SUMMER 2020 - Alabama Merchants' Association
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SUMMER 2020
AMA PREFFERED VENDORS
Company Name Contact Person Phone Number
Aardwolf Pest Control Mark Durden 205-753-3694
Alabama Crown Colin Moss 251-610-0376
American Paper Roll Ali Nanjee 913-940-3948
ATM Link Minhas Vellani 281-568-4443
Bimbo Bakeries Trey Burdette 912-271-1883
BTC Wholesale Distributors Frank D'Amico III 205-324-2581
Buffalo Rock (Pepsi) Booker Ware 205-335-5141
Nestle Ice Cream Nathan Davis 251-586-1469
Clark Gas Company Jim Brown 205-412-9909
Coco Cola United Brandon Higgins 205-453-5187
Coco Cola United Jeff Graham 205-849-4785
Cromwell - Background Check Herbert Bowsher 205-823-4260
Frito Lay Virgil King 205-529– 8455
Golden Flake/UTZ Michael Coots 256-438-8492
Gordon Food Services Jennifer DeStefano 205-478-0267
Gulf Distributing Company (7UP) Bruce Hamilton 205-503-0309
Gulf Distributing Company (Redbull) Daniel Ddyess 205-368-3702
H.T. Hackney Victor Moody 256-763-6480
McKinney and Co. Insurance Shahnaz Sutar 770-723-9901
Modisoft Zarifa Arifi 281-201-6838
Petrey Wholesale Greg Cooks 205-410-3027
Red Diamond Ryan Griepenstroh 205-382-3740
S.B.C (Redbull/7UP/Nesquik) Shawn Franklin 256-591-9046
Sanico Jeremy Helms 334-207-5004
Smart Biz Pay Mohammed Moinuddin 866-216-8707
United-Johnson Brothers Michael Gruber 205-281-3402
World Pay Careyann Robleski 630– 917-5700
AMA TIMES IS A PUBLICATION THAT BRINGS HELPFUL BUSINESS INFORMATION TO AMA MEMBERS. THE ARTICLES IN THIS NEWSLETTER REPRESENT THE
VIEWS OF THE AUTHORS AND NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE PUBLISHER. WHILE EVERY PRECAUTION IS TAKEN TO ENSURE THAT INFORMATION REPRE-
SENTED IS ACCURATE, THE PUBLISHER DOES NOT ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ORIGIN OR CORRECTNESS OF THE INFORMATION SUPPLIED TO US, THE
QUALITY OR PERFORMANCE OF THE PRODUCTS ADVERTISED HEREIN—FOR COMMENTS OR CONCERNS PLEASE CALL AMA OFFICE AT 205.739.0565
Members who do not receive a response within 72 hours from approved vendors, those listed above, are
encouraged to call the AMA office for assistance..
President’s Letter
Dear AMA Members,
On behalf of the Board, I would like to take this opportunity to wish you
and your families Imamat Day Mubarak. I would like to thank the Board
of Directors for their trust and electing me as the President of the Ala-
bama Merchants Association.
My appreciation to the retiring Board of directors for their dedication,
time, and service.
President
Please join me in welcoming and congratulating our New and returning
Nizar Batada
Board of Directors to AMA Board. I am certain that they will make a
great contribution with their experience and knowledge. The board of
Vice President
directors have been hard at work laying the foundation and taking the
Malik Bhaidani
next steps towards growth and betterment of the membership.
Honorary Secretary Due to COVID-19, we were unable to conduct the Education sessions
Zunaid Porbandarwala & other meetings. Though we were unable to meet in person members
were updated constantly thru email and text messages, about the cur-
Treasurer rent situation and guidelines. We hope and pray that we overcome
Murad Ali Budhwani these challenging times soon.
In these unpredict times, life has become a challenge for a lot of peo-
Marketing & Promotions
ple, mode of working has shifted from in office to remote, education be-
Karim Panjwani
ing offered online and lots of other minor changes that have taken prior-
ity in our everyday lives. During these times of challenge, we must not
Compliance
forget to applaud our First responders, Doctors, Nurses, Police & Fire
Anish Noorani
Department, Pharmacist, Grocery stores, Teachers, Restaurants, and
Education and Research our Convenience stores. Thank you all for your continued support to
Rohen Porbanderwala serve the community in this time of need.
AMA is striving to provide better deals and increased sales by providing
Ethics services and contracts that best serve its member population. All of this
Abdul Hafiz Rahim can be possible with member support and compliance. Let us together
continue to regularly do our part and keep our stores sanitized, clean
Special Projects and visibility of all displayed signs.
Shafiq Samji
I hope you all have a wonderful Safe summer and on behalf of the
AMA Board of Directors, I would like to thank each of you for keeping
Chairperson of Manage- your stores in compliance, for supporting the board and for providing
ment Committee high quality professional services to your customers.
Shaheen Valliani
Chairman of Advisory Com- Yours truly,
mittee
Nizar Batada
Sajid Jalali
With the current COVID-19, AMA donated Mask, gloves and hand sanitizers to Hoover Police Department & Shelby County in April 2020. The Hoover Police Department & Shelby County thanked AMA for their gen- erous donation to the department. It is a great feeling of giving during these uncertain times. AMA would like to thank all Health care professionals (doctors, nurses, PAs) who are giving immediate care to those who are ill, providing life support, and putting themselves at risk for contracting COVID-19. They are tirelessly work- ing on the front lines of this pandemic. Care Packages to all AMA Stores -1 gallon of Sanitizer, 2 boxes of mask, 3 small hand sanitizers. Care Bags for Non- AMA and Jamati members.
COMMUNITY OUTREACH IN COLLABARATION WITH I-CERV. On June 24, 2020 AMA members along with I-CERV members donated 3 thousand pounds of food and water to give to those in need. The food and water were to Donated to the Green Valley Baptist Church Food Bank. The food drive begun from Mid may until June, 2020.
Retailer Newsletter
July 1, 2020
Tom’s Business “TIPS”
“To Improve Profits”
RE: Fountain Drink Service
Hello,
There are very few c-stores I visit that do not have a cold drink fountain ma-
chine and all stores sell coffee/cappuccino. We all are faced with the issues of
having a dispenser ‘Out of Product’, CO2, or other issues forcing us to shut
down 1 or 2 flavors, or worse yet the entire machine.
I recently found the sign, see photos below, (1 & 2) at a local store. I liked the
sign and asked the manager where she found them. She told me they had been
at the store for years and nobody knows where they came from. I believe they
looked professional. The two signs, photos below (3 & 4) also look good. Sign
#4 is printed on post-it-note paper and simply sticks to the fountain head. My
discussion regarding ‘Out of Order’ fountain machines and coffee dispensers
would not be complete without a couple of poor examples of signage. Check
out #5 & 6, they speak for themselves.
Added customer ideas:
I hope you have Hand Sanitizer in your stores for customer use. I like the
touchless dispensers (A). I also think you should have a touchless paper tow-
el dispenser (B) and soap dispenser (C) in the restrooms. My stores always
had an electric hand dryer as well as paper towels. That was my way of being
sure the customer always had something to dry their hands with, if the paper
towels ran out between our restroom checks. I believe this is an added cus-
tomer service.
A B C
I’ve been around long enough to remember the days when we started selling
self-service gasoline. The customers (especially women) were concerned
with getting dirty. We had oversized plastic gloves customers could slip on
and keep their hands clean. With everyone concerned about ‘clean’ today, it
might be a good addition to your store. Here’s the link:
https://www.cstore1.com/gas-mitt-intro-kit/14-0120/
If you’re afraid they will be stolen, have them available inside your store, well
-marked so customers can easily find them and know what they are for. I be-
lieve your regular customers will make the effort to come inside and get one. I
believe these items upgrades the Customer Service at your store.
Many of you have attended our latest seminar called “Safety & Security”. Dur-
ing this session, I often ask, “Do you really care about the safety of your staff?”
I always hear a resounding, “YES!” then I have a couple of questions to ask
that will give your staff some insight into your true feelings. What if: you re-
ceive a call from one of your CSR’s reporting a recent hold-up at your store. If
you reply, “How much did they get?” You failed the test. You should have
asked, “Is everyone OK?” Here’s another possible scenario, one of your CSR’s
calls and tells you they have been involved in an accident on their way to
work today, and you reply, “Are you going to make it to work today?” You
flunked again. Your first comment should have been, “Are you OK?” You see,
it's easy to say, “I care about my employees”, but does it really show? I hope
this helps.
I hope you; your stores, staff, and family stay safe during these trying times.
Don't be a victim of the 5 Dangerous Words –
‘Maybe I’ll Do It Tomorrow’
Do it today because tomorrow (could be) will be too late!
Tom
Thomas W. Terrono
T&S Management Services, LLC
Instructor / Consultant for the Convenience Store Industry
Lee's Summit MO 64082-4864
816.550.8048
tom.tsms@gmail.com
www.tsmanagementservices.com
“Our business is making your business better!”
Tom’s Business “TIPS”
“To Improve Profits”
RE: These Are Certainly Challenging Times!
Hi,
I had the ‘Tips’ Newsletter ready to go for April, when events around the country (and
the world for that matter) continue making daily headlines. I think we all can agree, we
are in unchartered, choppy waters for the time being. I think it’s safe to say safety and
cleanliness is on everyone’s mind today. Keeping your store safe & clean can be chal-
lenging to many retailers. It’s one thing to ‘look safe & clean’ and it’s another to ‘be safe
& clean’. I’ve met many retailers who truly believe they operate clean stores. Some I
have to say, you do not! My test would be to ask your staff to compare your store to one
of your competitors. Do they see differences? Does it feel safe & clean? How are they
handing cleaning and sanitizing their stores? Take their criticism graciously, even if it
strikes a nerve.
We always had a container of Hand Sanitizer on the counter at my stores. It was a sim-
ple way to help my customers keep clean and it was also my way of getting customers
to come inside.
Suggestions to consider:
Have a procedure in place to routinely sanitize several times per shift:
• Wipe down counter tops, fountain area, fast food area with sanitizer.
• Wipe off doorknobs and cooler door handles.
• Check and wipe rest room handles, doorknobs, & trash containers lids.
Wash hands with warm/hot water using soap on a regular basis.
Post signs on the entrance (possible suggested sign):
“WE PRACTICE SAFEY
& SANITIZING PROCEDURES TO HELP KEEP OUR CUSTOMERS
& STAFF SAFE!”
I realize it’s difficult to buy these products now, but as soon as it becomes readily avail-
able, and it will, you should make this a staple and practice at your business, each and
every day! I also think your customers want to see your staff using Anti-bacterial wipes,
when needed. Again, when your customers see you are trying to ensure their safety,
they will be more comforted.Tom’s Business “TIPS”
“To Improve Profits”
RE: These Are Certainly Challenging Times!
The time to pay particular attention to your restrooms could be now! I read a recent
study that claims when customers see a ‘Restroom Cleaning Schedule’ posted in your
restroom, that gives them added comfort. You can download a copy from our website, if
you need one. I truly hope the small business owner takes the current situation and
moves their business to the next level.
You can download a copy from our website, if you need one. I truly hope the small busi-
ness owner takes the current situation and moves their business to the next level.
When this crisis passes, and it will pass, hopefully you will emerge better and stronger
in the eyes of your customers.
I’m sure many of you are facing staffing shortages due to possible flu-like symptoms.
You were already short-handed before the latest COVID-19 outbreak. Now CSR’s are
calling in sick, some legitimate, and some not (it’s always been that way). The challenge
facing you right now is customers don’t want to be near someone who appears to be
sick, especially someone handling their food or drink. You may find yourself on the reg-
ister more than usual. You may have to ask a manager, or bookkeeper to help-out as
well.
The other challenge facing the c-store retailer is the ever-changing gasoline price. The
price of oil and the stock market dominates the news every morning and night. Cus-
tomers are watching your street price and they are looking for the best deal. I know I do
when I choose where to buy gasoline. Whenever I meet with a group of retailers, I’m al-
ways asked this very important question, “How do I price my fuel?” My answer is al-
ways the same, “I watch my competition and I price it for my next load”.
What’s my pricing policy in a down market; if the fuel in my tanks is a couple of days
old, and my competitor may have just purchased a load at a significantly lower price,
what should I do? Does it make good business sense to ‘sit on my higher price’ until I
can purchase a load at the new lower price? The answer is NO! If you expect your cus-
tomers to continue to patronize your business and pay above the market price for fuel, I
think you are only kidding yourself. You are not only risking your regular customers go-
ing to your competition, they may find a place they like better than yours. Also be
aware that customers are concerned about price gouging and they are looking for it.I believe as retailers we can make a little extra money in an ‘up market’ (when the price is
rising). We can increase our street price to match competition, as the price increases. So, it
only makes good business sense to give up a little margin when the price is declining in or-
der to maintain our customer base. After all, that’s the goal of all business owners, keep
our regular customers while we try to bring in new customers every day.
www.tsmanagementservices.com
I wish you all the best during these challenging days and weeks to come. If there is any-
thing, I can do to answer your questions, I’m only an email, text, or phone call away. If I
miss your call, please leave me a voice mail. Good luck!
Don't be a victim of the 5 Dangerous Words –
‘Maybe I’ll Do It Tomorrow’
Do it today, because tomorrow could be will be too late!
Tom
Thomas W. Terrono
T&S Management Services, LLC
Instructor / Consultant for the Convenience Store Industry
Lee's Summit MO 64082-4864
816.550.8048
tom.tsms@gmail.com
“Our business is making your business “Having a competitive edge when running a
Convenience Store
When you purchase a gas station or a convenience store, avoid the tendency to just open the
doors and expect the customers to simply flood in because "you're there". Never rely on the
current flow of business, where you have the expectation that your customers will come and
go on a daily basis. You should undertake several aggressive marketing techniques to com-
pete with - and if possible, defeat your competitors, even the major oil company stations.
Keep trying new things and make something special out of your new purchase - you'll be
"taking it to the bank" if you do.
Turn to the marketing basics and play your own twists:
Firstly, make sure that you differentiate. Take a tour of your general area and visit all the other
gas stations and convenience stores. Look to see what they are doing from a marketing per-
spective and take good notes. When you return to your place of business, start offering some-
thing special that they don't. Differentiate your business by, for example, opening longer
hours or by presenting your location as a brighter and cleaner option. Pick out a distinctive
uniform for your employees and make sure that you train them well so that they enthusiasti-
cally greet every visitor. Come up with a list of promotions and prizes to stage periodically,
coupons too. One of the staples of a gas station is its morning coffee - provide a great flavor
and stimulate your visitor taste buds! Stock your store with a wider selection of items and
make sure that you give certain things away free - including air, water and vacuum.
Secondly, communicate! Don't be shy and make sure that you tell your customers that you
have the best gas station and convenience store in the area. Once you have identified your
core customer and found out all about their habits, initiate promotional campaigns within the
media channels that will reach them directly; for instance, put discount coupons in grocery
stores. Make sure that your communication methods are consistent - keep selling. From time
to time open your facility to a worthy charity - for example, those car washes staged by the
local softball team.Thirdly, make sure you integrate well into the surround-
ing community. Look for opportunities to sponsor a local
sports team or a popular cause. Consid-
er funding a college scholarship or co-promote with the
merchants in your area to help improve the business cli-
mate. Whatever you do, make sure that you send infor-
mation about it to the local media so they will promote
you free of charge. As you will pretty much always get
coverage if it is newsworthy, go out of your way to gener-
ate those "feel good" activities and the press will help
you out with column inches and radio sound bites.
There's no such thing as a small business, only business
people who think small!
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CONTACT AMA (205) 739-0565VENDOR SPOTLIGHT MOHAMMED MOINUDDIN - SmartBizPay (877) 663-5033 “Every moment, we take pride in providing ‘cost saving services’ that are ‘value driven’ and ‘business central’ while keeping members’ interests in the forefront” Staying up to date with the latest trends in consumer payment preferences can be a challenging prospect for even the best of retailers in today’s fast paced environment. With the deluge of available options, retailers are faced with trying to determine which method of payment will be adopted (i.e. apple pay, speed pass, bit coin, credit, debit, ebt, cash, etc.), how secure are these systems and what will their cost be? Fortunately, AMA members have a valuable resource in Mr. Mohammed Moinuddin of SmartBizPay. Mr. Moinuddin is the President of SmartBiz Pay, an authorized part- ner of First Data Company. SmartBizPay has been a preferred AMA vendor since 2007. Through First Data, SmartBizPay’s strategic focus is to help its clients grow their businesses. Smart- BizPay’s unparalleled infrastructure and partnerships go “beyond the transaction” with next-generation point-of-sale technology, customer loyalty programs, check pro- cessing services, credit, debit and EBT processing services. AMA Members also benefit knowing that SmarBizPay can provide powerful analytics to detect fraud, gain insights in to consumer spending, and strengthen customer loyalty, all day, every day. Mr. Moinuddin is a Technology Professional and an Entrepreneur with expertise in large-scale project management, strategic/tactical planning, business and product development. At SmartBizPay, his primary focus is to establish large scale partner- ships with Trade Associations and Banks. He strives to put processes in place to strike a proper balance between customer acquisition and retention. Prior to estab- lishing SmartBizPay, Mr. Moinuddin was a Sr. Consultant for Earthlink, where he led integration of New Edge Network systems after acquisition by Earthlink. This project expanded DSL broadband coverage to 320 small cities and towns in 29 states. Mr. Moinuddin was also a Director of Software Development and QA for InfiLink Corpo- ration where he led development and leadership of a scalable technology infrastruc- ture for automated lending solutions.
Mr. Moinuddin was born and raised in Bangla-
desh and happily recalls the excitement of
watching the Aga Khan Gold Cup soccer tourna-
ment as a youth. A lifelong dream, Mr. Moinud-
din strived to pursue a higher education in Amer-
ica. Mr. Moinuddin is most impressed by AMA
and its members due to the organization and
unity displayed on a regular basis at all levels.
Despite traveling to other countries, Mr. Moinud-
din has not encountered an organization similar
in purpose, mission or scope to that of AMA.
Mr. Moinuddin currently lives in Cobb County GA
with his wife of 28 years, Farhana and their two
children, daughter Arnovi and son Zeeyan. Mr.
Moinuddin is very active and family oriented as
they regularly hike in the Georgia Mountains and
ride bike on the Silver Comet Trail in addition to
playing soccer, volleyball and badminton. Mr.
Moinuddin is very proud of his relationship with
AMA Members.
AMA brANd reAL
pure WATer
To qualify for this Shelf
program, store must buy
minimum of 100 cases,and must
have a full shelf of real pure water
100 cases buy $100.00
150 cases buy $150.00
200 cases buy $275.00Follow these easy steps to help prevent the spread of
COVID-19
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20
seconds, especially after being in a public place, or after
blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water
are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer with at least
60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed
hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and practice
social distancing by keeping at least 6 feet away from others
if you must go out in public.
• Wear a cloth face covering to cover your mouth and nose
when around others and when you must go out in public.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when coughing or
sneezing and throw the tissue away after use. If a tissue is-
n’t available, cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve, not
your hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This
includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, handles, desks,
computers, phones, keyboards, sinks, toilets, fau-
cets and countertops.
Stay safe & Healthy!!!You can also read
