Meet Sue, the Newcomer

Sue is an entrepreneur interested in owning her own business. And, like many of our Phillips 66 customers, she looked at several options — from franchise restaurants to stand-alone convenience stores — before making an informed decision on her next business venture.

When Sue took the initial steps to purchase a fuel station, she felt overwhelmed. Like so many entrepreneurs, she was new to the industry and needed guidance. What would give her the best chance for success?

To her surprise, a Phillips 66 Marketer in her area revealed that branding her site with one of the Phillips 66 brands could provide her business with the boost she needed. Phillips 66 provided Sue's Marketer with some points to consider when evaluating the potential success of her site, and he shared that information with Sue before she invested.

When Sue's gas station produced a small profit after the first year, she contacted her Phillips 66 Marketer for recommendations on how to enhance her profits. Instead of exiting the business like other newcomers might, Sue refocused her energy on cleanliness and customer service by improving her scores on the Spirit of Performance mystery shop program. The program helped her discover how clean bathrooms and facilities could actually influence sales.

By the end of the second year, Sue's consumers started shopping at her site twice as much, which resulted in increased convenience store and fuel sales. Now she's thinking about extending her business and purchasing another site. Sue realized that this business takes commitment, and it became clear that Phillips 66 was as committed to being successful as she was. With the types of programs and expertise Phillips 66 offers, Sue feels armed with the confidence to do this again in the future.

NEXT: MEET THE VETERAN

Source: Based on interviews conducted by Sales Benchmark Index and combined into top scenarios. Actual results may vary.