Given all the disruption we have faced in 2020, it’s essential to keep our industry moving forward,” said NACS President and CEO Henry Armour in August, when he announced a new virtual experience in place of the in-person NACS Show this fall. We will invest in “new platforms … to support our industry’s pressing need to stay connected and to bring our community together until we are able to resume in-person events,” he continued.
That virtual experience became the Crack the Code Experience, which launched in September. The digital experience embraces the three most important elements of the in-person NACS Show—education, new products and retailer-supplier connections—and incorporates them into innovative digital anytime-access tools and content. “We know that we can’t simply transfer the live, in-person experience of the NACS Show to a virtual offer. Instead, we are replicating the elements that can deliver the most value in a digital environment,” said Armour.
The virtual experience—available November 2 through December 4—will include on-demand education with real-time interactions, a virtual product showcase and direct appointment settings—all designed to fit a busy schedule. “We’ve been inspired by positive stories about how our industry has innovated to adapt to quickly changing times. We look forward to continuing this momentum with the Crack the Code Experience so we can do even more together, sharing ideas and finding new solutions to our current environment that requires constant new pivots,” said Armour.
The five-week digital experience and curated marketplace connects convenience retail buyers and sellers from around the globe with 24/7 access to forward-looking ideas and insights, innovative new-to-channel products and strategic connections.
Long-Term Capability Building
Businesses can’t afford to put capability building on hold. Whether the effort is reskilling at the business-unit level or a company-wide aspirational transformation, you can’t push pause on critical workplace learning, Now, more than ever, you need to get smarter faster.
More than 45 education sessions will debut over the five weeks of the Crack the Code Experience, eventually available for on-demand viewing—and reviewing—to capture all the learnings. Interactive Q&As with speakers, live polls and small group sessions ensure that a community of learners not only benefits from speaker insights but also uncovers insights and input from their peers.
Some topics you can look forward to viewing include:
- Automaker Predictions for the EV Market
- Forging a Path for Women Leaders
- Cannabis in the Age of COVID-19
- Strategies of Category Management Superstars
- Winning Dollars from Dollar Stores
- Motivating and Protecting Your Front Line
- Reimagining Loyalty
- Calculating the ROI of Foodservice
And of course, many more topics to be unearthed as you explore the Crack the Code Experience.
Registration Includes:
Entry to hundreds of showrooms from big-name brands and new exhibitors, enabled with in-app appointment setting, team collaboration and wish-list creation, product photos, chat functions, RFQs (request for quotes), virtual demos and sample requests.
An interactive Cool New Products Showcase. If you’re looking for trends and new products visit the Cool New Products Showcase, organized in the same product categories you’re used to seeing at the NACS Show: Facility Operations; Foodservice; Fuel Equipment & Services; Merchandise, Candy & Snacks and Technology. Attendees can search showrooms and categories, save products to a favorites or wish list, and get a daily glimpse of the top 10 most popular products in the showcase.
Participation in five spotlight sessions presenting big picture themes. Spotlight sessions with high-level speakers and relevant themes will focus on critical industry issues:
- Disruption/Navigating Change, featuring Corinne Hancock, How to Thrive in Chaos
- World-Class Ideas
- Essential Strategies for Essential Businesses, featuring Kevin Brown, The Hero Effect
- Cultivating a Community Hub
- Strategic Planning for 2021 and Beyond
For more information on the spotlight sessions, see the sidebar below, titled Spotlight Sessions.
Access to 45+ on-demand education sessions. These sessions share insights on key topics, such as the future of mobility, technology trends, new product categories like CBD and how customer service expectations have evolved in the age of COVID-19. Many sessions have been translated into multiple languages for access by our global retailers.
Fun, Engaging Activities. And of course, the fun and engagement that is a signature of NACS events will still be found during the Crack the Code Experience: treasure hunts, trivia contests, hangouts and meetups, all organized to allow for interaction and networking with your peers from around the globe, either in small group connections or larger community digital gatherings.
Spotlight Sessions
During the Crack the Code Experience, spotlight sessions shine a light on critical themes faced by the convenience industry. Each week, your host introduces speakers and concepts that will aid you in navigating the new realities faced by convenience.
November 2-6, 2020
Disruption/Navigating Chaos
There is no question that the pandemic has affected every aspect of life, including retail. Short-term, retailers pivoted to reinvent themselves and the very nature of convenience, while also looking at long-term opportunities and challenges.
Host: Julie Jackowski, NACS 2019-20 chairman and senior vice president and corporate counsel, Casey’s
November 9-13, 2020
World-Class Ideas
The future of convenience is already here, with global operators innovating new offers to address evolving consumer demand. These global ideas and trends from around the world could be coming to stores around the corner.
Host: Mark Wohltmann, director of NACS Europe
November 16-20, 2020
Essential Strategies for Essential Businesses
By any definition, convenience stores are essential businesses. Retailers must examine a variety of issues to continue to be essential businesses in the customer’s mind, both in employee relations and community relations.
Host: Lori Stillman, NACS vice president of Research
November 23-27, 2020
Cultivating a Community Hub
The convenience retailing industry contributes more than $1 billion a year to community groups. This community spirit is even more important in today’s climate, and it’s equally important to tell that story.
Host: Kevin Smartt, NACS 2020-21 chairman and CEO and president, Kwik Chek Food Stores
November 30 – December 4, 2020
Strategic Planning for 2021 and Beyond
Scenario planning and strategic plans are critical to preparing well for the next disruption—whether it comes from a global pandemic or a new form of competition that seeks to redefine convenience.
Host: Henry O. Armour, NACS president and CEO
Convenience is changing. Now—more than ever—great ideas, winning products and connections matter. And since we can’t get together in person this year, here’s the next best thing: The NACS 2020 Crack the Code Experience. What you love about our in-person NACS Show can still be found here: Meet suppliers. Discover cool new products. Discover fresh, profit-building ideas from convenience experts in spotlight sessions tailored to your needs to unlock your future.
The world is changing. What people are buying is changing, but the convenience industry has never been more essential. Thankfully, everything you’re looking for to build your bottom line is at the Crack the Code Experience. Keep up. Stay relevant. And join us online in November.