Innovation is the word of the day for independents. If I have heard it once, I have heard it twice that there is not a lot of innovation happening at independent locations.
I have had the pleasure of witnessing some great ideas in the field that are distinguishing independents from the competition.
Truckstop Drive-Through
In Paulding Ohio, Jack and Paul Grewal are opening a travel center with a drive-through.
What is so special about that? Gasoline fueling customers have the ability to drive into the store, yep, into the store. Pay at the pump may have taken away many inside sales from us, but this may be an opportunity to gain some of them back from those customers who just do not want to get out of their cars. Jack and Paul will enable their customers to purchase anything in the entire store through the drive through.
Clothing Donation Bin
At Jack and Paul’s Napoleon, Ohio truckstop, drivers were asking about donating jackets at the end of the season. To meet this need they now offer the drivers a donation drop off in conjunction with Planet Aid.
While I was at the location I saw a driver using it and I asked him if I could take his picture. While he declined a picture, he did say he makes a point to fuel with Jack and Paul because of the donation box.
Prior to the box being available he often threw his old apparel away, especially jackets, as he did not want to hall them around for an entire year. He said prices for jackets at truckstops are so inexpensive that there is no need to keep one in your truck all year long.
/// What are you doing that is innovative and setting you apart from your competition? Please tell us in the comments. We really would love to know.
Related Content:
- Independent Operators Share Ideas For Growth And Cutting Costs During The NATSO Show
- Six Ways to Set Your Truckstop Apart
- Ten Ways to Get Customers to Come Inside From the Fuel Islands
- When Everyone Is Going Small, Dad’s 113 Travel Center Goes Big
/// Read more Truckstop Travels here.
Photo Credit: Darren Schulte/NATSO
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