Consumers are driving even more innovation and differentiation. It’s no mystery that convenience influences how consumers shop and what they purchase. “What used to be a leisurely activity, [shopping] has turned into a rushed, stressed nuisance for some,” said Todd Hall, vice president of ACNielsen’s Consumer Insights, advising that retailers that acknowledge this stay one [...]
Tom Newbould graduated with an accounting degree, but after crunching numbers for six months at BP as an auditor, he realized his career aspirations just weren't adding up. Newbould began working for the British powerhouse during college, but he had his sights set on the retail marketing side of the business. So he paid his [...]
How you present information determines how well training works. What Employers Are Doing More careful employee selection 57% Better compensation & benefits 50% Tuition reimbursement 47% Improved training programs 45% Better orientation programs 39% Casual dress code 38% Flexible hours & schedules 33% Providing health insurance 29% Conducting exit interviews 28% Profit-sharing 17% What Employees [...]
Technological advances in Asia could have far-reaching implications on the U.S. convenience industry, from cell phone payment to RFID to the networked store. Its one thing when your grandmother, who still favors the rotary telephone, is impressed by technology. Its another when its Scott Hartman. President of Rutters Farm Stores, a 50-unit chain based in [...]
From coast to coast, colleges and universities operate campus convenience stores, offering everything from entres to organics and, they say, theyre not in it for the money. Forget Ramen noodles and those little boxes of cereal that wouldnt satisfy a babys grumbling stomach. The college convenience store has evolved into much more. Consider Harvard University, [...]
NOCO Express is steadily redesigning its upstate New York locations, while BP has converted a dozen South Florida stores to its popular am/pm brand. What was once a two-bay, NOCO Express gas station tucked in the historic village of Williamstown, N.Y., is now nothing if not top of the line. The fourth of NOCO Energy [...]
Regarded as an innovator in employee safety, Tesoro spares no expense when it comes to protecting the perimeter. Tesoro Corp. has undergonea transformation through theyears from a small local refinerto a multi-state marketer thats willingto take risks to grow the business. Over the past eight years the San Antonio-based refiner has become a full-service marketer [...]
Tesoro Corp. has instituted a series of safeguards to keep employees out of harm’s way. Frank Coletta has every reason to take his job very seriously. If he eases up on the rules and regulations just a little bit, employees could get hurt, or worse. So this savvy industry veteran has no plans to go [...]
New oxygenates could cause clogged filters, phase separation without proper preparation. Ethanol may be good for the environment and it may reduce U.S dependence on foreign oil, but its murder on underground storage tanks. With ethanol-blended fuel on its way to gas stations and convenience stores across the country, petroleum marketers are beginning to realize [...]
Initiative would streamline access to rewards data for convenience store and petroleum marketers. The Petroleum Convenience Alliance for Technology Standards(PCATS) is developing a domestic standard for loyalty cardprograms to allow them to be integrated into the multiple point-ofsale and back-office systems now servicing in the industry.Working through PCATS Retail Financial TransactionsCommittee, the initiative aims to [...]
The chain has built a a well-deserved reputation for its quality and distinction in the marketplace. Driving eastbound towardCanastota, N.Y., I caught sightof Grazianos, a quaint andunassuming restaurant on Highway90 frequented by the executive teamof Nice N Easy Grocery Shoppes. Itwas there that I had the pleasure ofspeaking with company founder JohnMacDougall, senior executive vicepresident [...]