Staying operational and profitable as a business owner during a world-wide pandemic is no easy feat. The “New Normal” has created a shift in consumer purchasing decisions, leading to alternative ways of doing business across all channels and industries.

Fortunately, technology is jumping in to take on a lot of the heavy lifting. Unfortunately, Convenience Store Owners who are dealing with legacy infrastructures in their computerized tracking and purchasing systems are finding it difficult and expensive to keep up with the pace of changing technologies.

However, there are still ways for Convenience store owners to expand their business operations without needing to do an expensive computer system overhaul:

– Loyalty: By creating a loyalty program, you can capture customer email addresses to be able to keep in touch with them regularly. There are several email providers that can help you manage your database of names and email addresses.

– Curbside Pickup: Consumers may want to socially distance themselves from others, thus may not be comfortable coming into your store. However, they still want the convenience that you offer. If you can’t afford to create an app that handles incoming orders automatically, you can still take orders over the phone, process the payment while on the call, then deliver the goods when the time comes.

– Delivery: Providing home delivery of your products is not something most convenience stores did before the pandemic. However, if you can keep your website updated with all of the products you carry, you can charge a premium for the convenience of having items delivered locally. You’ll also be able to keep a delivery driver and a product “picker” employed, which is good for the economy.

– POP Commerce: Consumers who enjoy the “in-store experience” still want to be able to get in and out quickly. It’s important to be able to process payments swiftly, especially for those who like the “tap and go” technology offered by virtual wallets. If there is one piece of technology you need to update without doing a full system makeover, your debit/credit card reader at the checkout counter should be your number one fix.

Atlantic Dominion Distributors is a food distribution company that wants to make it easy for all convenience store owners to get the products they need to keep their consumers happy. In addition to offering the largest selection of brand-name products, we also provide a next-day delivery service. All you need to do is give us a call and we’ll keep you fully stocked and ready to go when your customers call on you, virtually or in person.

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