Murat Tokad learned the value of being ahead of the technology curve in 1997. He was working for Crown Central Petroleum at the time, and the chain was on the leading edge with its rollout of a touchscreen POS system.
“We were scanning [products] in and out in the late 1990s,” he says. “We had back-office [systems] through Radiant Systems as well. That’s when I … realized how important technology was going to be to this industry.”
Now, as president of Martin & Bayley Inc., dba Huck’s Convenience Stores, he embraces using technology to create efficiencies, build
loyalty and improve the customer experience. That has meant working with Zenput to improve store operations with digital checklists and inspections, as well as adopting OPIS’ Price Pro service to stay on top of fuel pricing.
“Companies that have not embraced technology—they’re going away,” he says. “They’re being bought up by the big dogs.”
Next up for Huck’s is a new loyalty program and online ordering for its 60 Godfather’s Pizza locations.
But there’s one solution Tokad is still searching for. “If I could get technology that could help us find great employees and retain them, I would take it,” he says. “The labor market is crazy right now. My dream is to reduce our labor hours though technology.”
60—Number of Godfather's Pizza locations under the Huck's banner