INTERSTATE FOOD TRENDS: THE RISE OF GOURMET GRAB-N-GO

Transcription

1 INTERSTATE FOOD TRENDS: THE RISE OF GOURMET GRAB-N-GO Featuring: Al Hebert, Gas Station Gourmet SPONSORED BY SENSE-ible Ideas Customers and the Travel Plaza Experience 2 1

2 Customers use all five senses when they experience your store. 3 SIGHT First there comes a sign It says I m here It says I have food It says price per gallon. 4 2

3 Now, how do you get them inside? 5 Lee Hi Travel Exterior Pic 6 3

4 SIGHT The outside draws us... (LeeHi Travel Pic) 7 8 4

5 If nothing else works go out and get them. 9 SMELL The human nose never stops growing. 10 5

6 SMELL Smells can evoke memories, emotion and the impulse to purchase. At Ray s Quick Stop they begin baking cookies every afternoon at 3: Ray Simon says customers smell what s baking and they have to buy it. 12 6

7 No Fry Zone Most women don t care for the smell of fried food. Ray Simon Ray s Quick Stop 13 Restrooms We all know how this can impact customers. Restroom Tech - Where to Wee 14 7

8 Let customers know you care. 15 Place holder Photo Copy machine in Men s Room. 16 8

9 Photo: Lucky Socks & Restrooms. 17 TASTE 18 9

10 Peto s Truck Stop Cracklins Peto s cooks 3,000 pounds of cracklins each week. They sell for $13 a pound. $39,000 a week! Kolaches Every Hour Barbara Schiller s store sells over 104,000 kolaches every 7 days. Each one is delicious

11 Other stores in town sell the same items that we do. People come here because ours taste better & our service is better. Barbara Schissler, Czech Stop 21 People Will Pay More Schisller says people will pay more for freshness and better flavor. Three shifts of bakers work 24/7 to produce the Czechoslovakian pastry. Customers can buy fresh kolaches day or night

12 Hundreds of thousands of taste buds are waiting in line. Each human being has 10,000 taste buds. Does your food set you apart? 23 FOOD SAVES THE DAY! 24 12

13 First, a bit of reality

14 Loss Leader $3.99 Plate lunch with drink to start I knew we had to get them in. Word of mouth is our most powerful marketing tool. Stephen Bollich, Owner 27 Passion For Food 28 Dynamic Duo 14

15 Today, totals sales are almost back up tot eh 2003 levels and growing. Food sales drive the inside sales. Stephen Bollich, Owner 29 Lee Hi Travel Plaza Lexington, VA Longevity of employees brings consistency. It tastes the same every time a customer comes. Bobby Berkstresser, Owner 30 15

16 TOUCH 31 TOUCH Customers should not stick to any surface

17 I have two people who clean all day long. Those salaries have paid for themselves two times over. Customers won t tell you they see dirt. Nathan Winkelman Buccaneer Food Store

18 HEARING Like the nose our ears will never stop growing. 35 Sometimes yelling orders like one sees in the movies can be charming

19 HEARING The toilet in the lady s room won t flush!!! 37 When People Hear Good Things About You They Will Come Price Selection Service Quality Experience F L A V O R 38 19

20 Customer Surveys Are you listening? 39 Dog Wash 40 20

21 Bringing in the locals 41 Do they know about you? 42 21

22 Food Specials Fundraising - High School Athletics Civic Clubs Senior Citizen Parking Events 43 Truck Show & Parade PHOTO: Lexington Truck Parade 44 22

23 STAFF You cannot be everywhere. So, you will need to hire other human beings to assist your customers. We call these humans employees. 45 STAFF Is your staff counter help? or 46 23

24 Sales Associates 47 Texas Best Smokehouse 48 24

25 Trained Valued Needed Respected 49 A motivated sales force in your store will be customer service-oriented and will help build your customer base and customer loyalty. Especially if

26 25 Years Sonya & Nancy - Mother-Daughter waitresses at Lee Hi Travel Plaza they do not whine to customers. MYTH: Customers love to listen to employees complain

27 VIDEO This really happened 53 The Great Equalizer...the Internet Facebook Blogs Website eblasts Smart Phones 54 27

28 Is your Website or Facebook Page alive? Change it daily by adding... Daily Specials Sales Contests Giveaways 55 Why aren t you working? People are on Facebook throughout the work day. Bad for their employer. Good for the c-store. One c-store owner posts photos of leftover cupcakes from lunch

29 7 Cupcakes at the register come pick one up. 57 Capture Your Customers Information 58 29

30 One owner runs contests for customers each week in his store. 59 CONSTANT CONTESTS You must enter the store to enter the contests. $25 Gift Card Each Day FREE GAS FOR A MONTH 60 30

31 This Of Course Leads To That Customer s Information address Cell phone number Birthday Will invites them for a free meal and they don t come alone. Anniversary Again, a free meal, and of course, they don t come alone. 61 W A R N I N G It s human nature to warn each other about bad things

32 Yelp & Urbanspoon offer customers a chance to rate an experience. Ordered a burger to go. All the buns had mold on them. Every single bun had mold on it. I will not return ever. How can you make 5 burgers and not sea green mold on each bun on both sides? or I had the gumbo and it's a dark roux and it was delicious! The other review said it was watery, but I found it to be very thick. or I like this place and I've never had not even close to a minor problem :) food is great and so is the service. or This food was terrible in every way. I wouldn't eat there again for free. (Mobile Review) 63 INTERNET REVIEWS What are people saying about you? Truth or Fiction it s being written and everyone can see it. Google yourself and see

33 65 The Box and those thinking outside of it

34 Channel Blurring 67 Food Furniture Fireworks Snow Cones Red Pickles 68 34

35 50,000 Frozen Hamburger Patties January thru July 2013 Population: 30, Don t be afraid to try something new and watch it fail miserably

36 ...it isn t just about the food 1. Fill hour business with people-loving people2. Create your story using signature food3. Appeal to the 5 senses4. Listen to your shoppers5. Innovation: Trust your instincts

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