NACS Summit to Focus on Industry Data
ALEXANDRIA, Va. -- A comprehensive assessment of the industry - including an in-depth analysis of sales, the political landscape, and societal issues - will be the focus of the new NACS State of the Industry Summit, May 13-14, 2002, at the Monarch Hotel in Washington, D.C. The Summit will be the first time anywhere that industry data and analysis from the 2002 NACS/CSNews Industry Databank from NACS and Convenience Store News will be released.
Unlike other industry events, the NACS Summit will also include a high-level analysis of the political issues facing the industry and the outlook and potential ramifications of the 2002 congressional elections.
The NACS Summit will include new findings and analysis of how hypermarkets are affecting the convenience store industry. It will also feature expert analysis of new research results on customer service, security, and key growth categories, including foodservice.
Immediately following the NACS Summit, two seminars will offer unique views on the industry for key communities. NACS is offering a session on strategic marketing to help retailers analyze the trends impacting key categories and develop a response that furthers their goals in growth and profitability. In addition, a seminar on corporate finance and mergers will be presented by Coronado Advisors LLC and Morgan Keegan & Co. Inc. Both of these programs have been placed adjacent to the NACS Summit to make it convenient for members to optimize their trip to Washington.
"The NACS State of the Industry Summit -- featuring the NACS/CSNews Industry Databank from the National Association of Convenience Stores and Convenience Store News -- will give new insight about how the economic downturn, increased competition from other channels, and events following Sept. 11 shaped sales, profits, and operations in 2001.
Moreover, it will be the first place that these figures are released, giving attendees a head start on developing strategies and opportunities to succeed," said Teri Richman, NACS' senior vice president of alliances and initiatives.
"Examining the industry is much more than just understanding our numbers," added Richman. "That's why we will have a high-profile political speaker give an insider's view of the political climate our industry faces, as well as the ramifications to our industry of the critical election-year Congressional races. The Summit will also debut important new findings on societal issues that impact our industry, such as channel-specific customer data and new research on shrink and security," Richman said.
The one-and-a-half day NACS SOI Summit will feature:
* The announcement of the new NACS/CSNews Industry Databank, with in-depth analysis of the numbers in key categories.
* "Shrink, Safety, and Security:" The debut of NACS' new security census and what it means to retailers.
* The release of a benchmark study on customer satisfaction: the 11 key drivers of customer satisfaction in the convenience store industry.
* Branded QSR vs. proprietary foodservice: A new NACS study examines the variables and considerations to determine which format best fits your store's operations.
* Top 55 Metrics: Findings from the most critical 55 data points to help retailers achieve a "balanced scorecard."
* A discussion of additional strategies to attract and retain customers while facing competition from hypermarkets, based on findings from NACS' new report, "Convenience Industry vs. Hypermarkets: Strategies for Competition."
* Growth in new categories: Analysis of what's driving growth in "hot" product categories.
The Summit is open to all NACS retailer members, NACS Supplier Hunter Club members, other invited members of the supplier community, and invited editorial members of the industry trade press.
Details on specific speakers and discussion topics will be announced in late February. For more information on the program, contact Teri Richman at (703) 684-3600.