Given the surge in self-service stations and the growing importance of sustainability, the convenience industry must embark on new business ventures to survive.
Matthew Lane, general manager at Night 'n Day, has witnessed the rapidly evolving market. With five years of experience in his current position and thirteen years within the Night 'n Day support centre, he has accumulated a wealth of insider insight into the industry.
Matthew Lane
Customer experience remains at the forefront of Night 'n Day's core values. The company is motivated to enhance transactions and prides itself on being engaged with each store's local community.
Post-pandemic, more establishments offer self-service alternatives than ever before. As of 2024, Night 'n Day runs self-service checkouts in over 30 stores, and it plans to increase this further.
Lane identified a growing demand from not just consumers but also from staff to implement more self-service checkouts. By offering these at locations, there is a decrease in customer wait time and minimises the size of a line.
Despite the benefits of self-service, theft is still prevalent in convenience stores and grocery stores nationwide.
To combat this issue, Night 'n Day has positioned the self-service checkouts next to the main point of sale, with assistance readily available. Staff also control all the sales of higher-value items.
"Convenience is going strong. People value their time a lot more these days than they used to five or ten years ago," said Lane.
"While convenience can't be at the low price level that supermarkets can, they can provide a quick and efficient transaction process."
Lane identified a lift in the general quality of convenience, with Z, BP, and Four Square all investing in improving the industry. This shift in the landscape has transformed customers' convenience experience to be more efficient and positive.
Regarding sustainability, Night 'n Day has kept up to date with new regulations and ways to improve its waste management.
"Packaging is hard to minimise in the convenience industry because almost all of the food is takeaway," explained Lane.
"That being said, we have reduced the size of what is being used. Instead of having products go out in large bags, we have become more mindful about what size is necessary.
Night 'n Day has also explored the use of solar energy in the stores and what that would mean for the business's structure. They have had several discussions with solar providers, particularly in the petroleum area. This potential initiative will use renewable energy to minimise Night 'n Day's ecological footprint.
Alongside these ventures, Night 'n Day remains a key player within the community, valuing its outreach and personal connection with customers. It is the current sponsor of the Otago Nuggets, a New Zealand basketball team based in Dunedin.
"We are heavily invested with the team," said Lane.
"It's nice to be able to see basketball grow in Dunedin and Otago."
When asked what was vital for the future of the convenience industry, Lane said that staying up to date with technology and innovation was essential. He also said New Zealand will see a reduced convenience landscape, with one store servicing a wider area than it currently does.
The future of the convenience industry is rapidly changing, but Night 'n Day is ready to face any challenges head-on.
