You and Technology
The robots are not coming! If you weren’t paying attention, you may have missed the fact that one of the great celebrities […]
Category: Industry News
Are You a Frog?
My great-grandfather was not a frog. A German immigrant, he arrived in the United States in the late 1800s. After working for […]
Be a Slow Adopter of New Ideas
I was brought up on the bleeding edge of technology. Growing up in the 1970s, I had the chance to experience the […]
The Customers You Don’t Want
AS SPRING TURNS into summer, we’ve started to have more visitors to our house. They always show up this time of year. […]
Back to the Future
I can’t decide if it is the straw boater hats on the wall or the scrumptious cakes on the sales counter that […]
Sell Your Story
“Only one dollar!” This was the sales pitch of the young man working the hot and dusty marketplace in the Cambodian countryside. […]
Getting Back in the Driver’s Seat
It was a dark and stormy night. The small boat was being rocked and pummeled by towering waves. Hard rain slashed across […]
Failure is an option
Embrace the risk of failure—but pull the plug when it arrives For a brief, shining moment, I was the quarterback of a […]
Shining a Light on Facility Maintenance
Lutefisk. It is one of the national dishes of Norway. To make it, catch yourself some cod, clean it, cover it in […]
How Can You Operate a Gas Station Without Any Gas?
Control your paperwork and stay in compliance to avoid finding out. I promise that this is not a trick question about alternative […]
Empty Shelves and Trucks
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 […]
The Art of the Steal – Part 2
Many customer theft issues can be resolved with good customer service. In my previous column, I talked about employee theft. According to […]
The Art of the Steal – Part 1
Minimize employee theft by letting your staff know that you’re paying attention to the details. We have a lot to learn from […]
Looking at Innovation Through the Lens of StrasGlobal
Convenience retailing today requires being nimble and providing a unique offering to customers, according to President Eva Strasburger. TEMPLE, Texas — The […]
Convenience Store News Honors Roy Strasburger With Special Service Award
The StrasGlobal CEO helped shepherd the c-store industry through the pandemic. TEMPLE, Texas — Convenience store industry veteran Roy Strasburger, CEO of […]
A Different Kind of Clean Fueling
Don’t neglect the most visible part of your business—the forecourt. “How did it get to this point?” Have you ever experienced the […]
Are Your Relevant?
Presented By: Roy Strasburger, CEO, StrasGlobal With retail foot traffic down, how do we stay relevant? See your store the way your […]
Finding Their Niche Is Crucial for Small Operators
Single-store owners and small chains can find unique ways to stay competitive in their markets. NATIONAL REPORT — Whether operating a single […]
Don’t Have Just Your Head in the Cloud
Clouds. Throughout the centuries, clouds have indicated power and mystery. The Greek gods lived on Mount Olympus above the clouds. The heavenly […]
Mind Your Gas Business
One of the most important aspects of the convenience store business is often overlooked when discussing store operations—gasoline. This is interesting because […]
Perseverance in a Pandemic
TEMPLE, Texas — The challenges of the pandemic struck fast and they hit deep. For StrasGlobal—a convenience-store operator that manages sites under […]
How to Stay in Compliance
If you are running a retail business, there is a scenario that you have either come across or have thought about. It’s […]
StrasGlobal Finely Hones Its Innovation Lens
TEMPLE, Texas — At StrasGlobal, the word “innovation” means meeting the changing demands of the customer. “One can innovate, but if you’re […]
Compliance Safe – Document Management Simplified
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 […]
OnDemand – What To Do With Small Format Retail
On December 2nd 2020, StrasGlobal participated in a special TMA (Turnaround Management Association) Town Hall on “What to Do with Small Format […]
OnDemand – SIGMA Smart Path to Compliance
In November 2020, StrasGlobal CEO Roy Strasburger delivered a webinar entitled “Smart Path to Compliance” at SIGMA’s virtual Annual Conference. SIGMA is […]
The Small Operator’s Secret Weapon
I have a secret. It’s something that will help you, but it’s not new information. In fact, it might be right under […]
Targeted Innovation
The following was published as part of the cover story in the September 2020 Issue of Convenience Store News Magazine. At StrasGlobal, […]
Helping Employees Get Past Mask Abuse
Imagine we’ve all seen it by now: That one customer who just refuses to wear a protective mask in the store. That’s […]
We Are Preparing for 2030. Are you?
There is a quote, usually attributed to Rahm Emanuel, that “no good crisis should go to waste”. That is our feeling at […]
Where Were You During the Great Quarantine of 2020?
Roy Strasburger is a frequent contributor to FMN (Fuels Marketer News), online publishers of news for the fuels and convenience store industry. […]
Staff training: It’s not just about customer service – it’s about enforcing the law
Our cashiers and customer service representatives are our first line of defense in regard to the sale of restricted products. I am […]
Energy North Group Adopts Compliance Safe Software
Temple, TX February 21, 2020 — COMPLIANCE SAFE™, a software service that manages your permit, license and certification renewals process, announces an […]
How AI Can Make Retailers Better
AI takes care of repetitive tasks so humans can focus on more creative and substantial issues. In the movie “2001: A Space […]
SIGMA Tech Trends Workshop 2019
By Roy Strasburger SIGMA Tech Trends Workshop 2019 Best Practice Trends—How to Manage and Leverage Your Data to Make Better Business Decisions […]
Why is it so hard to get a good cup of coffee in a c-store?
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Fuels Market News How hard can it be to have hot fresh coffee available all of […]
Managing Use of Marijuana at Work
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in CSP Magazine One of an employer’s main expectations is that staff be mentally alert and aware of […]
Store Inspections Should Not Be a Surprise
Become your own mystery shopper to raise your standards and improve customer service By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News […]
What to Do with a Family Business When No One Wants to Run It
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Fuels Market News About once a week we receive a phone call that goes something like […]
Your Competitor is Your Best Teacher
The tactics of using a competitor as a benchmark fall into three categories By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News […]
Put the Store Design to Work
By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in CSP Magazine Store design is the equivalent of a good store employee: It should help communicate […]
Dealer panel kicks off SIGMA Annual Conference education program
Photo caption left to right: Roy Strasburger, CEO StrasGlobal Paul Melgaard, VP Supply Sunoco LP Dan Dunstan, Dir Sales and Operations Parkland […]
How Small Retailers Can Survive Disruption
The forces arrayed against the small retailer, including Amazon, Instacart and Uber meals ,are enormous and growing. Services and products are just […]
Employee Training Must-Dos
Everything you want to accomplish in retail revolves around proper training By Roy Strasburger Originally Published in Convenience Store News TRAINING IS […]
VENDOR VIEW: STRASGLOBAL—LEAVE THE MANAGEMENT (AND HEADACHES) TO US
By Keith Reid Originally Published in Fuels Market News There are more business models for the integration and management of the fuel […]
Rapid Retail can Turn Vacant Retail Space into a Vibrant Customer Experience
Temple, TX, June 13, 2018—“Pop-up” stores are all the rage for landowners and property managers with vacant space. Now, with Rapid Retail […]
Cleaning Up Your Operation: Step 1 in Any Turnaround
There are many components that a store operator needs to do right to have a successful business. Good customer service is a must. […]
Looking at Your Store With Fresh Eyes
It’s happened to all of us. A visitor who you haven’t seen for years comes by to stay at your house for […]
What to Do If Your C-store Business Is Struggling
Low in-store sales, high employee turnover and declining gross profit margins are just a few of the problems Roy Strasburger, president of […]