How has your year as chairman gone?
I originally became engaged with NACS because of TruAge, the digital age-verification system that’s designed to make the purchase of age-restricted products safer, smarter, and faster. I’m an engineer by training and technology has always been a passion. TruAge is just one part of a much more complex digital ecosystem that includes digital coupons and a host of other applications. We’ve made significant progress on the system this year.
It’s important to note that chairmen don’t specifically roll out platforms and initiatives specific to their year. The digital initiative was put together by NACS staff and backed by the Executive Committee long before my tenure. I just thought it was the most exciting thing and the one I was best positioned to help out on, since we’ve done similar efforts in the Philippines.
What did you learn as NACS chairman that you will take back to your own chain?
The United States and the Philippines—for that matter, the rest of Asia—are as vastly different as can be. Our stores are much smaller and don’t have fuels, we do all our own distribution, and have no shortage of labor. So, there’s not that much that I can take back operations-wise that applies directly, unfortunately. Instead, the big learning for me is that the NACS technology vision is state of the art and way beyond what anyone, including us, is doing.
But my biggest learning has been how the industry really comes together to advance common interests, while still competing to serve the customer. The sharing of the pretty granular data that makes up the NACS State of the Industry, for example, doesn’t happen anywhere else that I know of—not even among licensees of the same brand.
If there’s one message you could share with the industry, what would it be?
Our industry has one advantage that no other channel can replicate: We are closer to the customer than anyone else.
We are closer proximity-wise, of course. But what I really mean by proximity is the relationship that we have with customers on a daily basis. We see them more than anyone else. Everyone wants a piece of this, including the tech companies. They don’t have it, and we need to continue to cultivate these relationships that have enormous value. Our industry should benefit from the monetization of these relationships that technology allows. There is no reason to give this right of way away.
How do you feel about the future of convenience retailing?
We exist on two levels. We exist on a micro level, serving customers individually. But on a macro level, we can do even more together. It requires critical mass, and that’s something that NACS can deliver. In the United States, having 10% of the market would be incredible. In the Philippines, a company with 10% of the market doesn’t get much traction.
When I look at both the micro and macro levels, I’m very optimistic. Individually, we touch more people on a daily basis than anyone. We have a chance to change their moods, and as my good friend Don Rhoads said at last year’s NACS Show, people are generally in a bad mood today. We have real power in what we can do for society in making it a better world.