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NATSO University

Attendees at The NATSO Show walked away with insight, tips and tactics to set the stage for their success!  Read on for details of the information-packed NATSO U sessions that delivered "news you can use" to truckstop and travel plaza operators.

The Seven Dangers Facing the Petroleum Industry Today
Betsi Bixby, president of Meridian Associates, shared the results of startling research on industry trends that are expected to change the industry forever. Meridian commissioned a Fortune 500 independent research firm to reveal what the future holds for the industry. That study revealed that by 2012, marketers will face costs so high that the entire landscape of the industry will shift. These lurking dangers, including the doubling of health care premiums, will critically impact marketers nationwide. During this session, Bixby told attendees what they can do to prepare for the storm of rising costs, and shared steps they can take now to prepare and take full advantage of strategic opportunities.

Increase Your Inside Sales Through Effective Merchandising
Barjan's Darren Schulte divulged ways to increase inside sales. Members had the opportunity to gain insight into past and current successful merchandising promotions; fixture lay out, product placement, display building, adjacencies and learned why such merchandising efforts are important in improving customers shopping experience. Darren shared both successful and unsuccessful case studies as they apply to how operators can best “touch” their customers and drive their organization's merchandising. The session also included interactive segments including end cap, wing rack and display building presentations. Sponsored by Barjan LLC.

Emerging Trends and Opportunities in Tobacco Products
Tightening social pressures and increased regulations threaten to create the greatest transformation in the tobacco category since the shift from spittoons to cigarettes. This learning lab told operators how they can get in front of the wave, taking advantage of emerging trends in moist tobacco and other smoke-free tobacco products. Participants learned more about a new emerging category that will meet the challenges faced by increasing social and regulatory pressures. Review the presentation on emerging trends and opportunities in tobacco products here.

New Approaches to Cutting Costs
Decreasing expenses is just as important as increasing sales, so Paragon Solutions President and CEO Michael Lawshe offered a case study on how going green benefited one travel plaza location. Lawshe has 22 years of specialized and targeted industry experience, consulting a multitude of customers including convenience stores, travel centers, petroleum companies. His company is recognized as one of the leading design firms in the industry, with over 150 projects completed annually throughout the U.S. Sponsored by Pegasus Transtech.

The Sales, Marketing and Advertising Matrix: Techniques to Make Your Business Thrive During Challenging Times
The success of any business hinges on a company's ability to attract new business and maximize the business for existing accounts. What are the best methods and techniques to attract, retain, and up sell accounts? How do you market, advertise and sell in today's highly competitive marketplace without competing on price?  The ever-popular Rick Segel, president of Segel and Associates, answered these questions and more in this interactive program that helped participants:

• Understand the techniques to use when the economy slows down
• Find out how to sell solutions, not price
• Discover low-cost techniques to make your advertising stand out
• Learn the Internet's role in the process and how to make ecommerce work
• Enhance relationship-building skills
• Unleash the power of non-manipulative selling

Drive Up Profits with America's Road Team
The trucking industry is changing, and professional drivers’ needs for products and services are changing, too. Do you know what professional drivers want to buy from you? Are you wondering how to attract them to your location? Participants in this session had the chance to listen first-hand as top drivers from  America's Road Team discussed their likes, dislikes, challenges and needs on the road.

Sure Cash, Profits and Financing in an Uncertain Market
Is there such a thing as sure profit? How about sure cash? And what about financing for growth? It's highly likely you are competing effectively, but could you be missing just one or two key strategies that could drop right to your bottom line? Through her work with over 3300 petroleum companies nationwide, Meridian Associates President Betsi Bixby knows your pennies-driven business has changed dramatically in the past few years. In this provocative session, participants learned why speed, flexibility and focus on best customers from top leadership down to the lowest level employee have never been more important. Bixby revealed a two-pronged approach and the concrete steps any marketer can take to gain the competitive edge and then deliver efficiently to fatten up actual cash and profits and be the company lenders seek.

Diesel Exhaust Fluid: What's Coming and How You Can Prepare
Beginning in January 2010, new trucks will have an advanced emissions system that will require diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) to operate – and environmental regulations ensure that this will be no passing trend. In this critically important session, panelists representing DEF and pump manufacturers provided the practical details on the fluid: where to get it, who will need it, and how it should be stored, dispensed and sold. Sponsored by Detroit Diesel. To access presentations given by the panelists, click here.

   

Advances in Credit Card, Check and Point-of-Sale Technology
Technology changes at the speed of light, bringing retailers new opportunities, risks and responsibilities. But, who has time to run a busy travel plaza and stay on top of every technological development? This panel session gave attendees the chance to bring themselves up-to-date on today’s point-of-sale (POS) technology, new payment card industry (PCI) standards, and Check-Link™ advances to help reduce bad check losses.  Bill Bartkus of TravelCenters of America, Sean Flynn of Flynn'sTruck Plaza, NATSO's Amy Carle, Doug Fick with Retalix, Kevin Struthers with Fiscal and Dan Hudson of First Data were all on hand to share the latest updates. Review the presentation on the enhancement to the Check-Link^TM program here.

NATSO U Super Session on the Economy
Thanks to sponsorship support from Randall-Reilly Trucking Media, NATSO recruited two powerhouse economists to tell operators what they must know about the economic and market conditions they'll face in 2009: Wachovia Managing Director and Senior Economist Mark Vitner, who is a frequent guest on CNBC, Bloomberg Television and the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, and Bob Costello, Chief Economist at American Trucking Associations.

The NATSO U Super Session on the Economy, sponsored by Randall-Reilly Trucking Media, gave operators the latest facts, figures and predictions for 2009 and beyond. Vitner and Costello led this information-packed session and assured operators that although the current economy is difficult, things will look up.

Vitner told attendees that the recession should end late this year. “That is the point when things stop getting worse,” he said. He added that 2011 is when the economy is going to be in better shape.

Despite continued decreases in ATA’s truck tonnage figures, Costello guaranteed truckstop and travel plaza operators their customers aren’t going away. “In the long run, I really believe trucking does look good. Once we get to 2010 and we get demand going, capacity will tighten up fairly quickly,” he said.

Among the many statistics Costello shared were the numbers of fleets that went out of business in 2008. The good news is that fewer fleets ceased operations in the fourth quarter of 2008 than in the previous three quarters of the year. “The drop in fuel prices really helped them,” he said.

Sponsored by Randall-Reilly Trucking Media.