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C O M
THE
ISSUE
S E PTE M B E R / O CTO B E R 2 01 5
Operators Turn
to Technology to
Improve Operations
and Increase the
Bottom Line
Top Apps for
Truck Drivers
The Connected
Truckstop: Growing
Sales with an
Online Presence
CHAIRMANS LETTER
AS
TOM HEINZ
CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
While some technology, such as selfdriving cars, may not gain traction until
well in the future, there are several new
technologies we can adopt today. Technology will most likely affect how we staff
our locations, not only in how we fill our
front-facing positions but also in who we
hire to deploy the latest systems.
We will need managers who understand
what todays technology is capable of and
how we can use it to remain competitive while providing increased customer
value. We will also need employees who
can think strategically and find the greater
value technology provides, such as freeing
up our team players to take on other roles.
A kiosk may replace the counter worker
who took a sandwich order, but now that
employee might head outside to deliver
orders right to the cab of a truck.
Were told that the typical user of information technology today uses 5 to 10
percent of the capability made available
by todays hardware and software, not
surprising given most of us use less than
10 percent of our brain cognitive functions according to Doug Elliott Founder,
D. Elliott & Associates.
Technology doesnt work on its own.
Its simply another tool for our toolkit.
We are the ones who need to embrace
and fully utilize new technology. That
wont happen overnight, but when it
does, we can expect productivity and,
ultimately, customer service to soar.
Thinking creatively, Im certain we can
use technology to enhance our customer
interaction.
Best regards,
Tom Heinz
Coffee Cup Fuel Stops &
Convenience Stores, Inc.
NATSO 2015 Chairman
www.natso.com
WWW.NATSO.COM
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2015
THE MEMBER MAGAZINE OF NATSO, REPRESENTING THE TRUCKSTOP AND TRAVEL PLAZA INDUSTRY
C OVE R STO RY
08 Operators Turn
to Technology to
Improve Operations
and Increase the
Bottom Line
FEATU R E S
14
18
THE CONNECTED
TRUCKSTOP:
GROWING SALES WITH
AN ONLINE PRESENCE
Chairman
Tom Heinz
Editor
Amy Toner
Associate Editor
Mindy Long
20
22
ANTI-THEFT
TECHNOLOGY CUTS
LOSSES AT THE PUMP
D E PARTM E NTS
03
16
06
24
Chairman's Letter
EMBRACE AND FULLY
UTILIZE NEW TECHNOLOGY
Great Ideas!
CALCULATING THE RETURN
ON INVESTMENT IN
TECHNOLOGY PROJECTS
Foundation Update
TEN TIPS FOR LOCATING
HOURLY WORKERS
iPAD POINT-OF-SALE
INNOVATIONS
25
Member Profile
SPACE AGE TECHNOLOGY
DARRENS GREAT
Darren Schulte, NATSOs vice president of membership and a retail expert, writes a biweekly retail column on NATSOs
blog. We feature the best here in Stop Watch magazine. Join Schulte on NATSOs website at www.natso.com/great-ideas
to read his digestible retail tips every other Thursday.
When I am out in the field visiting members, they frequently ask me about
technology. Operators are often wondering if they should upgrade their
pumps or their point-of-sale system, invest in a mobile app, update their web
site or purchase digital devices, such
as a menu board.
As with any major purchase, business
owners also want to know what the
return on their investment will be, but
that isnt always easy with technology
investments.
To start, it is helpful for operators to
gather information about the benefits
of the technology they are considering,
such as increased speed of service for
their customers or their employees,
which can result in decreased costs
and an improved experience.
From there, operators can begin putting a pencil to paper. Lets say you
find new point-of-sale technology that
can save employees time counting
a till, and it saves you one hour and
September/October 2015
What will employees and customers have to re-learn with the new
technology?
at dschulte@natso.com or (703) 739-8562 and hell answer your question in the next
Darrens Great Ideas! for Independent Operators.
like with the added ability to show the features and benefits of the products displayed within the case. With a tablet, the product comes alive; it speaks to the consumers
visual purchasing mechanism.
So, if you are considering a new POS or an upgrade to your
current system, it may be time to research the capability of a
tablet and what it can bring to the profitability circle.
Long term
tenants in place.
Tools to Bring
the Inside Out
Signs that
Save Time
Tools to Bring
Customers Inside
8
September/October 2015
Tools to Gather
Customer Feedback
Grab-and-Go
Technologies
A Backup
System
Interactive
Displays
OPERATORS TURN TO
TECHNOLOGY
The Right
Lights
www.natso.com
TOOLS TO GATHER
CUSTOMER FEEDBACK
Coffee Cup Fuel Stops has installed
customer satisfaction kiosks at three of
its stores. Were using Opinion Meter as the survey source and Samsung
Galaxy 10-inch tablets as the hardware, said Chris Heinz, director of
finance & operations, at Coffee Cup
Fuel Stops. Heinz explained that he
chose the Android because they dont
have a lot of updates.
The number of responses varies
by location, which Heinz attributes
to the placement of the devices. At
our stores with the new design where
the mens and womens restrooms are
nearest each other, were getting 300
FOUR MONEYSAVING
RESTAURANT
TECHNOLOGIES
10
September/October 2015
GRAB-AND-GO TECHNOLOGIES
Schulte said it is well known that
professional drivers are starved for
ENERGY-EFFICIENT EQUIPMENT.
Equipment that has the Energy Star
stamp of approval can save operators
thousands of dollars a year in energy costs.
A typical restaurant can save up to $15,000
annually by utilizing Energy Star appliances.
ENERGY-EFFICIENT LIGHTING.
Switching to more efficient lighting can
result in lower electrical costs. Operators can
also install occupancy sensors that will turn
off lights when no one is in the space. It can
be particularly useful in walk-in coolers and
storage areas.
David Caudill
www.natso.com
11
September/October 2015
prefers technology that can scan anything with a barcode and accept payment, whether it is cash or a credit
card. The idea is to take people out
of the line that just have two or three
items, he said.
TOOLS TO BRING
CUSTOMERS INSIDE
A large percentage of customers at
truckstops and travel plazas simply
stop to fuel, but new technology may
help locations draw customers indoors.
Technology that holds promise in
this space are beaconsa piece of
INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS
White said the next generation
of apps will utilize beacons to allow
smartphones to be fully interactive
with a display. That technology
will be deployed and tested at Best
Buys, Targets and high-end retailers, he said, adding that he doesnt
think travel centers need to invest in
an app at this point but can tap into
technology their suppliers offer.
For example, Schulte said, Subway has an app that allows customers to pre-order. The location can
create the sandwich so it is ready
when the customer arrives, he said.
Suppliers can also use technology
to create in-store displays for operators. DAS Companies Inc. has partnered with Loves Travel Stops to
create their Mobile 2 Go zone, a
sensory-charged, full-scale mobile
electronics department that allows
customers to see, hear, touch and
try on technology.
At Pilot Flying J, DAS Companies
Inc. devised a center store mobile
A BACKUP SYSTEM
Keith Wade of Dodge City Petro
learned the hard way that losing internet service can be costly. When
AT&T accidentally cut a line near the
travel plaza, Dodge City Petro lost internet service for two days straight. As
you can imagine with todays technology, we were dead in the water. Most
of our systems would not function,
Wade said, adding that the company
couldnt process fuel cards or credit
cards, which resulted in thousands of
dollars in losses.
Now the location pays for two
internet providers and runs them
simultaneously to have back up in
place. It costs more, but we would
have paid for it five times if I had already figured that out, Wade said.
It was easy to find a second provider and it took about two hours
for the company to come in and install the system.
We made a simple change that
many have probably already figured
out, but I bet there are some still
out there running one internet provider, Wade said.
videos at https://www.youtube.com/user/NATSOInc
and send your technology question to
membership@natso.com or tweet it to @NATSO_Inc
with the hashtag #asktaryn.
www.natso.com
13
AN ALL-IN-ONE APP
Overdrives Trucker Tools app
(http://truckertools.com/) offers 19
different tools within one app, including a truckstop locator that highlights
all of the amenities a truckstop offers,
a truck wash locator, a scale locator,
routing capabilities, weather and fuel
prices that are based on actual transactions rather than driver input. The
app also allows drivers to look for
medical examiners, which the app
pulls from the FMCSAs medical examiner database. More than 320,000
drivers use the app, and truckstop op14
September/October 2015
GPS APPS
GPS apps are useful for passenger and
professional drivers alike. For Class 8
drivers, the right apps can help them
calculate routes based on vehicle dimensions and load contents, which
can help drivers avoid fines, wasted
time and out-of-route miles, but it
is important for drivers to find applications that are designed specifically for the heavy-duty trucking sector. SmartTruckRoute (http://www.
smarttruckroute.com) and CoPilot
(http://copilotgps.com/us/) are designed for truckers. The viaMichelin
app (www.viamichelin.com) helps
passenger drivers find their way.
roadbreakers.com) consolidates information on the locations of truckstops, rest areas and truck-friendly
businesses. The TravelCenters of
America/Petro Stopping Centers app
TruckSmart
(http://www.ta-petro.
com/trucksmart) features a plan-topark function that shares space availability with drivers. The MyDAT
Trucker Services app (www.dat.com/
products/trucker-apps) serves as an
amenities directory and displays nearby truckstops, rest stops, truck-friendly
hotels, Walmarts, CAT Scale locations
and weigh stations. The Trucker Path
app (https://truckerpath.com/) has
about 100,000 active users and helps
drivers find truckstops and weigh stations. Thermo King (http://www.
na.thermoking.com) recently released
its app that guides drivers to overnight,
paid parking in 2,250 stalls at Thermo
King dealers, whether or not the driver
is a Thermo King user.
TRUCK DRIVERS
SCALE APPS
With the Weigh My Truck app
(https://weighmytruck.com) from
CAT Scale Co., drivers can visit
a scale, weigh and receive their
information via the app without ever
having to open their door or roll down
their window. They can also use the
Scale Locator app (http://catscale.
com/cat-scale-locator/cat-scalelocator-apps) to find the nearest scale.
15
FOUNDATION UPDATE
Use social media. If youve already cultivated an online presence (see related story on page 18),
you can spread the word through your
social media channels.
NATSOs electronic Truckstop and Travel Plaza Training Manual provides detailed
job descriptions for key positions of manager, cashier and merchandiser. Learn
more and purchase a copy of the Truckstop and Travel Plaza Training Manual at
www.natso.com/trainingmanual.
16
September/October 2015
FOUNDATION UPDATE
Maintain a reputation as a
good place to work. Keeping facilities nice, being involved
in the community and treating employees fairly will all affect the
number of job applicants a location receives.
10
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www.natso.com
17
TECHNOLOGY
ISSUE
BY MINDY LONG
September/October 2015
FAST FACTS
64%
90%
67%
of smartphone owners
use their phone at least
occasionally for turn-by-turn navigation
while driving, getting directions or
finding an address
31%
of smartphone owners
said they use their phone
frequently for turn-by-turn navigation
while driving, getting directions or
finding an address
25%
www.natso.com
19
WWW.NATSOSHOW.ORG
The source of information
on The NATSO Show
2.5DAYS
80
The percentage of NATSO Show
attendees who would recommend
The NATSO Show to a colleague
DECEMBER
4, 2015
Deadline to register
at the early-bird
rate to receive the
discounted rate
JANUARY
29, 2016
Deadline to reserve a
hotel room at Disneys
Yacht & Beach
Club Resorts at the
discounted rate
WHO SHOULD ATTEND? Travel plaza and truckstop owners, operators, managers, buyers and staff
who want to increase their industry knowledge, gain business intelligence and see new products
20
September/October 2015
5
4
Keynote speakers
providing innovative
business ideas
Breakout sessions
designed to help
operators KNOW their
business inside and out
from Know Your Data to
Know Your Employees
15 MINUTES
Time it takes to walk to Epcot from Disneys
Beach and Yacht Club Resorts
20 MINUTES
TWO HEADS ARE
BETTER THAN ONE
150 MINUTES
Time dedicated to peer-to-peer sharing
in the Great Ideas! for Independent
Operators Workshop
www.natso.com
21
TECHNOLOGY
ISSUE
ANTI-THEFT
TECHNOLOGY
CUTS LOSSES
AT THE PUMP
BY MINDY LONG
22
September/October 2015
RELYING ON EMPLOYEES
In addition to technology, operators
should emphasize employee awareness, Schulte said. He recommends
every shift leader take a quick walk
around the location, including the
outside, when coming on duty.
Walk the pumps and see if theyve
been tampered with. Make that a part
of your process, Schulte said. Look
www.natso.com
23
NEW MEMBERS
HAVE A GREAT IDEA YOU WANT TO SUBMIT? Send a high-resolution picture of your locations
great idea and the story behind it to Amy Toner at atoner@natso.com.
24
September/October 2015
TEAM RESEARCH
1911 Harlot Dr.
San Jose, CA 95131
PHONE: (408) 881-2680
CONTACT: Michael Hsieh
EMAIL: michaelh@teamresearchinc.com
WEBSITE: www.teamresearchinc.com
TS TRADING SYSTEMS
17985 SW 64th Place
Dunnellon, FL 34432
PHONE: (570) 419-1611
CONTACT: Kristi Clapper
EMAIL: kristi828@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.tstradingsystems.com
BY AMY TONER
PHOTOS BY STEVEN R. HANING
ocated off of Interstate 84 in Hermiston, Oregon, Space Age Travel Center went
through a total remodel and rebrand this year.
We opened in 2000 and we were getting a little outdated. We wanted to refresh
the branding and open up the floor, said Don Nelson, general manager.
Other goals included adding more space for fresh food, focusing on coffee branding,
creating a new store brand, deemphasizing cigarette and tobacco signage and fixtures
and providing upgraded driver amenities. They also wanted to completely redo their
bathrooms so they were family friendly and big and open.
The company hired KRS out of Eugene, Oregon, for the remodel. The process began with a detailed survey with questions about their company, strategies and goals.
KRS then sent back a few designs that fit within their budget and mood boards.
The remodel took a little over three months. We stayed open the whole time. There were
a lot of inconveniences, but we made it work. We pushed hard to do it quickly, said Nelson.
www.natso.com
25
September/October 2015
COFFEE PLANET
The truckstops coffee and fountain
beverage area was given a complete
overhaul. Our fountain and coffee
bar was congested with equipment
and offered no identity or brand
quality, Nelson said. To fix this, they
branded the coffee area with the ap-
It has been less two years since Stop Watch interviewed Space Age Travel Center, but with
their recent remodel we had to interview them again. Be sure to read the original article at
www.natso.com/spaceagememberprofile.
www.natso.com
27
*As demonstrated in 2009 on-the -road medium duty truck field testing for 10W-30 viscosity grade only, highway cycles, compared to Shell
Rotella T Triple Protection 15W-40. ** Trucks covering 100,000 miles per year.