CCSA has developed a basic mission to promote corporate social responsibility and represent “Responsible Community Retailing”.
A key part of our activity is to provide C-Store retailers with quality training for all their staff on a range of topical subjects. These include:
• We Expect I.D. - age verification training
Teaches employees why and how to ask for age verification and helps protect you by showing due diligence on your part should they fail to check for age verification.
• Safe Habits, Safe People - workplace safety training
Includes best practices for employees working alone or handling money and violence prevention.
• Sweet Spot Selling - customer service training
Teaches employees how to greet customers, handle customer complaints and concerns while showing that their business is appreciated.
• Health and Safety - for each employee
Shows the employee the proper method to ensure the health of the employee and customer with regards to the handling of food and other products.
• WHMIS - hazardous materials training
Provides training for handling such products as propane, fireworks and hoer hazardous materials.
• Loss Prevention - staff awareness training
Designed to teach your employees to be aware of what is happening in the store to prevent loss through theft.
• Alcohol Training
Specific training for retail employees selling alcohol in any province.
Convenience stores hold a special responsibility in the communities where they operate. CCSA Members are actively working every day of the year to have all employees uphold the Law and not sell any age restricted products to minors.
Our organization also holds a firm position to eradicate the issue of selling contraband product such as tobacco through illegal operations.
Focusing on the Female Perspective in C-stores
All CCSA associations have received presentations of the 2009 State of the Industry report for retailers, distributors and manufacturers.
The rise in consumption of contraband tobacco is the main reason behind the rapid increase of C-store closures across Canada. In 2009, 1 out of 10 convenience stores closed. Most of the closures occurred in Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces.
Merchandising directly impacts on generating in-store traffic first and that should translate into in-store sales. Merchandising creates the ambiance to attract people to enter the store, and once inside, that same merchandising must not just create a good first impression; it also must sustain and leave a positive last one!
