Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/367531
13 Oil Prophets category plays in the overall store portfolio. Effective category management requires that retailers understand where to allocate scarce marketing resources in order to get the biggest bang for the buck. This is one area in which the convenience store industry has typically excelled. While the industry is a lean and battle-tested group that has learned to survive the onslaught of competition stealing market share both in-store and at the pumps, this prolonged weakened economy has stirred creativity and unique operating solutions like never before. Who knew market volatility would be the edge convenience store owners needed to strike fear into the heart of drugs stores and supermarkets? For many operators the weakened economy is just another obstacle that they're forced to overcome. In fact, among many retailers there is a certain degree of optimism that this industry has matured and will be a dominant force across all retail channels as the economic situation brightens. Focus on improving the customer experience. If you ask someone about a good experience they had at a restaurant, they'll almost never tell you about how good the food was; they'll tell you how they were made to feel. Focusing on what feelings you want to convey as a foodservice operator—quality, consistency, image, culture, etc., is just as important as the actual food. Consider the industry's top quartile chains. At the NACS State of the Industry Summit in Chicago the talk was about how the divide between top quartile chains and the rest of the industry is widening as these great operators distance themselves from the pack. They have great programs, a great image and great prices, but they also sell entertainment and fun. They have become not just a destination in their customers' lives. In many cases, they are the destination. That is a powerful statement. Keep this in mind when planning for the future. The average corporate executive spends 2% of time actively thinking about the future. That is simply not enough. Force yourself; discipline yourself on figuring out where you want to be in five years. That's the best way to avoid becoming complacent. http://www.csdecisions. com/2013/06/25/driving-new- business Lynne Coker celebrates 20 years of service with P&CMA. "Association Office, Lynne speaking." That's the joyful greeting that callers to the P&CMA office have received for 20 years. We congratulate Lynne on her 20th anniversary with P&CMA. And we thank her for her dedication and service to the association Environmental Risk Experts s Underground Storage Tank Assessments and Remediation s Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Plans s Phase I & II Environmental Site Assessments s 3rd Party Compliance and Verification s Property Condition Assessments s Licensed Remedial Action Contractor s Environmental Compliance Audits s Approved by Major Banks Risk Well Managed Tennessee L. Gregory Stephenson, P.G. 615-866-4115 Alabama John Hargraves, P.G. 256-353-6222 NATIONWIDE PRESENCE LOCAL SERVICE 800-485-0090 www.pmenv.com