What’s Gonna Work? TEAMWORK!

My fifteen-month old daughter has been obsessed lately with “The Wonder Pets”, a cartoon on Nick Jr. which features a guinea pig, turtle and baby duckling who sneak out of their little schoolhouse to go on missions and save baby animals that are in trouble.  The big concept that helps them succeed in the end:  It takes TEAMWORK to get things done. 

When starting a big project, we often put the burden on ourselves to do all of the work, but without input from others, we can be so focused on one path that we don’t see the alligator looming off to the side, ready to snap us up at a moment’s notice. 

At CarterEnergy, we encourage everyone to engage people from all areas of our business when a new project begins.  We call these people “stakeholders” or “SME’s (Subject Matter Experts).  By getting these individuals involved at the beginning of the process, we are able to identify additional needs, potential problems and ensure we have a well-rounded plan of action that will not throw a wrench into other processes or systems.

“The Wonder Pets”, which airs on Nick Jr.We just recently planned, designed and launched CarterEnergy’s new-and-improved website, complete with an online customer self-help tool.  Just how many people were involved with this project?  The initial project team included A DOZEN individuals from a variety of disciplines (including Marketing, Retail Operations, Customer Experience, Dispatch, Logistics, Accounting, Administration, etc.).  But, during the five-month process, we also sought feedback from many other individuals throughout the company on a variety of matters.  And that was just for Phase One of the project!  Our second phase team consists of an additional ten members who are currently planning and identifying needs for additional functionality to further benefit our customers.  And we’re certain that additional players will become involved as we make future enhancements.

But planning and developing weren’t the only activities involved in a project of this scope.  It required the testing—and re-testing—of all capabilities after each critical change to functionality was made.  This part of the process put teamwork to the test—as things moved very quickly to ensure that successful resolutions were made that would also keep us on target with our launch date.  During this stage, we encountered issues that we didn’t foresee early on in our planning, but as a team, we were able to adjust accordingly.  After all, we would rather discover these snafus ourselves than have a customer experience them.

That being said, I want to remind you that you don’t have to be alone when you desire change.  You have the power to engage those around you (your staff, your family, your customers, your vendors and especially, your CarterEnergy representative) to help you see the full picture so that you can create a plan of action that will be successful in the long run.  As the Wonder Pets say:  “What’s gonna work?  TEAMWORK!”

Good luck!

The Bathroom: A DESTINATION at Your Local C-Store

I’m not one to spend a lot of time inside a convenience store, but one thing has been constant:  when I’m away from home and I gotta go, a convenience store bathroom is usually my best option.  Aside from gas, it’s what gets me in the store; it’s my primary DESTINATION.  Once I’ve finished, I am more likely to shop around to pick up a beverage or a snack—unless the bathroom facilities gave me the big case of the heebie-jeebies.

Now, to be honest, I’ve only been that grossed out by public bathrooms a couple of times, but that experience had me high-tailing out the door, without spending any money.  After all, if the bathroom is unsanitary, what about the stuff inside the store?  My perception of those locations drove my decision –and possibly future decisions—of whether or not to go there again.

Now that I have a child, clean restrooms are even more important to me.  I’m looking for restrooms with changing stations, mopped floors ( I have to put my diaper bag and car seat down, after all), and plenty of soap, among other things.  I want no chance of my baby getting anything but a new diaper during my visit there.  I’m sure other women, including mothers, share the same sentiment—and that can affect your in-store sales, as well as repeat visits.  Remember, word of mouth travels fast, especially among the mommy crowd. 

So back to the issue of a customer’s perception of your store…what kinds of things do visitors look for that leave a good impression of your store, other than what I’ve already mentioned? 

• Freshly scrubbed toilets (inside and out)
• Hands-free flushing, faucets, soap dispensers and dryers
• Air freshener
• No towels or tissues on the floor
• No broken locks on the stall
• Well lit and ventilated
• Hand sanitizer
•  Handicap bars and railings for elderly and disabled patrons 

Do your bathrooms measure up?  Are you cleaning them regularly and making repairs immediately?

Convenience Store Decisions magazine published a great article last year called “What Do Your Restrooms Say About You?”  It gives some great examples of how convenience stores have taken the topic of restroom sanitation and improved their own businesses—and stole competition from the restaurant down the street, another key competitor in this arena.

So help me out; make your store AND restroom a destination of choice for me and the other mommies out there—and increase your customer loyalty and sales at the same time!

It's Just Speculation....

Do farmers who produce lots of corn set the price? I think not.

Do cattle ranchers who produce lots of beef set the price? I think not.

Do companies who explore for and produce lots of oil set the price of oil or gasoline? The answer is obvious-NO. They produce it and sell it for the market price of the commodity just like farmers and ranchers.

So why do consumers assume oil companies set the price of oil? I think it is because American consumers don’t understand how the price of commodities are set. It may be a good idea to learn this.

Corn producers, beef producers and oil producers function exactly the same—they are “Price Takers”, not “Price Makers.” They produce the goods and sell them for what the market gives them each day. Some days corn is $2 a bushel; other days it’s $5, just like beef and oil. If supply and demand were the only factors in what we pay for commodities today, I wouldn’t be writing this.

Gas is high today due to high crude oil prices, which I believe are inflated because there is no governance over how financial institutions can play in the market where the commodities prices are created. President Obama says he’s going to address this; we’ll see. It won’t be popular with those who have tons of money. You see, they use that money to speculate on the price of commodities even though they never produce, buy or sell any.

To read more, click here:

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2011/04/11/curious-why-oil-gas-prices-are-rising-so-quickly/.

Call your elected officials in Washington and tell them you want this to change!

Life is a Blessing: Lessons Learned from My Mission to Cuba

Nancy and I recently had the opportunity to visit Cuba as a part of a mission trip sponsored by our industry trade association: SIGMA, America’s Leading Fuel Marketers. 

Typical of so many points in my life since I joined our company in 1983, the visit to Cuba was another tremendous life experience and, subsequently, a blessing.

First off, you may be wondering how the SIGMA Board of Directors ended up on a mission trip to Cuba.  SIGMA typically tries to hold the winter board meeting in a warm place (much appreciated, I might add). Our current President, SC Fuels CEO Frank Greinke, suggested we try Cuba as a destination.  Simply put, one cannot travel from the U.S. to Cuba without a license, and it is not legal for U.S. citizens to do business in Cuba. Thus, we engaged an expert who helped us organize a licensed mission trip, therefore, combining our winter meeting with a humanitarian mission.

There were 47 of us—fuel marketers and spouses—who were licensed to travel directly from Miami, FL, to Havana, Cuba. We each took 9 lbs of over-the-counter medicine for people in need.  The medicine was delivered to:

• Elementary School Anglea Landa in Habana Vieja
• Convento Belen Senior Citizens Center in Habana Vieja
• Medical Clinic Ramon y Cajal in Habana Vieja

Believe me, 9 lbs of medicine is a lot of medicine to pack and transport!

Considering the state of U.S. relations with Cuba today, there are not many Americans who get the opportunity to visit this country that is so steeped in history, culture and beauty.  Thus, I would like to share some of what I experienced:

• Safety was first on our groups’ mind, however, we were quickly assured that the Cubans are grateful for every traveler to their country and treat all visitors as welcome guests.  Nobody exaggerated—the Cubans, as a people, were gracious, and we never felt at risk.

• Since Cuba is a communistic society, I assumed that Cubans’ lives were inundated with propaganda.   I’m eternally grateful to have grown up in a capitalistic society, yet I have a different view today. Even though the Cubans don’t have free press or much access to the internet, I didn’t get the sense of the government being covert.  On the other hand, I am now of the opinion that our own U.S. government may be a large propaganda machine itself.

• People say Cuba is like going back in time.  Being a bona-fide “car nut”, I found this to be so.  When the revolution started in 1959, they no longer imported new cars.  Most of the cars in Cuba today are 1953-59 Chevrolets.  They are all restored and kept in top shape.  It is almost surreal to walk around the town and see all these old Chevys lined up.

• Our own legendary citizen, Ernest Hemingway, lived the last 20 years of his life in Cuba. Our group got to visit the “Flordita” which is the bar he frequented and the “home of the Daiquiri”.  There is a life size bronze of “Ernie” sitting on the same bar stool as he did for years.  In addition, we got to visit Hemingway’s home, and I actually got to stand in front of the desk where he wrote the book “Islands in the Stream.”

• The architecture is magnificent, however, with the communism comes no accountability for ownership of all the great buildings; thus, many of them are deteriorating.  When the U.S. embargo is lifted, these will be restored and turned into wonderful enterprises.

Some other facts I learned on my trip:

• Every job pays $20 per month, regardless of the job. 
• Cuba has the highest literacy rate of any country on earth—virtually everyone goes to college.
• Every citizen receives coupons for food, while healthcare and education are paid for by the State.  They can even get voluntary cosmetic surgery done at no charge.

I could go on and on about this experience. We all agreed that it was a tremendous blessing to get to have this experience.  I would highly recommend Cuba as a destination, even though today you would have to go through Mexico or Canada to get to there.  Once the U.S embargo is lifted, I would expect that Cuba will get modernized quickly.  It is a beautiful country worth seeing—a truly phenomenal Caribbean destination!

I hope each of you takes the time this spring to enjoy your many blessings—particularly the gift that Mother Nature gives us at this time each year. I hope that your experiences bring you much inner peace and a true appreciation for the blessings of life!

Retail Tips to Capture Holiday Spirit—and Increase Sales

As the holidays are quickly approaching, millions of shoppers are out and about searching for that perfect gift for someone special.  Odds are…this will affect retailers greatly.  But traditional retailers are not the only ones who can experience increased sales during this time.  So, too, can convenience store operators—if they tap into the spirit of the season to create a pleasant shopping experience for their customers.

Here are a few tips to help get you and your customers in the holiday mood (inspired by some fun and traditional Christmas classics).  Remember, these are additional tactics to complement your current best practices for building customer loyalty with your customers.

Deck the Halls - Consider adding a little bit of holiday cheer to your store in the form of a wreath or a small Christmas tree.  Strings of lights or ornaments hanging from the ceiling might also serve as additional festive touches.

Do You Hear What I Hear? – Mix some Christmas music into your store soundtrack, such as non-religious, holiday classics sung by contemporary artists or instrumental favorites.  Doing so may instantly perk up customers in your store, causing them to hum or sing along.  If they like what they hear, they may even stick around for a longer period of time—and purchase even more.  However, be mindful that too much holiday music—or holiday music played before December 1st—can also be a deterrent to some customers.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!  - BUT…make sure that you have supplies on hand to keep people moving, such as windshield wiper fluid, ice scrapers, antifreeze, ice melt and gloves.  Also, keep your parking lot and sidewalks clear of ice and snow so that no one is injured while on your property.

The Twelve Days of Christmas – Now’s the time to have those readily accessible gifts handy for your customers to purchase!  Promote your gift cards and lottery tickets.  Sell gourmet chocolates and refillable coffee mugs.  Consider stocking accessories for iPods and MP3 players.  Remind people that phone cards can help them stay in touch with their loved ones during the holidays.  These, and other items, are great options for those last-minute shoppers, and I’m sure we all know a few of them!

You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch - There’s nothing that can break a great mood faster than bad customer service, especially during the holidays.  Make sure that all of your customers are greeted with a smile and asked whether or not they need assistance—and don’t forget to thank them when they leave!  Remind your staff of how important customer service is to your business.

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!  No matter your beliefs, Christmas is a season of goodwill and cheer.  Millions of people will be traveling to and from stores or events that celebrate the season, and it is likely that you will have many repeat and first-time customers visit your store.  By showing a little spirit yourself, you’re sure to make a positive impression on everyone you meet—leading to increased sales and customer loyalty in the New Year! 

See you in 2011!