Fabulous Freddy’s is wooing new customers with old tricks. Resurrecting the customer service of decades past, the seven-store chain headquartered in Las Vegas, offers its patrons full-service treatment at the pump, at self-service prices. “Our company’s mission statement is to provide fabulous service to everyone, and one of the ways we do that is to…
Dealers Making a Difference
Pride, hard work and HOPE. These are the three principles that drive Levent Sertbas every day. As president of Sertbas Inc. in Paramus, N.J., Sertbas has had to deal with a number of concerns while operating his two New Jersey On the Run convenience stores, but the two most pressing issues he’s been dealing with…
Tracking the Trends
An otherwise tough year for convenience stores was balanced out by strong retail fuel margins from the unprecedented drop in wholesale fuels prices during the fourth quarter of 2008, according to National Association of Convenience Stores’ (NACS) 2009 State of the Industry report. However, credit card fees continue to take a toll on industry profitability.…
Driving Car Wash Sales
Doggy Drive Throughs One of the faster growing car wash trends is the do-it-yourself dog wash, which appears largely driven by financial considerations on the part of dog owners. No wonder: With dog grooming salons charging anywhere from $25 to $100 to bathe Fido these days, a $5 or even $10 self-serve alternative is a…
Handee Marts Garners Ethics Award
Don’t think customer service makes a difference? Handee Marts’ President and CEO Mike Triantafellou would disagree. Handee Marts, which operates 67 7-Eleven convenience stores in Pittsburgh, was honored recently with the Pittsburgh Business Ethics Award (PBEA), presented by the Pittsburgh Chapter of the Society of Financial Service Professionals, in conjunction with the David Berg Center…
Recovering With New Tax Breaks
Shortly after last November’s election, Thomas Zaucha, president and CEO of the National Grocers Association (NGA) called upon the President-elect to kindle the economy with a stimulus package that included “tax incentives used by retailers and wholesalers to invest in technology, energy saving equipment and trucks for their businesses.” President Obama’s reply, The American Recovery…