Outstanding Services and Solutions for Retailers

We offer many specialized services for retailers. You can learn more details about these services below

Retail Strategy

PSE develops and deploys analysis-based strategies designed to enhance profitability and/or minimize risk. This can include consultation services geared towards New to Industry (NTI) and/or store remodeling considerations (i.e. how large of a store should be built, be, how many gas pumps are needed, what types or fuel should I offer, etc.) or operational considerations (recommendations for store layout, services offered, etc.). In either case, we always prefer to begin with a feasibility analysis based upon your market and competition. Who are your competitors, what are they offering, how good are they, and what is lacking in their offer?

At PSE, we understand the challenges our customers encounter every day. Like you, we’ve owned & operated stores and had to fight to stay competitive against chains that seem to be adding a new store every month. We think that as a business owner, you need more than just a company to take your order for a fuel load – you should be more than just a number. We get to know you, we’ve got your back. We’ll come out and meet you quarterly (more or less if you like) and share our insight and business practices to help make sure that you not only survive – but also grow and thrive.

We also recognize that while healthy fuel margins are wonderful, they are unreliable. A successful strategy must include focusing on non-fuel profit centers to survive during lean times. We can help you tailor the offering to the community you serve and share the insights and data from the industry as a whole to explore new profit opportunities. With careful planning, leveraging of available tools & data, a thorough market analysis, proven technology and techniques, and strategic partnerships, we’ve enjoyed much success lessening the reliance of fuel margins.

Financial Analysis

• Benchmark customer store performance against other stores and the industry as a whole
• Benchmark customer invoice pricing vs. Prairie State Energy invoice pricing for suppliers
• Conduct environmental compliance audits to avoid penalties
• Assist customers with the production of Notice of Meeting Competition form of the Wisconsin Unfair Sales Act
• Strengths and Weaknesses analysis of competitive stations or sites
• Evaluating technology updates necessary for environmental or credit card acceptance compliance
• Analyzing credit card fees for potential cost reductions
• Fuel branded and unbranded financial package evaluation
• Financial analysis for adding quick serve restaurants

Operations

PSE’s Leadership team has dozens of years’ experience specifically in our industry. Our management team has served as consultants to Oil Companies, Industry Associations, Dealers, Bay Operations, Car Washes and Buying Clubs. Below is a partial list of Operational Services we have provided to our customers:

• Benchmarking of dealer sites against the industry (NACS) to identify expense reductions and develop profit margin opportunities.
• Store Point of Sale (POS) system and back-office software consultation to identify best platform for individual dealer.
• Theft prevention coaching including security system consultation and camera placement.
• Car wash consulting including supplier identification, wash package development, equipment analysis, pricing, etc.
• Strategic Partnerships with key suppliers to reduce expenses for goods or services
• Area competitor strength and weakness assessments to develop new marketing plan or profit opportunities
• Website development
• Merchandising assistance and product placement

 

Merchandising

As retailers with over 30 years’ experience, we know that optimizing product mix and store layout can create a powerful impact on the bottom line. Most retailers rely on their wholesale suppliers to help determine which products to carry and on what gondolas they will be placed. Some wholesale suppliers have very sophisticated tools to help determine what products and merchandise to carry, some use local area demographics to help make product recommendations, others have teams that specialize in new store set up, others still rely on the manufacturers to provide them with planograms that they then provide to you. At PSE we’ve found that wholesalers can be a valuable resource to the operator in making recommendations for product mix and placement, but we’ve also found that most cases that is simply the first step. Many operators don’t understand the basics of merchandising and how that can positively or negatively affect your bottom line. Are all of your products priced? Are they full and clean, fronted and faced? We’re happy to help whether this is your first gas station or your next one!

After mastering the fundamentals, we’ll shift our focus to maximize profitability. We will analyze and determine such things as: what your ‘power’ isles are and what products to place there, what items are truly destination items, and even where to place items in the cooler. All of these changes can have a major impact on sales and profitability. As new products or promotions come in, how will that change affect your existing set? Will those changes impact any contracts that you may have with a competing vendor? How often does your wholesaler come through and re-evaluate your product mix and placement?

While there are some universal truths when it comes to merchandising, such as items at eye level sell better than those at knee level, there are many unique challenges and opportunities facing each individual store. PSE can help identify the fundamental elements to successful store layout and product mix initially and then work to tweak and optimize profitability through re-evaluating product mix and placement down the road.

Marketing

As retailers with over 30 years’ experience, we know that optimizing product mix and store layout can create a powerful impact on the bottom line. Most retailers rely on their wholesale suppliers to help determine which products to carry and on what gondolas they will be placed. Some wholesale suppliers have very sophisticated tools to help determine what products and merchandise to carry, some use local area demographics to help make product recommendations, others have teams that specialize in new store set up, others still rely on the manufacturers to provide them with planograms that they then provide to you. At PSE we’ve found that wholesalers can be a valuable resource to the operator in making recommendations for product mix and placement, but we’ve also found that most cases that is simply the first step. Many operators don’t understand the basics of merchandising and how that can positively or negatively affect your bottom line. Are all of your products priced? Are they full and clean, fronted and faced? We’re happy to help whether this is your first gas station or your next one!

After mastering the fundamentals, we’ll shift our focus to maximize profitability. We will analyze and determine such things as: what your ‘power’ isles are and what products to place there, what items are truly destination items, and even where to place items in the cooler. All of these changes can have a major impact on sales and profitability. As new products or promotions come in, how will that change affect your existing set? Will those changes impact any contracts that you may have with a competing vendor? How often does your wholesaler come through and re-evaluate your product mix and placement?

While there are some universal truths when it comes to merchandising, such as items at eye level sell better than those at knee level, there are many unique challenges and opportunities facing each individual store. PSE can help identify the fundamental elements to successful store layout and product mix initially and then work to tweak and optimize profitability through re-evaluating product mix and placement down the road.

Environmental

Environmental Responsibility is Part of Our Mission

Prairie State takes environmental responsibility very seriously. As such, we are extremely progressive when it comes to reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the environment, our natural resources and the communities we serve. We strongly encourage all of our customers to undertake a similar approach.

We have taken measures including the utilization of technology and underground monitoring equipment for our customer locations to detect leaks and provide warnings when a problem is detected. We continue to work with several regional environmental firms on behalf of our customers to navigate the complexities of regulatory compliance and/or remediation if necessary.

PSE encourages the use of energy saving items such as LED lighting and photocell-controlled lighting switches. We also recommend environmentally sound practices such as the use of reclaimed water for car washes, the purchase of environmentally sustainable consumables such as coffee and fountain cups, lids, straws, etc. This also extends to selecting earth-friendly and bio-degradable soaps, solvents and cleaning products. We all need to advocate for our planet and the communities and customers we serve

Technology

We provide POS consulting as well as recommendations for choosing the best back-office systems and technology to assist with everything from pricing to ordering, tracking, accounting, inventory management and more. We have the expertise to integrate all of these functions. In addition, we offer fuel management technology linking our carrier to your tank monitoring equipment to track gas inventory, order fuel electronically and provide timely deliveries.

Technology continues to evolve and touch our lives in new ways. At times, technology can be overwhelming to evaluate, what constitutes a trend or just a fad? What happens if I don’t upgrade my equipment for EMV? What are the costs and how can I afford it? One thing for sure is that technology will continue to evolve in our industry whether you like it or not.

Millennials (those with birth years ranging from the early 1980s to the early 2000’s) certainly embrace technology too, they also really like to shop in convenience stores. In fact, study after study has concluded that many Millennials prefer to eat at convenience stores than quick serve restaurants. Who are these Millennials, how do we reach them and what products are they looking for in your store?

The costs for technology adaption can be prohibitive, and many investments are not worthwhile. Our customers know that we are always available to share what we’ve experienced and willing to help them evaluate their technology decisions. We understand that you need a partner to look out for your interests and to explain what impacts those decisions will have on your business. We have the tools and experience to assist you in making those decisions.