ABOVE: Jackie with the University of Virginia’s mascot, Cavman, showing off an LTO sandwich she created as part of a partnership with the school’s athletic department. The university is based in Charlottesville, which is also where Jackie’s store is located. LEFT: Jackie’s beloved XL pit bull, Tucker, was a gift from a customer.
The key to a successful store is good customer service, said Jackie Johns, manager at The Market by Tiger Fuel Company’s flagship store in Charlottesville, Virginia. Jackie has worked with the 10-store operator for 14 years.
Jackie’s stores have broken many company records for the highest sales. “I’ve broken my own record,” she said with a laugh. “I love trying to break the company sales records.”
Relationships with customers leads to becoming their go-to stop, she said.
“Every store is a little bit different and has different clientele, but knowing your customers, talking to your customers, learning their preferences and making sure they get what they want is what will keep them coming back. Customer service is the key to any successful convenience store,” she said.
Jackie spoke with NACS about:
Why she loves working in a convenience store
I like working with the public. I’m a talker and so I like meeting and dealing with different people. As I manager, I also like watching the younger people become assistant managers and developing within the company. It’s nice to see somebody that you don’t think is going to make it, make it.
Her favorite day at work
My favorite day ever was when one of my customers’ dogs had a litter of puppies and he brought me one. It was an XL pit bull, which some people pay up to $1,500 for. He gave it to me because he knew I loved dogs—I was always playing with his dogs and giving them food when he came in. I had the puppy for 10 years until he passed away recently. That was such an amazing gift, and so that day is definitely my favorite memory.
What she would tell someone considering a job in convenience
I think a lot of people are under the impression that convenience stores don’t pay well or that you don’t get benefits. I’ve worked at jobs in other retail sectors where that is true, but at The Market, we have vacation time, health insurance, our own doctor’s office, a $10 meal credit per shift—we have these capabilities that you don’t get in other places.
People take those things for granted, but when you add all of those perks into your check, that’s a lot of money you’re saving. There is also a lot of opportunity to grow within a company and within your role to become a manager, shift leader, coach or other leadership position.