Putting Customers First

Sophie Provencher started out on the supplier side of the Canadian c-store/petroleum industry, but since her move to Ultramar (now CST Brands) three years ago, she’s been honing her skills on the retailer side, working to create the ultimate in-store experience for customers at CST’s Corner Store and Dépanneur du Coin sites across Canada.

Provencher graduated with a degree in marketing, and worked for packaged goods companies in merchandising or managing teams for retail sales. Ultramar was one of her customers, and that’s how she ended up coming to work for the company as a zone manager in Québec.

Now, as the director of merchandising and marketing for CST Canada, Provencher manages 10–15 people on the merchandising team and three on the marketing team. Based in Montréal, she starts out her day by looking at sales and catching up on any news so she’s up-to-date on what’s going on in the market. Communication is also a huge part of her job description.

“I’m constantly in communication with the marketing agency, with the U.S. team and with the Canadian team. A typical day would be for me not to be at my desk most of the day,” she said. “I like to go to retail, too, as much as possible, just to make sure everything we do makes sense and is relevant to the customer, because that’s the entire goal.”

GIVING CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT

The convenience-gas market in Canada is a challenging one, but Provencher knows that offering the ultimate customer experience will help set Corner Store and Dépanneur du Coin stores apart from their competitors.

“When you look at our business environment, there’s lots of competition out there, so the big challenge for me is just to make sure we offer the right products at the right price, and we have the right location,” explained Provencher.

Collaboration with her American counterparts at CST in San Antonio helps solidify this strategy for engaging Canadian customers.

“What’s amazing about this team is we’re all about sharing best practices. It might seem cliché, but we really do that. We’re very good at it! I’m new in this position, and I’ve been traveling to the U.S. and I’ve been asking them to share what they’re doing and their initiatives,” she said.

This means the Canadian and U.S. sites can share merchandising strategies when applicable. Provencher said with such clear direction yet flexibility, the in-store environment can also change from one part of Canada to the next, even within the Atlantic provinces, to meet specific customer needs.

GOING BIG ON PROPRIETARY BRANDS

In Canada, strong foodservice programs are essential to bringing in loyal customers. While some sites are testing different franchises, including Pizza Pizza at a new-to-industry site in Brossard, Québec, the focus is on growing CST’s proprietary brand.

“We’ve done some tests with franchises, but moving forward, we’re really looking to embrace our own food concept,” Provencher said.

CST Canada brought private-label U Force Energy and U Force Sport drinks from the U.S. into Canada a year ago, with great success. Now, the push is on to bring more of these products into Corner Store and Dépanneur du Coin sites.

“We’re so pleased with the results that there are many other projects on the table. We’re looking to deploy private-label products within Canada that are going to be Canadian-specific private label products,” noted Provencher.

CONNECTING WITH THE COMMUNITY

Provencher said the Country Run, which took place in Montréal June 20, is a clear indicator of CST’s culture. While Provencher was dressed as a popcorn person at last year’s event, she was excited to participate in the 5K run with her family this time around.

“It’s always great to be involved in events like these that are all about family and community, and giving back,” she said. “It’s really the reflection of who we are and what we do. That’s our day-to-day life at CST, and it’s a great place to be.”

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