Editor's note: Darren Schulte, NATSO vice president of membership, frequently visits NATSO members to review their locations and offers impactful merchandising and operations improvements. Contact Schulte at dschulte@natso.com or (915) 526-5820 to learn more about the costs and details of this service.
When you walk through the front door of the Coffee Cup Fuel Stop location in Vermillion, South Dakota, what strikes you is the customer service. As soon as you enter, you can feel how they have taken ordinary and made it extraordinary.
You are greeted with a smile and hello not only when you walk in, but also as you continue to move through the store. Everyone is friendly and the travel center itself is bright and happy. If you’re in a bad mood or having a hard day, that would all change when you visit because of the friendliness you encounter.
Ericka Schapekahm, director of human resources and special projects at the company, works hard to invest in employees and dedicates about 10 hours a week to finding and training leaders. She also has invested in hiring millennials and her commitment to finding and retaining talent is obvious.
The location itself also adds to the customer experience. When you enter, you see the Caribou Coffee on the right and the diesel, gas and retail counter is on the left. Everything is fun and bright. It is incredibly clean from the pumps outside to the inside.
Everything is very crisp and focused, and everyone is focused on making the customer experience positive and enjoyable. They are doing the small things really, really well, and it really comes out in their employees and their location.
Be sure to check out:
- Investing in Employees at Coffee Cup Fuel Stop
- How And Why Coffee Cup Fuel Stops Is Investing In Millennials At Their Truckstops
/// Did you know most weeks you can find me visiting a NATSO member truckstop location, spending three to four days, using my merchandising and operations expertise to help them grow their business? I periodically share about those great retailers I visit here on the blog. Read more Truckstop Travels here.
Photo Credit: Darren Schulte/NATSO
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