Young executives gather in Salt Lake City to learn about Maverik and network with peers facing similar challenges.
By Erin Rigik Del Conte, Senior Editor
The National Advisory Group’s (NAG) fourth annual Young Executive Organization (YEO) Roundtable hosted by Maverik Convenience Stores welcomed more than 40 executives ages 40 and under to Salt Lake City on Wednesday, May 24.
During the two-day event, attendees have the opportunity to learn first hand about Maverik’s operations. Maverik operates more than 275 c-stores across 10 Western states. Maverik was CSD’s Convenience Store Chain of the Year in 2013.
Before the roundtable began, YEO members had the option to participate in a local Habitat for Humanity team building project to assist in building a home for a local family in need on Tuesday, May 23.
“Maverik has a world-class culture and branding strategy you’re really going to enjoy,” said NAG Executive Director and Editor-in Chief of Convenience Store Decisions John Lofstock as he welcomed attendees on Wednesday.
Customer Retention
Aaron Simpson, vice president of merchandising for Maverik kicked off a day of educational sessions with a presentation on customer acquisition and retention at Maverik. Simpson gave attendees an inside look at Maverik’s corporate culture and unique branding, as well as tips retailers can bring home to their own chains.
“One of the most important things is defining your target customer,” said Simpson, who noted that some target customers are easier to influence than others. The second step is deciding what makes your chain special for that target customer.
Maverik’s Core belief is that adventure elevates life. Every idea must go through an “adventure lens.”
Maverik wants its brand to be a little edgy and fun. “We ask ourselves if an idea has an attitude, i.e. bucks conventional attitudes and is edgy, irreverent,” Simpson said. Then Maverik asks, “Is it adventurous? Is it exciting? Is it outdoorsy?”
“Our brand lives where adrenaline, intensity and death meet the mountains,” he said.
Social Media & Loyalty
Simpson also explained the company’s social media initiatives.
“It’s really important to have an objection. We felt social media was a powerful way to do one on one marketing, and it’s really inexpensive.”
Maverik began in 2014 with about 11,000 fans on Facebook and set a goal the following year to grow to 100,000 fans, which it achieved through a range of promotions. Today, the chain is also branching out on Instagram.
“Build a calendar for social posts and what you want to talk about,” he advised.
Maverik offers guests an “Adventure Club loyalty” card. It rolled out the new card about four years ago and required customers to register to get a two-cent discount on every gallon of gas. Maverik also offers a Nitro Card, which it launched when gas was $4 a gallon. The Nitro Card is an ACH card, and passes on the savings to the customer that come from a lack of interchange fees. Customers with a Nitro Card get six cents off per gallon. Points can be used to ‘buy stuff’ like Maverik gift cards. While Maverik used to offer a range of “stuff” to buy with points, customers seem to prefer Maverik gift cards, so the chain is simplifying. Customers can also ‘win stuff’ like a truck, boat or motorcycle.
Loyalty is helping Maverik better target customers. The goal is to be able to target customers in a specific way in the future; for example reaching out to those who bought coffee the previous winter and offering them a coffee discount. “Having that ability to market one on one is really important.”
Simpson noted Maverik is guided by four guiding principles:
Clean and clear
Safe and welcome
Simple and easy
Maverik Experience
Building Your Brand
Everyone—a company as well as a person—has a brand whether they want to or not, said Simpson, who explained that brands alter the reality of how we perceive products, etc. He outlined seven steps of intentional branding:
- Discover your brand —What makes your business unique? What do you want to be known for that you can deliver on a high level?
- Define your target audience — Get specific. Good examples: Mothers with Children. Dog lovers. Bad: People who drive cars. Women.
- Identify your core belief —What core belief drives you? A brand isn’t something you put on; it’s something you are.
- Outline your vision —Think about something almost unobtainable. What do you envision your company to become if all your dreams came true? This is also important to internal culture because it will attract people who also share that vision.
- Describe your brand — Establish adjectives to describe your brand.
- Establish Design Elements — Your brand should be recognizable via colors and textures, images and visuals. Choose a typeface that reinforces your brand personality. Use vocabulary, i.e. words or phrases, that strengthen your message.
- Actualize Your Brand —Your logo/sign should capture the essence of your brand. Sum up your brand in a two to four word brand tag line. Run your packaging through brand descriptors using your redefined design elements. Interior/exterior design should also reinforce brand image. Develop your own definitions. Create names for teams and departments that reinforce the brand. Strategize advertising campaigns.
“You’re not going to get there over night. Branding is a long-term deal,” Simpson said. He added, execution gets better and better by consistently focusing on tactics through the lens. Don’t compromise because a certain tile, paint, uniform is on sale. Focus on supporting the brand image.
Foodservice
Attendees received a tour of Maverik’s corporate headquarters, which it calls its Base Camp, including a look at the chain’s test kitchen on the ninth floor.
Rich Green, Maverik’s director of foodservice talked to attendees about what he wished he had known when he got started with foodservice. Here are a few:
- Know Thyself —Some questions to consider: What type of food are you passionate about? What can you effectively execute? What is your competitive advantage?
- Establish a Food Culture —Executive and field alignment around making foodservice a priority is key, as are restaurant-level (as opposed to c-store standard) cleanliness and food safety.
- Why Go it Alone —Consider reaching out to consultants when it comes to food aspects such as store design and kitchen layout efficiency, food safety and more.
- Simple Menu/Simple Program — It can be challenging to refine. Being specialized and simple can help make you a destination.
- Training —Start developing training from the beginning and make it fit your culture. Make training fun and simple.
- Food Safety —Make it a part of your culture. Dedicate the appropriate resources and hire expertise.
- Innovate —Customers get bored, so be sure to feed the R&D machine. Strive for continuous improvement in both products and programs.
Servicing Customers
Danielle Mattiussi, vice president of retail operations (AKA adventures) spoke on Maverik’s approach to customer service, human resources and family-owned leadership.
“Employees represent the brand and that’s an opportunity every day,” Mattiussi said. Maverik has 4,500 employees in its stores, and approaches customer service with the goal for employees to “Earn a legendary reputation for thrilling customers.”
Maverik looks to reward employees in a way that is specific and drives performance.
One example is the K2 Club, where employees compete against his or herself to increase control profit by 10% or more. If they achieve the goal everyone in the store shares in that gain. Eighty-one stores made the K2 club this year. Maverik distributed $250,000 total to store employees a month and a half ago.
“We are creating a culture where we really care about one another’s success and we’re looking at the whole person and helping them improve if they want to,” she said.
After the educational sessions, attendees met for dinner and networking at Squatters Pub Brewery, sponsored by Altria, R.J. Reynolds, Apter Industries and PDI.
The YEO roundtable continues on Thursday with more sessions and guided Maverik store tours.