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5 Signs Your Convenience Store Isn’t Convenient
5 Signs Your Convenience Store Isn’t Convenient
May 07, 2019
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When you’re operating a convenience store, there’s tremendous potential for foot traffic. To take advantage of these walk-in sales, you need to appeal to the masses while also building a loyal customer base. To do this, make sure you’re as advertised — convenient. Surprisingly, too many convenience stores miss the mark on key convenience factors and as a result, lose customers.

To ensure you’re not one of them, watch for these five signs that your convenience store isn’t actually convenient.

Your inventory isn’t selling.
Too often, when convenience stores stock their shelves, they rely on products they’ve always sold, rather than adapting to what their customer base wants. When you’re planning your inventory strategy, take a customer-centric approach. Think about who your customers are, what they want, and remember it’s not one-size-fits-all. You need to break your customers into segments and figure out what drives them to your store. For instance, your teenage customers are going to have different demands than the carpooling mom. Understand the spectrum of customers that frequent your store and adjust your store layout, point-of-sale displays, grab-and-go options and foodservice equipment to meet their needs.
You haven’t changed your product offering.
Not only are you serving a range of customers with different demands, but regardless of who they are, people like options. Whether it’s a road trip customer who’s unsure of what they want, a family of young kids, a truck driver, or a businessman, they’re all looking for something different, so offering variety is essential.As you’re honing in on what customers want, switch up your offerings to find out what’s popular. And when you’re swapping products in and out, track inventory movement closely, as this should inform future purchasing decisions. Make sure your inventory includes an array of fresh cold and hot foods too, and capitalize on peak meal times. During breakfast hours, for example, many convenience stores have a loyal customer base. To accommodate them, have a variety of hot breakfast items available.
Your lines are long.
While you may be reducing staff to cut back on costs, you could be leaving money on the table. Frequently when customers stop in at a convenience store, they’re in a hurry. If you’re not staffed appropriately, they may get impatient and take their business elsewhere. By getting your staffing levels right, you can increase sales volume and ensure repeat customers. Pay attention to traffic patterns, and staff your store accordingly so customers can get the quick in-and-out service they need. And while your staff’s there, make sure they’re prioritizing customer service. If there’s a line five people deep at the register, your staff should be ready to check them out, not stocking shelves in the back.
You have less-than-stellar reviews.
Your customers want to know what they can expect in your store. From speed of service to store cleanliness to food quality, consistency is critical to their customer experience. If customers stop by your store when they’re in a hurry and they can’t get what they need quickly — even if it’s a clean restroom — it will cast a shadow on their experience. With the amount of competition, often nearby, you can’t afford this kind of inconsistency. To keep customers coming back, deliver across-the-board, every time. And remember, there’s always room for improvement. Whether it’s an online survey or a suggestion box, solicit feedback from your customers and make adjustments if necessary.
Your equipment is inefficient.
As innovative equipment becomes more of a mainstay throughout convenience stores, make sure yours is measuring up. Customers have come to expect great food, fast. It’s no longer acceptable to sacrifice quality for speed. On the flip side, employees need high-production, user-friendly equipment to meet these consumer demands and to do their jobs efficiently. Evaluate your equipment. From the cash register to the kitchen oven and beverage machines, figure out what equipment you need to make everyone’s lives easier.

Convenience that’s second to none.
When it comes to growing a loyal customer base, convenience is, quite literally, the name of the game. If you make a conscious effort to increase convenience in these five areas, it will positively impact your bottom line.

If you’re in the market for a new oven, check out Ovention. With our precision cooking settings and automatic loading and unloading capabilities, we bring convenience to a whole new level.

Ovention Ovens Make It Easy
Shuttle® NEW 2600! 2000/1600/1200
Shuttle® NEW 2600! 2000/1600/1200

If you value precision and volume, Ovention has the perfect oven to fit your operation. The Shuttle sets the new standard for conveyor ovens everywhere. No other oven can operate as both a conveyor and a closed-cavity oven.

Matchbox® 1718/1313
Matchbox® 1718/1313

Cook a full menu of delicious offerings without an oven hood. The Ovention Matchbox 1718/1313 takes the traditional conveyor oven to a whole new level.

Conveyor 2600/2000/1400
Conveyor 2600/2000/1400

Simple, smart and the right fit for operators looking for a high-throughput conveyor oven. The Ovention Conveyor Oven is the most technologically elegant and operator-friendly conveyor on the market today.

Matchbox® M360 14/12
Matchbox® M360 14/12

Cook a full menu better, faster, and easier. The Ovention Matchbox M360 has Precision Impingement® technology, a unique cooking carousel, and a small footprint, making it the perfect fit for any operation.

Finishing F1400
Finishing F1400

Finish your plates with ease and precision with this robust IR finishing conveyor. Melt, sear, toast, and finish to perfection with this operator-friendly, quiet conveyor.

MiLO® Double/Single
MiLO® Double/Single

Revolutionary infusion of Decoupled Air and Infrared (IR) technologies. Independently controlled top and bottom cavities, each with its own interior light and control panel.

MiSA®‑a12
MiSA®‑a12

Introducing MiSA; Microwave Speed Assist. Higher quality, higher speed, smaller footprint.

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