Parker’s convenience stores president and CEO Greg Parker believes in the power of giving back.
“We live in an age of empathy,” he told an audience of about 100 people Wednesday at the Savannah Downtown Business Association’s monthly luncheon at The Lady and Sons restaurant.
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“The companies that are really succeeding are the companies that are giving back,” he said.
Parker discussed the different ways his company supports the communities where he owns and operates convenience stores.
One program donates 1 cent from every gallon of gas sold at all 30 Parker’s locations on the first Wednesday of each month to area schools and donates gas cards to help defray transportation costs for residents who need chemotherapy and other medical treatments at Memorial University Medical Center.
The company’s PumpPal program saves customers up to 10 cents a gallon on gas by using a special Parker’s-issued debit card.
It has 60,000 members who have saved $2.7 million since the program launched in 2011, he said.
“Owning a successful business isn’t just about making money,” Parker said. “It’s about delivering a quality experience to customers and making a positive difference in the city we’re all proud to call home.”
Parker said the keys to his success include connecting with customers, exploring new technology, encouraging teamwork, cultivating customer loyalty and giving back to the community.
He emphasized the need for local businesses to develop an emotional connection with their customer base.
“You have to understand who your customer is,” he said.
“At Parker’s, we focus our attention on the working mother, because she’s the hardest to please and is constantly multi-tasking.
“We design our stores to be safe, clean and well-lit. We focus on reducing the time spent at the check-out counter.
“If you get the working mother, we think you get everyone else in the process,” he said.
Parker’s has 350 employees and conducts more than 70,000 transactions a day.
“I think Savannah is the greatest city in the South to do business,” said Parker, who was recently named chairman of Mayor Edna Jackson’s business roundtable.
“Gov. (Nathan) Deal wants to make Georgia the best state in the country to do business. We want to make Savannah the best city in the best state to do business.”