Convenience Leaders Vision Group

The goal of AI implementation should be to enable employees to perform at a higher level, not to replace jobs. To showcase AI's benefits, companies should automate tasks that employees dislike. In the January 31st, 2025, CLVG virtual meeting, Annie Gauthier, CFO/Co-CEO at Y-Not Stop - St. Romain Oil, shared, “We feel like the better we can get it operating and executing in our operations every day, that's where we get our edge right now. So that's where we're focused.” The CLVG Vision Report, "Lead the Future: Transformative AI Strategies," highlights the discussion from that meeting, during which CLVG members shared perspectives on successful AI implementation to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Don’t miss the “CLVG Views” summary in the report and the full “In The Room With CLVG” transcript of the virtual meeting to find out what is top of mind for those in all convenience exploring AI. Thank you, Ally Supporter Verifone. Download the report: HTTPS://https://lnkd.in/eswbyQtj #conveniencestores #ai #retail #retailtech myra kressner Eva Strasburger Roy Strasburger James Hervey

“In [a meeting] with Retail Industry Leaders, RILA, someone there said, as retailers thinking about approaching AI, we really don't need an AI strategy. The way you should think about it is to have a business strategy and think about how you can leverage AI to help you more effectively execute your business strategy,” said Darren Rebelez, CEO, Casey's General Stores, at the recent CLVG virtual meeting exploring AI strategies. Greg Buzek, president and chief AI officer of IHL Group, emphasized that data quality is important for successful AI implementation. Retailers need to prioritize data cleaning, consolidation, and storage solutions. The CLVG Vision Report, "Lead the Future: Transformative AI Strategies," highlights the discussion from the CLVG January 31st, 2025, virtual meeting, during which members shared perspectives on successful AI implementation to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Don’t miss the “CLVG Views” summary in the report and the full “In The Room With CLVG” transcript of the virtual meeting to find out what is top of mind for those in all convenience exploring AI. Thank you, Ally Supporter Verifone. Download the report: HTTPS://https://lnkd.in/eswbyQtj #conveniencestores #ai #retail #retailtech myra kressner Eva Strasburger Roy Strasburger James Hervey?

“One of the things that we're doing in accounting, as an example, is using AI to sort and process invoices for someone that used to manually do it. As a first step, efficiency is the goal for a lot of companies and not necessarily driving sales,” shared Mark Samuels, MBA, executive vice president of convenience retailing at Dash In (The Wills Group), at the recent CLVG virtual meeting focusing on AI strategies. Retailers should focus on identifying their biggest business needs and prioritizing AI investments accordingly. Smaller retailers with clean data can begin with merchandising and supply chain optimization. The CLVG Vision Report, "Lead the Future: Transformative AI Strategies," highlights the discussion from the CLVG January 31st, 2025, virtual meeting, during which members shared perspectives on successful AI implementation to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Don’t miss the “CLVG Views” summary in the report and the full “In The Room With CLVG” transcript of the virtual meeting to find out what is top of mind for those in all convenience exploring AI. Thank you, Ally Supporter Verifone. Download the report: HTTPS://https://lnkd.in/eswbyQtj #conveniencestores #ai #retail #retailtech myra kressner Eva Strasburger Roy Strasburger James Hervey Greg Buzek

NEW Convenience Leaders Vision Group Vision Report now available to download! The January 31st Convenience Leaders Vision Group virtual meeting, facilitated by myra kressner, president of Kressner Strategy Group and Vision Group Network co-founder, featured a presentation by Greg Buzek, president and chief AI officer of IHL Group that detailed the urgency for convenience retailers to adopt AI, along with a strong emphasis on the need for strategic, data-driven approaches to implementing these technologies. The CLVG Vision Report, "Lead the Future: Transformative AI Strategies," highlights that discussion, during which members shared perspectives on successful AI implementation to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Focus needs to be on data cleanliness, alignment with business goals, and a willingness to experiment and adapt. Retailers who invest wisely in AI and prioritize data will gain a competitive edge, while those who hesitate risk falling behind, as AI will soon be as ubiquitous in business as the internet, and its impact will be profound, according to Buzek. Don’t miss the “CLVG Views” summary in the report and the full “In The Room With CLVG” transcript of the virtual meeting to find out what is top of mind for those in all convenience exploring AI. Thank you, Ally Supporter Verifone. Download the report: https://lnkd.in/eU8P_4Ug #conveniencestores #ai #retail #retailtech myra kressner Eva Strasburger Roy Strasburger James Hervey Hal Adams Laura Aufleger Troy Dickson Fouad El-Nemr Annie Gauthier Scott Hartman Tracey Hughes Tony Miller Gregory M. Parker Jonathan Polonsky Darren Rebelez Donald Rhoads Mark Samuels, MBA Joe Sheetz Kevin Smartt

Coming March 10, Convenience Leaders Vision Group Vision Report! The January 31st Convenience Leaders Vision Group virtual meeting, facilitated by myra kressner, president of Kressner Strategy Group and Vision Group Network co-founder, featured a presentation by Greg Buzek, president and chief AI officer of IHL Group that detailed the urgency for convenience retailers to adopt AI, along with a strong emphasis on the need for strategic, data-driven approaches to implementing these technologies. The CLVG Vision Report, "Lead the Future: Transformative AI Strategies," highlights that discussion, during which members shared perspectives on successful AI implementation to maximize the benefits of AI while minimizing the risks. Focus needs to be on data cleanliness, alignment with business goals, and a willingness to experiment and adapt. Retailers who invest wisely in AI and prioritize data will gain a competitive edge, while those who hesitate risk falling behind, as AI will soon be as ubiquitous in business as the internet, and its impact will be profound, according to Buzek. Don’t miss the “CLVG Views” summary in the report and the full “In The Room With CLVG” transcript of the virtual meeting to find out what is top of mind for those in all convenience exploring AI. Thank you, Ally Supporter Verifone. Subscribe today to be notified when new reports are released: https://lnkd.in/eEQe-A7G #conveniencestores #ai #retail #retailtech Eva Strasburger Roy Strasburger James Hervey

As one CLVG retail member CEO said, "I learned a great deal from Greg and appreciate the effort to educate and inform on AI opportunities and implementation.?I feel like we are already behind the market and believe this will be a rich topic at many industry events this year.?This session armed me with a stronger understanding of how we might use this emerging technology." Look for Greg Buzek's presentation with his commentary, together with full In The Room transcript including Q&A in the CLVG Vision Report available for download early March.

Now Available: Our newest Vision Report “Expecting the Unexpected: Foreseeing Potential Disruptions” The latest Convenience Leaders Vision Group (CLVG)’s latest Vision Report covers a range of timely challenges facing the convenience retailing industry ranging from disaster and cyber preparedness to societal issues such as unrest, healthcare, and more. Key takeaways from the candid discussion highlighted the necessity for retailers to remain alert, adaptable, and prepared for evolving challenges. Members stressed how critical it is to keep these potential disruptions front and center for the industry, including sharing best practices. Embracing a proactive mindset and fostering continuous learning will be vital as businesses navigate these complexities in the future. The “CLVG Views” meeting summary, and “In The Room” full transcript will be among the most relevant, actionable, and comprehensive resources available to the global convenience industry. Download the full report here ? https://lnkd.in/ey6tppuT #conveniencestores?#futureofconvenience myra kressner Roy Strasburger Eva Strasburger

The impact of weight-loss/appetite-suppressant drugs on consumer behavior and public health emerged as a potentially?transformative trend at a recent CLVG Virtual Meeting. These medications have the potential to alter eating habits and disrupt traditional consumption patterns in the convenience store, grocery, and fast food industries. This shift might signal the need to reevaluate product offerings to align with changing consumer preferences and health outcomes. "We're in an industry which is around snacking and around fast food. How are people preparing for how that might change?" questioned Eva Strasburger, president of StrasGlobal, CEO of Compliance Safe, and Vision Group Network co-founder. The latest Convenience Leaders Vision Group (CLVG)’s latest Vision Report, “Expecting the Unexpected: Foreseeing Potential Disruptions” covers a range of timely challenges facing the convenience retailing industry ranging from societal issues such as unrest, healthcare to disaster and cyber preparedness. The “CLVG Views” meeting summary, and “In The Room” full transcript will be among the most relevant, actionable, and comprehensive resources available to the global convenience industry. Download the full report here: https://lnkd.in/ey6tppuT #conveniencestores?#futureofconvenience myra kressner Roy Strasburger

A topic at a recent CLVG virtual meeting was “Disease X’ or the next pandemic. As contemplated by Kevin Smartt, CEO of TXB Stores: “There were some key learnings for us in COVID, and I think some of those things we would fall right back into immediately…We were talking about this just the other day, not thinking about preparing for it, but just thinking about the uncertainty when the pandemic started…trying to think about what you might need if something was to occur again, not knowing what the risk would be that's hitting the public, I think is like a dart throw. But I think having good preparedness plans, like we started off talking about in case of a disaster, I think is really critical. And probably brushing off and keeping those up-to-date would be important.” The latest Convenience Leaders Vision Group (CLVG)’s latest Vision Report, “Expecting the Unexpected: Foreseeing Potential Disruptions” covers a range of timely challenges facing the convenience retailing industry ranging from disaster and cyber preparedness to societal issues such as unrest, healthcare, and more. With ongoing supply chain concerns compounded by complications of driver shortages and logistical bottlenecks, members stressed the importance of preparedness. With lessons learned from COVID-19 and acknowledging the challenges of maintaining public trust and adapting to future crises, especially with potential new pandemics, most agreed that the unpredictable nature of future threats makes comprehensive preparation difficult. The “CLVG Views” meeting summary, and “In The Room” full transcript will be among the most relevant, actionable, and comprehensive resources available to the global convenience industry. Download the full report here ? https://lnkd.in/ey6tppuT #conveniencestores?#futureofconvenience myra kressner Roy Strasburger Eva Strasburger

“Our folks need to protect themselves first. They need to protect our assets second, and then they need to try to provide the best customer service they can after that.”?Roy Strasburger, CEO of StrasGlobal, President of Compliance Safe and Vision Group Network Co-Founder articulated this sentiment shared by many at a recent CLVG virtual meeting. The latest Convenience Leaders Vision Group (CLVG)’s latest Vision Report, “Expecting the Unexpected: Foreseeing Potential Disruptions” covers a range of timely challenges facing the convenience retailing industry ranging from disaster and cyber preparedness to societal issues such as unrest, healthcare, and more. As community partners, members highlighted safety challenges convenience store workers face amid social unrest. Key strategies include extensive employee training in de-escalation techniques and crisis management, alongside proactive communication and listening to frontline staff. Balancing employee safety with community service is vital as stores remain essential resources during crises. The “CLVG Views” meeting summary, and “In The Room” full transcript will be among the most relevant, actionable, and comprehensive resources available to the global convenience industry. Download the full report here ? https://lnkd.in/ey6tppuT #conveniencestores?#futureofconvenience myra kressner Eva Strasburger