PXUS 2020 Leadership Takeaways

This has been a year of rapid change: restaurants and convenience stores alike were forced to make quick pivots in how they approach guest engagement, technology, and business operations.

During times of tumultuous change, solid brand leadership becomes even more critical to success. During PXUX 2020, Chief Executive of Market Platform Dynamics Karen Webster led a panel of other chief executives in conversation about how the hospitality and convenience landscapes have changed over the past few months, and how they’ve positioned their brands to weather the Covid-19 pandemic. 

Speaking about their brands’ strategies were: 

• Gus Olympidis, CEO, Family Express
• Simon Richards, CEO,  Thorntons
• Ray Wiley, founder, Hot Head Burritos and Rapid Fired Pizza
• Ryan Dion, CEO, 110 Grill Restaurant Group
• Adam Halberg, CEO, Barcelona Wine Bar

These leaders described the ways they’ve led their brands through monumental changes this year, about the investments they’ve made that are already paying off, and about how they’re supporting their employees, an essential piece of the puzzle. The panel left attendees with five key takeaways:

1. Meet guests where they’re comfortable. Whether it’s understanding shifts in consumer behavior or using traditional loyalty channels, use technology to create multiple opportunities for the guests to engage with the brand. 
2. Create technology ecosystems, not silos. Consumer preference and public health guidelines shift rapidly, so the guest-facing technology will need to keep pace. Ensure each piece of technology, from fuel pumps to mobile apps, works together to adapt to this changing environment. 

For the remaining three takeaways, download your free infographic here.