Marketing

In the July/August issue of Stop Watch, we told you about the awesome service Sacramento 49er Travel Plaza in Sacramento provided earlier this year to about 2,000 soldiers that were en route to an Army base in Washington State.

The location did it again over the summer, with 600 members of the military stopping in over a three-day period while they were on their way to training.

Throughout the month of August S&D Coffee & Tea shared research on iced coffee.

One of the most important keys to success for companies today is being easy to do business with. That ease equates into higher ticket sales and repeat customers. The best way to be easy to do business with is to provide top-notch customer service.

Cooler space is a valuable commodity in truckstops and travel plazas. The number of products that can fill the cooler are increasing. Today we’re seeing a wider variety of sodas, juices and energy drinks and a growing grab-and-go food segment.

Part two of Creating A Merchandising Strategy When Designing Or Redesigning A Truckstop is just that—the layout and design. There are fundamental principles that apply to all retail locations, and it is important that these principles are discussed during your store layout and design process. Not heeding them can lead to future problems that can be very costly to correct.

According to this article from the Institute of Food Technologists, “Microwavable foods are changing, thanks to consumers’ increasing time pressure, nutritional awareness, and desire for foods that taste and smell like they were cooked in a conventional oven.” (Be sure to check out the article. While old, it still has a lot of relevant points.)

This is especially true for the time-pressed travelers who visit your truckstop. For them, the microwave section of your truckstop can be a destination location. Not only will customers heat food within the location, over-the-road drivers may grab something they can prepare in their truck later.

The number of products that can be microwaved continue to increase. We are also seeing microwavable products of better quality. Some examples of popular food items include popcorn by Orville Redenbacher, Campbell’s soup and pastas by Barilla. We’re also seeing new products, such as single-serve Rice-a-Roni cups and mashed potatoes by Idahoan.

As quoted in the article linked above, “Microwave cooking is not simply a shorter way to heat things, but rather it is an integral part of the way people live. This is a very positive environment for microwavable food.”

In today’s economy, gift programs in many locations do not sell like they used to. Travelers and over-the-road drivers have significantly less disposable dollars, which means they’re more selective about the items they buy.

While they may be purchasing less, gift items are still an important category for truckstop and travel plaza operators, so it is important to utilize the space and inventory you dedicate to gift items.

Pump toppers can be one of the best ways to drive business into your operation, create a message to shop and boost retail sales from the fueling islands.