Dive: Foundations for C-Store Sales Associates

Hosted by C-Store Center

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Jun 2026

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About the show

This podcast provides practical training for convenience store sales associates. Each episode covers real situations that new employees face during a shift, including customer service, merchandising, inventory, safety, and day-to-day store operations. Many stores do not have time to train employees properly. Dive helps close that gap by explaining how convenience stores actually work and how associates can become more confident and effective on the job. If you are new to the convenience store industry or want to improve your skills behind the counter, this podcast will help you understand the work, the expectations, and the small habits that lead to success in a busy store.

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60 recent

June 13, 2026Episode 907 min

RETAIL MERCHANDISING EXECUTION (MAXIMIZING REVENUE THROUGH EYE-LEVEL PRODUCT PLACEMENT)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Retail Merchandising Execution: Maximizing Revenue Through Eye-Level Product Placement (Episode 90) Episode Description: "By placing the highest-demand product outside the immediate visual field of the customer, you guaranteed that the facility lost the premium revenue." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must actively protect the prime vertical space on the retail shelves and elevate high-margin products to eye level.What You Will Learn:Mike's Professional Background: Why placing premium products on the bottom shelf completely destroys the transaction value of the customer visit.The Visual Scanning Process: How consumers execute rapid visual scans between four and five feet off the floor, and why they ignore products that require physical effort to reach.The Vertical Alignment Protocol: The exact physical procedure for identifying low-margin items in prime spaces and requesting a merchandising correction.The Continuous Fronting Protocol: Why placing an item on the correct shelf is useless if the product is pushed to the back, and how to maintain the front edge alignment.Resources & Links:Download the Visual Merchandising Execution Checklist: Text the code word DIVE90 to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.The P&L Podcast: Season One is complete and ready to binge. Search for The P&L Podcast on your favorite platform or Listen Here.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 91.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

June 6, 2026Episode 895 min

INVENTORY AVAILABILITY (DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN HIGH SALES VOLUME AND INACCURATE VENDOR ORDERS)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Inventory Availability: Differentiating Between High Sales Volume and Inaccurate Vendor Orders (Episode 89) Episode Description: "The item has been completely out of stock for four consecutive days because the vendor failed to deliver the correct quantity, and you completely failed to report the empty shelf to your management team." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must actively identify completely empty price tags and provide the specific barcodes to the management team to correct vendor orders.What You Will Learn:Mike's Professional Background: Why telling a customer an item is sold out is usually a false excuse for a severe breakdown in operational communication.The Visual Auditor: Why frontline employees must stop ignoring empty shelf space and start actively hunting for zero-balance inventory.The Verification Protocol: The exact physical procedure for checking the back storage room before determining an item is truly missing from the facility.The Barcode Documentation: How to physically record the exact twelve-digit barcode and hand the data to your shift leader to guarantee the product is ordered.Resources & Links:Download the Inventory Availability Identification Checklist: Text the code word DIVE89 to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.The P&L Podcast: Season One is complete and ready to binge. Search for The P&L Podcast on your favorite platform or Listen Here.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 90.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

May 30, 2026Episode 885 min

FOOD SERVICE EXECUTION (MAINTAINING TEMPERATURE PROTOCOLS AND DISCARD TIMERS)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Food Service Execution: Maintaining Temperature Protocols and Discard Timers (Episode 88) Episode Description: "By selling an expired product, you completely violated standard health protocols, you permanently destroyed the physical quality of the food, and you risked a severe illness for the consumer." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must strictly enforce discard timers and immediately remove expired food from the sales floor to protect the physical health of the customer.What You Will Learn:Mike's Professional Background: Why treating the hot food section as a secondary priority creates a massive physical liability for the store.The Temporary Holding Zone: Why the heating equipment is not a permanent storage unit and how extended heat completely destroys the quality of the food.The Timer Intervention: The exact physical procedure for pausing the transaction line to remove expired items the exact minute the timer flashes.The Waste Documentation: Why you must physically record the discarded items on the waste log instead of leaving them on the shelf to save money.Resources & Links:Download the Food Safety Execution Checklist: Text the code word DIVE88 to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 89.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

May 23, 2026Episode 875 min

EXTERIOR FACILITY MANAGEMENT (MAINTAINING THE FUEL PUMPS AND EXTERIOR PATHWAY)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Exterior Facility Management: Maintaining the Fuel Pumps and Exterior Pathway (Episode 87) Episode Description: "You just lost a highly profitable interior transaction because you failed to manage the physical exterior of your facility." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must abandon the cash register every hour to systematically service the fuel pumps and drive consumer traffic inside the building.What You Will Learn:Mike's Professional Background: Why ignoring the physical fuel pumps completely destroys your interior retail sales.The Customer Journey: Why the transaction actually begins the moment the vehicle stops at the dispenser, not when they enter the front doors.The Friction Points: How empty receipt paper and dry squeegee buckets actively repel customers and cause them to leave the property.The Hourly Sweep Protocol: The exact physical supplies you must take outside to proactively eliminate hazards before the customer experiences a failure.Resources & Links:Download the Exterior Facility Maintenance Checklist: Text the code word DIVE87 to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 88.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

May 16, 2026Episode 866 min

THE OPERATIONAL INSPECTION (EVALUATING THE FACILITY FROM THE CUSTOMER PERSPECTIVE)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: The Operational Inspection: Evaluating the Facility from the Customer Perspective (Episode 86) Episode Description: "Because you only evaluated the three feet of space surrounding your cash register, you missed a severe operational failure." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must stop ignoring the physical sales floor and start walking the exact path of the customer to identify physical hazards before their shift begins.What You Will Learn:Mike's Professional Background: How transitioning away from the cash register completely changed Mike's ability to identify operational failures.The Radius Error: Why cleaning only your immediate work area creates a false sense of security while the rest of the store collapses.The Customer Path: The exact physical route you must walk prior to clocking in, starting at the fuel pumps and ending at the public restrooms.The Pre-Shift Correction: How identifying and fixing sticky counters and empty receipt paper prevents customer complaints during your actual shift.Resources & Links:Download the Shift Arrival Inspection Checklist: Text the code word INSPECT to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 87.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

May 9, 2026Episode 855 min

INVENTORY DISCREPANCIES (MAINTAINING PHYSICAL COUNT ACCURACY)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Inventory Discrepancies: Maintaining Physical Count Accuracy (Episode 85) Episode Description: "By scanning one barcode to represent three different items, you just destroyed the accuracy of your store's physical inventory system." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must completely avoid using the quantity key for mixed flavors and physically scan every individual barcode to protect the store's automated replenishment orders.What You Will Learn:The P&L Podcast: A special announcement regarding Episode Two of the new financial training series.The Data Terminal: Why the cash register is actually an inventory management tool, not just a financial calculator.The Quantity Key Error: How scanning one item multiple times to save three seconds creates massive overstock and out-of-stock issues in the back room.The Verification Protocol: The strict physical procedure every cashier must implement to guarantee the computer data matches the physical products leaving the building.Resources & Links:The P&L Podcast: Subscribe for free. The link is available at app.hiro.fm/channel/the-p-l-podcast.Download the Cashier Inventory Protection Checklist: Text the code word BARCODE to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 86.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

May 1, 2026Episode 845 min

THE OPERATIONAL UPSELL (SUGGESTING ITEMS WITH NATURAL PHRASING)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: The Operational Upsell: Suggesting Items with Natural Phrasing (Episode 84) Episode Description: "You failed to increase the transaction amount because you relied on a mechanical script instead of using situational awareness." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must stop reciting forced promotional scripts and start suggesting complementary items using natural, conversational language to increase their transaction totals.What You Will Learn:The P&L Podcast: A special announcement regarding the official launch of a new financial training resource for the convenience store industry.The Mechanical Error: Why asking every single customer the exact same promotional question results in awkward interactions and low sales conversions.Situational Suggestion: How to physically analyze the items on the checkout counter to identify highly probable customer needs.Natural Phrasing: Specific verbal examples of how to suggest water with salty snacks or pastries with morning coffee without sounding forced.Resources & Links:The P&L Podcast: Subscribe for free at app.hiro.fm/channel/the-p-l-podcast.Download the Situational Suggestion Matrix: Text the code word NATURAL to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 85.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

April 25, 2026Episode 835 min

THE MORNING RUSH COMMAND CENTER (PREPARING FOR PEAK VOLUME)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: The Morning Rush Command Center: Preparing for Peak Volume (Episode 83) Episode Description: "You just lost a massive amount of high-margin revenue because you failed to prepare the physical station before the customer volume arrived." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must aggressively pre-stage their coffee bar inventory to survive the morning rush without leaving the cash register.What You Will Learn:The Deficit Error: Why brewing coffee only after the pot is empty guarantees a failure during peak morning hours.The Staging Protocol: How to correctly stage backup cups, filters, and creamers so you can reload the station in three seconds.The Double-Bag Technique: A specific operational technique to manage overflowing trash cans without leaving the sales floor.The P&L Podcast: A new resource announcement for employees looking to advance their careers.Resources & Links:Download the Coffee Station Pre-Rush Checklist: Text the code word BREW to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 84.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

April 18, 2026Episode 825 min

EPISODE 82: Q1 RECAP & THE "SURVIVE" PREVIEW (REVIEWING THE SCOREBOARD)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: Q1 Recap & The "Survive" Preview: Reviewing the Scoreboard (Episode 82) Episode Description: "Your physical labor on the sales floor was excellent, but your operational data is heavily flawed." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains why sales associates must review their individual point-of-sale data to accurately evaluate their Quarter One performance and prepare for the Assistant Manager role.What You Will Learn:The Data Reality: Why physical effort alone will not guarantee a positive performance review from your Store Manager.The Cashier Report: How to read your individual register data to identify your line voids, error corrects, and cash shortages.The Survive Preview: Why transitioning to the Assistant Manager position requires you to understand the financial data for the entire store shift.The Metric Audit: How to ask your Store Manager for your performance report and target your weakest numerical metric.Resources & Links:Sponsor: Explore the world of Johnny Mecuerdo at johnnymecuerdo.com.Download the Quarterly Data Review Sheet: Text the code word RECAP to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 83.Watch the Channel: Check out the YouTube channel and subscribe at @cStoreCenter.

April 11, 2026Episode 814 min

THE "DIVE" GRADUATION (MASTERING THE BASICS)

SHOW NOTES (DIVE VERSION)Episode Title: The "Dive" Graduation: Mastering the Basics (Episode 81) Episode Description: "Doing your job quickly simply means you are a proficient sales associate. It does not mean you are a leader." In this episode of Dive, Mike Hernandez explains the critical difference between completing your daily physical tasks and demonstrating the leadership skills required to earn a promotion to Assistant Manager.What You Will Learn:The Speed Miscalculation: Why being the fastest person on the register will not guarantee you a management promotion.The True Test of Leadership: Mike explains why the ability to teach others without frustration is the actual requirement for advancement.The Peer Instruction Method: The exact step-by-step process for stopping your own work to instruct a struggling coworker on a difficult transaction.The Mental Shift: How to transition your focus from individual task completion to elevating the performance of the entire shift.Resources & Links:Download the Leadership Readiness Checklist: Text the code word READY to 9 5 6 - 8 9 7 - 9 1 9 2.Recommended Listen: Survive: Episode 82.