Fifteen years ago, the Sthanki family bought land in the small town of Duson, La., and developed Roady’s Lucky Deuces Casino LLC, an independent truckstop. With 6,500 square feet, the location boasts a café, convenience store, small casino, fuel islands, truck repair shop and RV Park.
Three years ago, Manish Sthanki took over as the chief operator and owner of the location. While Sthanki is new to the truckstop business, in the three short years he has run the location, he has mastered many of the essential business practices for a successful truckstop.
A focus on customer service
Sthanki brought a wealth of customer service experience to Roady’s Lucky Deuces Casino LLC. He has a hotel background that includes the Best Western he currently owns in New Orleans. He frequently uses his hotel background as owner of the truckstop. Talk with Sthanki for just a few minutes and it will be very clear that he puts a major focus on excelling in this area.
In addition to making sure “every customer is greeted with a smile,” Sthanki also advises operators to talk to the customer. “Make sure you know what your customer wants. With that knowledge, you can push the envelope in the right direction and produce new value that your customers really want,” he said.
The right hardware
In 2011, Roady’s Lucky Deuces Casino LLC upgraded their point-of-sale device (POS) to a Fis-Cal system. This big upgrade allows the location to scan all inventory on the way in and on the way out so they know the margins precisely and can adjust the price.
Like many major technology projects, the installation took dedicated time to get set up correctly, but today it is a big asset. Sthanki and his management team look at the data from the system daily. A fully functioning integrated POS has saved them a lot on shrinkage.
The right employees
Roady’s Lucky Deuces Casino LLC has 25 employees, including a husband-and-wife management team. Sthanki believes in the advice offered by Ann Rhoades, JetBlue founding executive, at The NATSO Show 2012, “Marry what the employees wants with what your business needs.” He believes that employees who make a difference in your bottom line are those who truly like what they do. His approach to hiring must be working, as he has had the same cashier for more than two years. “I really have some great employees,” he said.
He doesn’t have to look far for potential staff members. Roady’s Lucky Deuces Casino LLC is able to recruit staff from their RV park. “Some of our best employees come from the RV park,” Sthanki said.
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This article originally ran in Stop Watch. Stop Watch provides in-depth content to assist NATSO members in improving their business operations and provides context on trends and news affecting the industry. The magazine is mailed to NATSO members bimonthly. Are you a NATSO member and not receiving Stop Watch? Submit a request to be added to the mailing list. Not a member? Join today or submit a request to receive additional information. |
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