Pioneer Exchange

Retailer Randy Horne with Assistant Manager Tracey Bilodeau –
the ‘morning show’ duo for Niagara commuters visiting their Fenwick site.
Hot dog and sausage combos are a
popular draw at the Fenwick site.
KING OF CONVERSION
Niagara Retailer and his team make upselling part of the conversation
Upselling is just part of the ongoing daily
banter for long-time Pioneer Retailer Randy
Horne and his customer service team.
Randy’s site in rural Niagara has numerous
facets and offers, including a separate diesel
area for large trucks, a coffee and baked
goods offer as well as a food service offer. This
provides lots of opportunity for execution of
The Fast 5 model.
“If you buy a doughnut, why wouldn’t you
want a coffee? Sandwich? How about a
drink,” Randy explains when asked about the
outstanding 6.01 conversion rate at his Pioneer
Snack Express location.
“I ask customers, ‘Did you know you can get
free merchandise with our Bonus Bucks card?
I’ll pull out the package, and say, ‘Let me get
the glue off the card for you so you can put it in
your wallet.’”
Each time a new Bonus Bucks customer returns
Randy reminds them to get the card registered.
“It’s doesn’t take long, and you can’t win that
free trip to Cuba until you register your card,”
he says with a wink to one of his regulars who
recently agreed to try out the loyalty program.
Assistant Manager Tracey Bilodeau adds: “We
develop a rapport with our regular customers.
If we have a promotion running, we want to tell
them about it. Everyone likes a bargain. We
couldn’t keep our cooler full enough during the
Monster promotion this summer. Customers
really appreciated hearing they could get a
second one for just a buck.”
Located at the crossroads of Highway 20
and Victoria Avenue in Niagara, commuters,
truckers and construction workers stopping
by on their way to work are treated to the
‘morning show’ of Randy and Tracy, whose
humour and light-hearted performances are
reminiscent of a radio show with give and take
between themselves and customers.
Shift workers stopping in overnight know their
preferred brand of cigarettes will be waiting on
the counter for them thanks to Candice.
“They definitely connect with their customers,”
says Territory Manager Julie Stinson. “It is not
an effort for them to upsell, it’s just part of
their approach to providing a great customer
experience.
“I admire the amount of training and the “lead
by example” mentorship that Randy provides
to all his staff. Training is ongoing regardless
how long an employee has been with him, this
is an important element of the business as it is
constantly evolving.”
Randy, who has been running the location for
more than 10 years, says the secret behind their
success is simple – it’s all about having fun.
“I always tell my staff if you’re not having fun,
you need to go somewhere else,” he adds,
noting Fast Five is a great way of solidifying
customer relationships. “We make a point
of greeting the customer the moment they
walk through the doors. That makes them feel
welcome right off the bat.”
Everyone on his team is also focused on
treating every customer as if he or she is
a Mystery Shopper. “If someone gets 100
percent on a Mystery Shop, I match the $100
bonus that Pioneer awards. It’s worth it to me
because it keeps everyone on their toes – who
doesn’t want an extra $200?”
Another important factor driving conversion
sales, adds Randy, is ensuring the store is
always fully merchandised. “We work hard
to keep our shelves full at all times, and we
count on our suppliers too. If we make sales,
they make sales. It’s important to have strong
relationships.”
In summer, for instance, that means stocking
extra skids Eska water on site. “We go through
skids and skids of water in the summer because
there are construction workers, and people
heading to campsites in the area. We never
want to say we’re out.”
Also popular is the hot dog and sausage
combo at $2.69. “We sell through hundreds
and hundreds of them. We wrap the buns in
foil, and they go into a warmer so each hot dog
is fresh and hot.”
Looking to the New Year, Randy is encouraging
his team to build on their successes. “I’ve
set a conversion target of 6.35 to keep the
momentum going.”
PG. 10