence on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, become as visible as possible and share something on social media every day. Try customer incentives and gamify posts. Pay attention to what works.
Now that customers are arriving in your store, make sure your restrooms are in top shape. Customers will go out of their way to stop at a store they know has clean and attractive restrooms, and they will go out of their way to avoid dirty restrooms. There are many apps today devoted to helping customers find quality restroom stops along their route.
Restroom cleanliness is important, and so is making sure your tile and fixtures are up to date. Herbert pointed out that at a certain point, no amount of cleaning can make dated fixtures look fresh. Keep matching paint on hand and paint over any graffiti. An epoxy floor can eliminate grout issues. Consider special touches that help your restrooms stand out and add ambiance. If you’re offering foodservice, customers are more likely to try your food products if they feel the restrooms are in top shape.
With these simple tips, even small operators can help increase traffic into their c-stores.
The NACS Show continues through Oct. 8 at McCormick Place in Chicago.