If you're in retail, you've heard these gems:

"Your customer service people are your lifeblood."

"Location, location, location."

"Brand awareness is everything."

We can't deny that each has an element of truth, but on their own they're incomplete answers to the complex puzzle of retail performance. To identify new opportunities and remain competitive, you need to have a holistic understanding of many factors that can move the needle on business results. Start by reading about seven of them right now.

Imagine you see an uptick in fuel sales volumes across your network. You're not sure why, but you'd like to keep it up. You see a business opportunity here, but without information about what's driving the increase, you don't have the tools to capitalize accordingly.

Gasoline Prices, Price Optimization

It's hot outside, and with gas prices remaining low, more people than ever are taking to the road.

Lower gas prices mean more cash in consumers' pockets, and that means opportunity for retailers to capture a greater share of wallet during every customer visit. According to the results of a National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) survey of convenience retailers released in April 2016, low gas prices are driving increases in convenience store sales, both at the pump and inside the store.

by Gavin Lottering

Africa is a single continent, but each of its 54 countries has its own complexities—language, culture, ethnicities, religion, laws, governmental agendas, resources... To succeed, you need to commit to understanding that diversity at the ground level. Instead of approaching fuel retail strategy as if Africa were a monolith, think of Africa’s markets as a lot of littles.

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERIES:
Navigating Africa's Fuel and Convenience Retail Opportunity

What does it take for a retailer to succeed in Africa’s complex fuel and convenience landscape? Where should you invest capital and how can you ensure the best performance and return? In this three-part series, Kalibrate

• takes a look at where growth opportunities exist in Africa

• identifies key hurdles that fuel and convenience retailers will need to overcome, and

• offers strategic takeaways to enable long-term success.

by Carlos Palma

Around the world, fuel markets are moving. Whether you’re in a mature market competing on micro price fluctuations or competing in a newly deregulated market, there’s one constant you can’t do without: fresh market intelligence.