“It’s not about the mistakes you make, it’s what you do to fix them,” said Lisa Dell’Alba, President and CEO of Square One Markets, during her interview for The Drive: Chapter Four, releasing next week.
She made that statement while bringing up an awkward moment that would help redefine her family’s decades-long relationship with Gilbarco Veeder-Root. More on that story in a moment.
Square One Markets is made up of seven convenience stores around Allentown, Pennsylvania, about 60 miles north of Philadelphia. We went there to check out her operation for the next installment of our video series highlighting successful c-store operations, big and small.
After her father passed, Lisa took the reins of the business and is now set on growing his legacy.
Lisa’s father, Gary Dell’Alba, was a life-long Gilbarco customer, and a no-nonsense businessman. If something was wrong, he let you know – and did he ever let our Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Chris Whitley know.
Here’s how Lisa remembers it:
So why publicize a story about an unhappy customer? Because the result is a testament to who Gilbarco is as a company. It embodies our customer-obsessed mentality and demonstrates our commitment to, not just being a cutting-edge manufacturer, but a true partner.
Passport POS is the heartbeat of a retail fuel operation and we know there is no time for downtime. Our customers’ successes are our successes and our failures become our customers’ failures – and we take that seriously.
Next week, when Chapter Four launches on The Drive, you’ll see the story of a small network retailer who knows how to get the job done. As a member of NACS’ Executive Board, Lisa has become a leader in a male-dominated industry. You’ll see the mental toughness it takes to rise up and be a trusted advocate for c-store operators across the country.
Gilbarco solutions have become a mainstay for the largest brands around the world, but small network retailers, like Square One, also understand the value, and Chapter Four will show how she takes advantage.
Lisa is a dynamic person. She’s a business owner, a black belt martial artist, a weightlifter, but equally as importantly she is a daughter, a wife, a mother and a role model. And while her stores and her story are unique, she’s a wealth of information that any c-store operator could learn from.
You’ll see, next week.
As for that weightlifting challenge mentioned in the video above, Lisa says, “Your move, Mr. Whitley.”