C-store Operators Champion Technology Buy-In at All Levels
LAS VEGAS — Technology executives in the convenience store industry have seen their place in the channel evolve over the past few years.
While always playing a critical role in the operations of any c-store, they largely worked behind the scenes to ensure smooth sailing across all aspects of the retail equation. That changed a few years ago, and even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic, when they moved from behind the scenes to a prominent seat at the table. Today, their input and contributions are becoming more and more important.
If the 2024 Convenience Store News Technology Study is any indication, that is not going to change any time soon. The research, unveiled in the October issue of CSNews, found that convenience retailers are incorporating technology into multiple aspects of their operations, particularly those that will make a positive difference in the eyes of their customers. Notably, nearly seven in 10 retailers cited providing a better customer experience as a major business opportunity that will drive their investments in the coming year.
With all this in mind, c-store technology and marketing leaders gathered for the 2024 CSNews Technology Leadership Roundtable & Awards Dinner on Oct. 7 in Las Vegas. Sponsored by Altria Group Distribution Co., Blue Yonder, Hughes Network Systems and Vixxo, the event featured recognition of the CSNews Technology Leader of the Year; a fireside chat with Meg Rice, director of marketing for Worcester, Mass.-based Nouria Energy Group; and roundtable discussions on all things technology.
Taking Home Hardware
Laval, Quebec-based Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., the parent company of Circle K, was honored as this year's Technology Leader of the Year. The global company is well known for its appetite for acquisitions, but its strides in the technology space have not gone unnoticed.
In particular, Couche-Tard was recognized for its use of technology to enable innovation and speed to market; win with the customer through loyalty, digital experiences and operations first; and to streamline internal processes for better efficiency.
[Read more: Couche-Tard Puts Technology at the Foundation of Its Strategy]
Accepting the award were Ed Dzadovsky, chief technology officer; Erica Fortune, chief digital officer; Janet Falcon, vice president of North America systems; and Christine Loukota, director of emerging technologies.
"Here we are, doing what we do, delivering some amazing experiences on behalf of our employees and our customers and somebody said it's working. Thank you CSNews for telling us we're getting some things right," Dzadovsky said. "It is on behalf of all of the operators and 100,000-plus associates that we accept this award."
Inside Nouria's Technology Journey
In 2018, Nouria kicked off an initiative to rebrand and upgrade all its locations and in November of that year, it debuted a new retail brand with a new concept store in Lewiston, Maine.
Nouria's lead marketing executive told event attendees about the retailer's technology journey and discussed what role tech plays in the business today.
While Rice is relatively new to Nouria and the c-store industry — having joined the company in August 2023 — she noted that Nouria's technology journey is unique. For example, the retailer's tech stack has some maturity to it, she explained, while its marketing stack is newer.
That newness is part of the company's rebranding, Rice said, pointing out that Nouria was not really a customer-facing brand until about five years ago.
Being new to the industry herself, Rice added that she was surprised by the complexity of the channel's technology and its requirements.
She also touched on Nouria's focus on utilizing data to make the best decisions, while being disciplined in its use of data.
Top-of-Mind Technology
At the gathering, c-store executives also traded insights on hot-button issues in the retail technology space. This year's discussion covered everything from customer-facing solutions to operational strategies. Here's a look at what retailers had to say:
- Pinless Debit: Retailers will benefit from it, but will the credit card companies and issuing banks be behind it, too?
- Workforce Optimization: Smaller chains are using simple solutions, such as monitoring the customer-associate exchange at checkout.
- Self-Checkout: Many retailers have some form of self-checkout, but does it move the needle? Maybe. Retailers are seeing generational challenges with the service.
- Trending Technology: Industry players are working with solutions today that they weren't using just a few years ago, with generative AI tools, data warehouses and data lakes being among them.
- Converting Fuel Customers: This is the $64,000 question. C-store operators are still trying to figure out this piece of the retail puzzle. Some utilize messages at the pump, but they are not seeing the conversion rate they expected.
The one thing all attendees agreed on is that moving forward with any new technology takes buy-in from all levels of the organization. As one retailer remarked, "Technology is an important part of the journey, but you need to get the basics right, whether you are a small operator or a large chain."
Look for more coverage of the 2024 CSNews Technology Leadership Roundtable & Awards Dinner in the November issue of Convenience Store News.
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