The 黑料社区Foundation is the research, education, and public outreach subsidiary of NATSO, Inc. The foundation is completely autonomous and relies solely on donations. The foundation鈥檚 work includes tools for truck stops and travel centers to future-proof their business, educational programs, safety initiatives, and scholarships through the Bill and Carolyn Moon Scholarship.
Austin Burns, president and CEO of Paragon Solutions, highlighted six key areas operators can focus on to improve customers鈥� experience during 黑料社区Connect.
鈥淲e focus on the customer journey and experience because it is so pivotal right now,鈥� said Burns. 鈥淯nderstand your strategy and who you are as a brand. Pick what you do well.鈥�
Professional drivers fueling up are just steps away from the store, making the pump a powerful tool to introduce new convenience offerings, boost foot traffic and improve the driver experience.
鈥淪haring useful information within the first few minutes of a pump transaction is key,鈥� said Raghav Shankar, product manager, media and technology for Dover Fueling Solutions. 鈥淲ith the average fueling time at a truck stop around 10 to 12 minutes, this provides a good amount of time to display the targeted information at the pump that helps the driver find what they need.鈥�
The demographics of professional truck drivers are evolving, which is altering the needs and preferences of drivers on the road. Adapting to these changes not only helps operators better serve their customers but also ensures long-term success.
鈥淲e know we are seeing more younger drivers, women and minorities, but it is important for operators to really get to know the specific demographics they are serving, including if they are long-haul, short-haul or day drivers,鈥� said Darren Schulte, NATSO鈥檚 Interim CEO. 鈥淚t is also important to understand if they are company drivers or owner operators because that will influence their purchases and top priorities.鈥�
Equipment manufacturers and fleets are deploying and testing autonomous Class 8 technology, moving the trucking industry closer to high-volume production and deployment of fully autonomous driverless solutions.
The upcoming holiday season brings additional opportunities to boost sales, and travel centers can bring a little magic to the mix by surprising customers with unexpected products.
鈥淲e can offer unique, fun things, and we have the opportunity to do something very, very different,鈥� said Darren Schulte, NATSO鈥檚 vice president of membership. 鈥淚 think there is an opportunity to get away from the old, tired retail stuff we often try to sell for Christmas.鈥�
The 黑料社区Foundation is excited to announce a unique hybrid educational and networking event during聽黑料社区Connect.聽The event, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Feb. 28, has been designed to foster meaningful connections between vendors and truck stop and travel center professionals, helping them address key challenges that keep them up at night.
Retail theft and pilferage can be serious issues for businesses, but maintaining a balance between loss prevention and the customer experience is essential for businesses, especially at travel centers where speed is a priority.
鈥淲e know our customers are time starved,鈥� said Darren Schulte, NATSO鈥檚 vice president of membership. 鈥淚n my opinion, we have swung so far to one side of loss prevention that it is negatively affecting our sales and impacting our customer experience.鈥�
鈥淲e don鈥檛 seem to be doing anything about it other than locking up merchandise,鈥� he said, adding that locks create friction for customers, which discourages sales and creates frustration.
So, if locking up merchandise isn鈥檛 the answer, what can operators do instead?
A well-organized, well-lit parking lot layout can significantly reduce the risk of incidents, improve overall safety and make drivers feel at ease. There are several ways to improve safety in the parking lot. Here are 10 tips to cultivate a culture of safety. 聽
People across the country are looking forward to the upcoming Labor Day holiday, including cargo thieves. 鈥淭he data paints a clear picture: theft incidents peak on the Friday preceding Labor Day,鈥� CargoNet wrote in a release. Warehouses, truck stops and large retail parking lots were found to be the most common sites for thefts.
There are several ways operators can help improve safety for their employees and customers and help reduce the risk of cargo theft at their locations.聽
Fuel prices are subject to a complex interplay of global, national and local factors that all contribute to the fluctuations in fuel prices. The 黑料社区Foundation pulled together a macro-level look at the factors influencing fuel costs.
Understanding the various types of fuels available is crucial for providing customers with the right choices and maintaining compliance with environmental regulations. The most common types of fuel include regular octane gasoline, premium gasoline, reformulated gasoline, Low Reid Vapor Pressure gasoline, E85, diesel, premium diesel, winter diesel, biodiesel and renewable diesel.