During NATSO Connect, Bobby Berkstresser was presented with The Hall of Fame Award, which recognizes individuals for their notable participation in their communities, industry and the association. As part of the presentation, Tom Heinz, former NATSO Chairman, past Hall of Fame Award winner and president of Coffee Cup Fuel Stops, sat down with Berkstresser to learn more about his experience and success in the travel plaza industry. Berkstresser was happy to share his insights with Heinz and the show’s attendees.
Mindy Long
Mindy Long is a journalist and editor specializing in the logistics, transportation and fueling industries. She has been writing professionally for more than 25 years and launched her freelance business in 2008. Prior to going freelance, she served as editor of Stop Watch, a staff reporter at Transport Topics, and a Washington correspondent for WCAX-TV in Burlington, Vermont. Her work appears in a variety of media outlets.
Catch the Hottest Food Trends During this Guided Walk During NATSO’s Food and Fuel Study Tour
During NATSO’s Food and Fuel Tour 2017, July 18-20 in Chicago, attendees will get an in-depth look at two of the hottest food service locations in city, Revival Food Hall and Eataly, but even more learning opportunities exist during the trip.
Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president of membership, and Ed Burcher, an industry leader principal at Burcher Consulting, will lead members on a self-guided walking tour of some of the most popular quick-service restaurants and grab-and-go spots in Chicago’s Loop area.
Attendees will walk the locations at their leisure and take in the sites at these five innovative locations.
Chicago’s History as a Food-Trend Leader
Chicago has a long history of being on the cutting edge of food trends, and NATSO members can get an in-depth, guided look at some of today’s hottest food locations during the NATSO Food and Fuel Tour in Chicago July 18-20.
Today’s trends might take off like these six classic food offerings that were once little-known but up-and-coming offerings within the Windy City.
Three Ways to Appeal to Customers Shared at The NATSO Show
The overall feel and look of a location as well as the mix of products on the shelves can help boost sales and reinforce the company’s brand. During The NATSO Show 2016, Ed Leddy a retail, food service and truckstop expert, took part in Snap Learning sessions on the show floor and shared quick tips on ways operators can appeal to customers.
Another Round of Great Ideas from The NATSO Show
Great ideas make things better, and operators attending the Great Ideas! for Independent Operators Workshop at The NATSO Show 2016 walked away from the annual session with dozens of ideas they could take back to their locations. A great idea can stand on its own, or you can add to it and find ways to make it your own.
Operators have already shared their top ideas here and here, and here are 10 more.
Three Ways to Spur Food Sales Shared at The NATSO Show
Food sales are becoming a bigger part of operators’ sales, particularly as other categories, such as tobacco, are dropping. When it comes to grab-and-go foods, today’s customers are looking for speed as well as service, and there are a number of ways truckstop and travel plaza operators provide both to customers. During The NATSO Show 2016, Ed Leddy a retail, food service and truckstop expert, took part in Snap Learning sessions on the show floor and shared his thoughts on ways operators can provide even more convenience to customers.
A Dozen Fast Facts About the Home of The NATSO Show 2017
When they aren’t walking the show floor or networking with fellow operators, attendees at The NATSO Show may want to take some time to explore Savannah, which is one of the largest National Historic Landmark Districts in the country. The city was founded in 1733 by General James Edward Oglethorpe, and it has been the site of significant historical events, movie sets and more.
Here are 12 fast facts about Savannah.
Ten More Great Ideas from The NATSO Show
Operators who attended the Great Ideas Session at The NATSO Show 2016 know the workshop was a flurry of activity. Independent truckstop and travel plaza operators joined together to inspire each other with their latest ideas. Dozens of ideas were flowing back and forth.
We have already shared 10 great ideas that came out of the conference. Now here are 10 more.
Six Ways to Engage Millennials Shared at The NATSO Show
Millennials are a crucial part of the workforce, making up about 38 percent, and the key to attracting and retaining this generation depends heavily on employee engagement.
“If you can engage them, they are more likely to stay with your organization and be committed to your organization,” said Nate Dvorak, a consultant at Gallup. “Their openness to new job opportunities reduces by 30 percent if they’re fully engaged workers.”
Encouraging employee engagement benefits the entire organization. “As you increase the level of engagement in a specific work team, their productivity increases as well,” Dvorak said, adding that engaged employees have 37 percent lower absenteeism, 25 percent lower turnover, 60 percent fewer quality defects, 12 percent higher customer metrics, 18 percent higher productivity and 16 percent higher profitability over the lowest engaged employees.
Dvorak has found several key ways employers can engage millennials in the workforce. He shared his thoughts based on feedback from 25 million employees over the past five years during The NATSO Show 2016.
Ten Great Ideas for Truckstop Operators from The NATSO Show
Great ideas were flying through the room during the Great Ideas Session at The NATSO Show 2016. The session is an annual opportunity for independent truckstop and travel plaza operators to come together to share what is working for them as well as tips and tricks that are improving operations at their locations.
This year’s session was led by operators who shared details on specific topics, such as developing a theme and adding a pharmacy. Operators also broke out into round-table discussions to jot down ideas they then shared with the room. Dozens of ideas came from the table discussions.
Here are 10 great ideas that operators shared during the conference.
Three Ways to Network with Your Truckstop Customer to Build Relationships and Better Understand Their Needs
A loyal customer base is built on relationships, and every successful relationship takes work. During The NATSO Show, networking expert Thom Singer shared his insights and shared three ways truckstop and travel plaza operators can connect with their customers to build a stronger, more loyal customer base.
Hire Friendly Employees: Finding friendly employees is one of the most important things for operators, Singer said. “You can teach people how to stock your shelves or how to clean, but you can’t teach friendly,” he said, adding that owners need to think about ways to make customers feel welcome…