Embracing Your Strengths & Acknowledging Your Weaknesses

In early 2018, the leadership team at Casey's General Stores Inc. made the strategic decision to embark on a digital transformation. The convenience store chain already had a well-established foodservice program — led by its popular pizza offering — so while others in the channel were exploring ways to differentiate themselves with a food platform, Casey's saw the opportunity to move to the head of the pack through innovation and technology.

As Art Sebastian, Casey's vice president of digital experience, told Convenience Store News, that included an enticing loyalty program and a refreshed mobile app.

Step one was wading through its outdated tech stack and replacing it with a consolidated "enterprise-grade marketing and technology application." It succeeded through a partnership with San Francisco-based Salesforce and today, five years later, Casey's stands out as an example of how to embrace your strengths (food), acknowledge your weaknesses (technology), and go all in on change.

Now comes word that Murphy USA Inc. is also charting its own digital transformation. The decision comes two years after the company acquired QuickChek Corp., a foodservice leader predominantly in the New Jersey market.

With a strong loyalty program, Murphy Drive Rewards, already in its arsenal, Murphy USA will now integrate what it does well (loyalty) with what QuickChek does well (foodservice) as the company plans its next chapter.