SAVANNAH, GA - NACS Vice Chairman Greg Parker, president and CEO of The Parker Cos., "makes success look easy," according to the Savannah Morning News, but as most retailers know, it takes a lot of hard work and dedication to find success. Parker also knows that he can??t do it without technology.

Parker told members of his local Small Business Chamber how his company "is using technology to position itself above the competition"

"I look at places like McDonald's as my main competition," Parker said, noting that small businesses, like his Parker??s convenience stores, can better compete by relying on data and analysis.

The newspaper notes that all of Parker??s convenience stores will have video terminals that ask customers to rate their experience, particularly the level of customer service.

"I invest heavily in people," Parker said. He created Parker University to teach store associates necessary skills such as food handling, lottery, transactions at the pump and taking money orders.

"You can teach happy people to be competent, but you can't teach competent people how to be happy," Parker told the group, adding, "You can have the perfect store, with the perfect lighting and landscape, but it won't mean anything without the perfect team."

The newspaper included some sage advice from Parker:

• Have a strategic planning process
• Develop the best team you can.
• Develop a philosophy you believe in
• Worship data.
• Have a great relationship with your banker.
• Reward customer loyalty.
• Learn how to learn. What you know now will be obsolete in a few years.
• Don't buy what you can't afford.
• Don't borrow what you can't pay back.
• Don't do deals you don't understand.
• Concentrate on one thing you want to do well and excel at it.