The 2024 NACS Show kicked off Monday at the Las Vegas Convention Center with several education sessions on everything on tips from remodeling stores to getting in the dinner game to igniting passion in disengaged employees.
Here are some highlights from day one.
It’s All About Relationships
In the c-store business, it’s all about the relationships. It’s an industry in which it’s critical for retailers, suppliers and distributors to have open lines of communication. "What I love about convenience is that the business is still done through a handshake and a phone call," said Jim Dodge, vice president of convenience for Mars Wrigley, during a NACS Show panel on the power of business partnerships. “I know there are so many friendships in the room, friendships on the stage, people who just want to sell one more thing … So, that’s strategic partnership.”
Tips for Remodels, Rebuilds
When going through a remodel or rebuild, Gabe Manning, director of operations at Waycross, Georgia-based Friendly Express Inc., recommended prioritizing adequate space for parking and having extra room to grow. He also said that at locations with multiple entrances and exits, customers have given positive feedback about how easy it is to get in and out quickly.
Another addition to the convenience-store chain that Manning recommends is generators. They are installed at about eight Friendly’s stores and help during emergencies. This past week during Hurricane Helene, Friendly’s flagship store in Waycross, Georgia, was the only retailer open in town.
“We were there to service the community like no one else,” he said. Manning also shared pitfalls that the company has corrected while undergoing remodels and rebuilds. Friendly’s tried out lighting that was less harsh and hung from open ceilings. Manning said that the convenience-store was going for a different kind of ambiance, but it didn’t work. “People want to see everything; they want to see the product…my advice would be to light the sucker up,” Manning said.
To Get in Dinner Game, ‘Be Known for Something’
When it comes to growing the dinner daypart at c-stores, “Be known for something,” said Lori Stillman, vice president of research and education at NACS, speaking at a session on winning dinner.
“Figure out how to use your marketing program, your digital, your social media, to drive customers to interact with the brand to bring them into the store and give them an offer that makes sense knowing that right now customers are strapped financially.”
If a c-store can offer a great meal for less than $10 per person, it can compete with QSRs, she said, adding that doing so doesn’t mean a c-store has to reinvent its foodservice program.
“It means you have to let the customer know you’re in the game, that you've got options that are relevant to them and you, too, are easy to order from and easy to customize,” she said. “Perhaps you’re connected to DoorDash or others.”
Ultimately, however, “It’s really about keeping it simple and being really present with a clear message,” she said. “So, think big, be known for something, interrupt the pattern, get the customer that you already have to think about dinner as part of the experience that you can deliver.”
Igniting Passion in Disengaged Employees
Convenience-store retailers are facing challenges with disengaged employees as the Gen Z workforce displays quiet quitting, a lack of involvement at work. But connecting with these employees by listening and creating a culture of appreciation, can re-ignite their passion in the workforce, Bob Huebner, president of 200Mark Consulting said Monday at the 2024 NACS Show.
“You have to get to know them and take an interest in them,” Huebner said. Tapping into an employees’ strengths and motivations will boost their performance, he said.
Huebner outlined a few key approaches that are important with Gen Zers working in convenience stores, including the importance of keeping it simple and focusing on the fundamentals of the task at hand is a great way to re-engage the younger generation.
“When you simplify, it is easier for them to grasp and in turn they can show you what they are able to do,” Huebner said.
Amber Millwood, training and development manager for Greenville, South Carolina-based Spinx, also shared with the audience what practices have been successful to engage Spinx employees.
Hands-on leadership, investing in growth, listening to employees, and transparency are all key drivers for employee engagement she said.
“Open communication builds trust and honest feedback leads to better workplaces,” Millwood said. “You can’t grow or change until you know what you are doing wrong.”
Consumers Think Confectionery Is Getting More Expensive
Consumers are internalizing that confectionery is more expensive than it was before, Elise Fennig, chief of staff and senior vice president of operations for the National Confectioners Association (NCA), said. The average price per volume of chocolate has gone up 4.9% compared to 2022, Fennig said.
Seventy percent of consumers believe confectionery is more expensive than it used to be, according to the NCA’s State of Treating 2024 report.
Price perceptions affect confectionery’s affordability image, she said, which in turn is a dominant reason for consuming a bit less. When consumers were asked if they agreed with the statement “chocolate and candy are more expensive, but they are still an affordable treat,” 74% agreed in 2023. In 2024, however, the percentage that agreed was down to 55%.
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