September 8, 2022

326 Clark St, Worcester, MA 01606. Light Breakfast Will Be Served

Many retailers think that branding means coming up with a logo and choosing a cute color palette. They see branding as a design exercise or a corporate identity that doesn’t go beyond the building. In this session Ernie Harker will detail how an ignited brand revolves around the personality of a company and should be expressed in its marketing strategies, communication style, choice of language and product packaging. Brand owners must use the right tools to create an authentic and compelling brand that sets you apart from the crowd and makes you more competitive. Harker will also discuss how he helped guide Maverik through a complete rebrand into one of the most widely-recognized convenience store brand in the country.

Technology is changing the way retailers address labor management, from application tracking to shift scheduling. As labor issues intensify across the industry, more retailers are turning to technology to offer efficiencies. To have the time necessary to build culture, provide trainings, recognize star employees and make sure employees enjoy working for your convenience store chain, it’s necessary to commit to and build efficiencies across human resources using computer-based resources. Jeff Carpenter will examine why more retailers are taking a digital approach to employee management and how this tactic can improve communication by allowing the company to address potential problems more quickly, and follow up on information sooner.

The lack of store data accessibility and distribution are common issues for operations managers and supervisors. The lack of easy access to operations-focused data can lead to environments where losses are hidden longer, and growth opportunities go unrealized. This is the fundamental focus of a Bandyworks Workshop. In this session, attendees will participate in a workshop that will emphasize how to bring retail analytics into a pattern of operational usage across a host of operational segments including employee retention, loss prevention, customer service, store cleanliness, cash control and growing the management pipeline.

· Foodservice: As gas prices stay elevated and tobacco remains under fire, foodservice remains the industry’s biggest in-store attraction. Discuss what you are doing and benchmark your results with others in the industry. Plus, glean new ideas on how to perfect your menu and overcome staffing issues by utilizing the proper foodservice equipment.
· Technology: From payments systems to loyalty programs to back-office and cryptocurrency, technology is driving big changes in retail. This session will discuss cutting-edge technology and what others are doing in this emerging segment.
· Operations/HR: The labor shortage shows no signs of abating and supply chain issues will persist for the next 12-18 months. In this session, learn what other retailers are doing to attract new employees and overcome staffing issues. Plus, discuss how you can avoid out-of-stocks and supply shortages both for products on the shelves and the products needed to execute a foodservice program.