“Only one dollar!” This was the sales pitch of the young man working the hot and dusty marketplace in the Cambodian countryside. Holding up the trinkets on offer, he had been impersonating my shadow for the last two or three minutes since he had profiled me as a tourist — and a fresh target for […]
It was a dark and stormy night. The small boat was being rocked and pummeled by towering waves. Hard rain slashed across my face and continued to drench my clothes as I became a human sponge. Slightly in front and above me, the captain of the boat kept trying to make headway on a course […]
Embrace the risk of failure—but pull the plug when it arrives For a brief, shining moment, I was the quarterback of a football team. Granted, it was in middle school, but the coach looked at me and saw a kid who was too small to play on the line and too slow to be a […]
Lutefisk. It is one of the national dishes of Norway. To make it, catch yourself some cod, clean it, cover it in salt, leave it to dry for a couple of weeks until it is the consistency of tree bark (a metaphor for texture, not taste), and store it in a dry place. Before you […]
Control your paperwork and stay in compliance to avoid finding out. I promise that this is not a trick question about alternative fuels, online retailing or robots. It is a meditation on a situation we came across recently and, sadly, happens quite often in the fuel industry. Our company, StrasGlobal, provides contract site operations for […]
Eight tips for dealing with out-of-stocks and other supply chain issues. “Oh, dearest father. If my heart’s greatest desire is not fulfilled by Christmastide, surely I will perish from this earth and my ghostly remains will wander these lands for the rest of eternity. “ This, or something like it, is what my then six-year-old […]
Many customer theft issues can be resolved with good customer service. In my previous column, I talked about employee theft. According to the 2020 NACS State of the Industry report, store “shrink” (which includes theft and breakage) averages about $12,700 per store per year. And 33.2 percent of that is due to employee theft, according […]
Minimize employee theft by letting your staff know that you’re paying attention to the details. We have a lot to learn from George Clooney’s life of crime. As you may remember, Mr. Clooney starred in the remake of “Ocean’s Eleven” and several sequels, as well as not appearing in “Ocean’s 8” (the one with Sandra […]
Convenience retailing today requires being nimble and providing a unique offering to customers, according to President Eva Strasburger. TEMPLE, Texas — The convenience channel is both lauded for being a disruptor when it comes to innovation and viewed by some retail experts as a laggard. Eva Strasburger, president of StrasGlobal, a privately held retail consulting, […]
The StrasGlobal CEO helped shepherd the c-store industry through the pandemic. TEMPLE, Texas — Convenience store industry veteran Roy Strasburger, CEO of StrasGlobal, has one guiding principle that has been translated into his company’s mission statement: “To make life better for our team, for our customers, for our clients.” “We put those groups in that […]
Don’t neglect the most visible part of your business—the forecourt. “How did it get to this point?” Have you ever experienced the situation when you are looking around and, suddenly, your eyes seem to snap into focus and you see the teetering piles of papers on your desk, dirt on the floor, shoes left out […]
Presented By: Roy Strasburger, CEO, StrasGlobal With retail foot traffic down, how do we stay relevant? See your store the way your community sees you. And, visit your neighborhood for what they need. StrasGlobal shares tips to see your stores “inside/out” and “outside/in” so you stay relevant. Is your business relevant to YOU? Is your […]
Single-store owners and small chains can find unique ways to stay competitive in their markets. NATIONAL REPORT — Whether operating a single store or a small chain, surviving and thriving against the larger convenience store chains is always top of mind for the industry’s small operators, and it can be challenging at times. The big […]
Clouds. Throughout the centuries, clouds have indicated power and mystery. The Greek gods lived on Mount Olympus above the clouds. The heavenly kingdom has always been imagined in the clouds above the earth. Thoughts of freedom are represented by birds soaring through the clouds. When I travel, one of the things that always mesmerizes me […]
One of the most important aspects of the convenience store business is often overlooked when discussing store operations—gasoline. This is interesting because we all know that fuel sales have a huge impact on the profitability, if not the financial viability, of a retail site. We often talk about the correct pricing for a candy bar, […]
TEMPLE, Texas — The challenges of the pandemic struck fast and they hit deep. For StrasGlobal—a convenience-store operator that manages sites under various flags for oil companies, banks, investors and individuals—developing an action plan was a key to getting through. The company formed a task force and developed a comprehensive response plan to deal with […]
If you are running a retail business, there is a scenario that you have either come across or have thought about. It’s a Friday afternoon during the summer — possibly before a big holiday weekend. Your store is humming: people are coming in to buy things to go to the lake; fueling up the car […]
TEMPLE, Texas — At StrasGlobal, the word “innovation” means meeting the changing demands of the customer. “One can innovate, but if you’re not aligned with what the customer is looking for, you’re innovating for nothing. It has to be targeted innovation,” said Roy Strasburger, CEO of StrasGlobal, a contract operations provider that services retail locations […]
COMPLIANCE SAFE™, a software service that monitors, tracks and protects your business-critical documents, prominently served as the cover feature in November’s CIO Review magazine – the publication’s Compliance Technology issue. CIO Review is a leading technology magazine that is at the forefront of guiding enterprises through the continuously varying business environment about the solutions and services. The magazine […]
On December 2nd 2020, StrasGlobal participated in a special TMA (Turnaround Management Association) Town Hall on “What to Do with Small Format Retail“. This Town Hall was moderated by Kenneth R. Yager with Newpoint Advisors Corporation, and included Roy Strasburger with StrasGlobal, David Bagley with Carrac Capital Partner and Lee Harington with Ascendant Law as […]
In November 2020, StrasGlobal CEO Roy Strasburger delivered a webinar entitled “Smart Path to Compliance” at SIGMA’s virtual Annual Conference. SIGMA is the national trade association representing the most successful, progressive, and innovative fuel marketers and chain retailers in the United States and Canada. StrasGlobal currently operates fuel and convenience sites for owners nationally and […]
I have a secret. It’s something that will help you, but it’s not new information. In fact, it might be right under your nose. I am often asked if there is a way for small operators to compete against their larger competitors. The question has taken on even more significance during this time of pandemic […]
The following was published as part of the cover story in the September 2020 Issue of Convenience Store News Magazine. At StrasGlobal, the word “innovation” means meeting the changing demands of the customer. “One can innovate, but if you’re not aligned with what the customer is looking for, you’re innovating for nothing. It has to […]
Imagine we’ve all seen it by now: That one customer who just refuses to wear a protective mask in the store. That’s been one of the biggest surprises of the COVID-19 pandemic to me. It’s pretty straightforward: COVID-19 is mainly spread by airborne particles, people get sick by breathing them in, and wearing a mask […]
There is a quote, usually attributed to Rahm Emanuel, that “no good crisis should go to waste”. That is our feeling at StrasGlobal. We are in the process of using the lessons that we have been learning during the COVID-19 crisis to change the way we operate our business and to incorporate new ideas and […]
Roy Strasburger is a frequent contributor to FMN (Fuels Marketer News), online publishers of news for the fuels and convenience store industry. As everyone is very well aware, the COVID-19 (“Corona”) virus has changed the way that we are living life. Public gathering spaces are closed, retail outlets are closed, and social interaction as we […]
Our cashiers and customer service representatives are our first line of defense in regard to the sale of restricted products. I am usually a pretty easy-going guy. I like to think that I get along well with others and that others can get along well with me. I don’t get rattled often. About a month […]
Temple, TX February 21, 2020 — COMPLIANCE SAFE™, a software service that manages your permit, license and certification renewals process, announces an agreement with Energy North Group (ENG), a Leader in both wholesale distribution and retail operations throughout New England and New York. “We know that permit, license and certification renewals can be tedious and […]
AI takes care of repetitive tasks so humans can focus on more creative and substantial issues. In the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey,” the computer HAL takes control of a space mission, making decisions that lead to the deaths of most of the astronauts on board, before it is shut down by the lone survivor, […]
By Roy Strasburger SIGMA Tech Trends Workshop 2019 Best Practice Trends—How to Manage and Leverage Your Data to Make Better Business Decisions November 12, 2019 Austin, TX— Staying on top of market evolution trends and disruptors is critical to keeping your business successful. During SIGMA’s 2019 Annual Conference November 4-6, 2019 in Austin, TX, petroleum […]
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Fuels Market News How hard can it be to have hot fresh coffee available all of the time? If you operate a c-store, you know it can be hard. It’s early morning. While the darkness of the previous night is slowly starting to dissipate, the fog inside your head […]
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in CSP Magazine One of an employer’s main expectations is that staff be mentally alert and aware of the environment around them. The employee can enhance the safety of the business and the people in the store. He or she can also sense when the extra effort is needed to turn […]
Become your own mystery shopper to raise your standards and improve customer service By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News WHEN I WAS GROWING UP, one of my tasks was to keep my room clean and tidy. Every day, I was to pick up my clothes, books and toys and put them in […]
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Fuels Market News About once a week we receive a phone call that goes something like this: “I am the son/daughter of a family that own a convenience store. My mother and father started the business and have decided to retire. They have left it to me to run […]
The tactics of using a competitor as a benchmark fall into three categories By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News “THAT’S INTERESTING.” Have you ever walked into your main competitor’s shop and had that reaction? As you look around the store, you see a product you had not heard of, a promotion you […]
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in CSP Magazine Store design is the equivalent of a good store employee: It should help communicate the brand, give the customer more value for their visit and make jobs easier. Most retailers don’t have the luxury of tearing the building down and starting from scratch. So how do we […]
Photo caption left to right: Roy Strasburger, CEO StrasGlobal Paul Melgaard, VP Supply Sunoco LP Dan Dunstan, Dir Sales and Operations Parkland USA Travis Booth, General Counsel & VP Corp. Development Empire Petroleum Partners LLP San Francisco, CA – Communication, technology and financial training for dealers, within the backdrop of understanding cultural and language differences, […]
The forces arrayed against the small retailer, including Amazon, Instacart and Uber meals ,are enormous and growing. Services and products are just a click of the mouse, push of a button or swipe of the screen away. So what is the small independent retailer to do? Should they wait meekly until the inevitable destruction of their […]
Everything you want to accomplish in retail revolves around proper training By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News TRAINING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENT of the foundation on which to build a retail business. Everything you want to accomplish in retail revolves around training. I firmly believe that good salespeople are born, but […]
By Keith Reid Originally Published in Fuels Market News There are more business models for the integration and management of the fuel and retail operations than most people would ever imagine. Similarly, each side of the business brings with it the requirement for unique skill sets. It was generally considered that traditional fuel wholesalers moving […]
Temple, TX, June 13, 2018—“Pop-up” stores are all the rage for landowners and property managers with vacant space. Now, with Rapid Retail there’s no waiting for a Pop-up operator to come to you to fill the empty space. Rapid Retail contract services delivers property managers a streamlined menu of retail options to eliminate or prevent […]
There are many components that a store operator needs to do right to have a successful business. Good customer service is a must. Having the proper selection of products appropriately priced is very helpful. Freshly made food and a beverage bar can provide additional gross profit opportunities. I think we can all agree on these things. […]
It’s happened to all of us. A visitor who you haven’t seen for years comes by to stay at your house for a couple of days. This is the home you’ve lived in for several years and you are house-proud. You clean it regularly. You even pick up the dirty laundry when you aren’t expecting […]
Low in-store sales, high employee turnover and declining gross profit margins are just a few of the problems Roy Strasburger, president of Convenience Management Services Inc. (CMSI), may encounter when he and his team take over a convenience store and gas station. Temple, Texas-based CMSI’s mission, simply put, is to operate retail locations for those […]