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News | News Archive | Spring 2001
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Graham Bennett, President |
We can all be proud of Year 2000, not only in profit sharing, but in our accomplishments. As an entire team, we reached the next level of performance that will prepare us to battle successfully when times are not as good. Most good companies fail when they become lazy and complacent or “fat and happy” in good times and lose their competitive spirit. What makes us different? First, we need to realize that there is a distinct difference between good companies and great companies. Great companies are built on a strong foundation. They strive for operational excellence, regardless of good or bad times. Our foundation is our Core Ideology that was born in 1929, and more importantly, has been lived by our fellow employees since that time. Never underestimate the power of that commitment to live genuinely by our Core Ideology. We must be challenged by it daily for it to dominate our day-to-day operations. |
What is our Vision and Mission? I dare say we are less familiar with this than the four points in our Core Ideology. The analogy has often been used that our Core Ideology is the vehicle that will take us where we need to go, and the Vision and Mission is our road map. You can have a strong heritage of doing what is right and still not be successful unless you know where you want to go. Therefore, we will grow and develop our business by combining our Core Ideology with our Vision and Mission and strictly adhering to both.
Let’s examine 4 key points in our Vision and Mission statement:
- STRIVE FOR OPERATIONAL EXCELLENCE –
This simple statement means setting the highest possible standard and “to be better today than yesterday.” This can be achieved by having the healthy impatience of never being complacent, by always being aggressive and ready to be entrepreneurial in embracing change, not fearing it. - TRAIN –
If you examine your own training program, 75% should be spent on attitude and teaching our culture and only 25%, at best, should be spent on teaching skill sets to do the job. Training begins in the interview process and never ends. We must realize that training has no beginning and no end. We are probably the most vulnerable in this area, and I challenge each of you to help us improve upon our current approach. - EMPOWER –
This is probably the hardest area for the “ties” group to stay committed. But, it is the only way for us to reach our level of operational excellence and for our fellow employees to reach their potential. The “owner operator” spirit is alive and well, and the “ties” have worked hard to bring a team spirit, owner/operator mentality to our operations. The bottom line is simple: as individuals we cannot accomplish our vision, but collectively as a team the potential is limitless. - MOTIVATE –
I enjoy coming to work at Quality Oil Company each and every day (some days more than others) and I have never regretted being a part of Quality Oil Company. The level of a company’s success is in direct proportion to the morale of the entire team. Striving for operational excellence puts strains on morale. When coupled with tough times, it becomes an exhausting task. Each and every one of us needs to feel appreciated and challenged and to know that our fellow employees and company acknowledge our worth.
An operational excellence company does everything better than their competitors, but there is always one thing that stands out to make them unique. Ours is our exceptional customer service. If we accept change and revamp with a vengeance, our training, empowerment, and motivation, our exceptional customer “WOW” service will be at a level that none can touch. For the last several years in this tough operational environment, most companies have been putting out fires just trying to keep their heads above water. The challenging news is that we must raise the level to survive. The good news is that Quality Oil Company is capable and ready to accomplish this in year 2001.
We will do it together!
—— Graham Bennett
Quality... Our History, Part VII (1929-2000)
Danville Gas House #1 |
"A Gas... What?"by Tracy H. Harmon This is a question that I am often asked when describing the Gas House division of Quality Oil Company. The idea that an employee actually lives where he works generates interest to the point that I usually end up giving a brief history of how the Gas House came to be and the motivation behind this unique idea. So for those of you who have often wondered, “What in the world is a Gas House, and where did they come from?” Here goes: |
In the early 1970’s, Quality desired to build an independent station, one that did not bear the Shell logo. This endeavor would enable the company to gain a broader understanding of gasoline marketing. Quality realized that this decision might not be popular with the national petroleum company and therefore decided to open the independent station as something a bit different from the traditional facility.
Quality had heard of a new concept that had been started by a small company in Georgia. This concept involved a structure that contained both a dwelling and an attached office where patrons drove up and paid after pumping their own gas. It was thought that families could work and live together in the same structure, making it a very profitable situation for both the company that owned the facility and the family that worked there.
In 1971, after much consideration, Quality opened its very first Gas House in Danville, Va. This venture proved to be a tremendous success and encouraged the company to build additional Gas Houses. Today, Quality owns and operates 27 Gas Houses throughout North Carolina and Virginia. It is one of a very few, if not the only company, that operates this type of facility in the United States. Quality salutes the managers, employees and supervisors of our unique and successful Gas House Division. These individuals have proven that hard work and dedication to a unique idea can lead to great rewards.
A Salute to... R. William Shelton “Mr. Bill”
By Wendy Levan & Danita Groseclose
R. William Shelton |
A distinguished looking Southern gentleman with a slow drawl and a quick smile has become a familiar sight that everyone around the administrative office has come to know and love. He was born July 19,1932 on a tobacco farm in Gretna, Va. – one of five children of Frank and Eva Simpson Shelton. Mr. Shelton attended Dan River High School and graduated in 1949. From 1951 through 1953, he worked with the New York Giants minor league baseball team, dealing with player contracts. On April 19, 1952, he married his high school sweetheart, Marie Layne, and moved to Camden, SC. There, he and a high school friend started the “Camden Citizen” newspaper. He thought starting the newspaper would be fun and interesting as well as a money maker. |
In May 1953, the Sheltons were blessed with the first of four children, a son Ben. Soon to follow were daughters Shannon, Susie, and Shelley. In 1954, the family relocated to Winston-Salem after selling the newspaper to a neighboring publisher.
Mr. Shelton and four partners started Southern Coal and Oil on 532 Northwest Blvd., Winston-Salem. The business was vital and profitable and merged with Wachovia Oil in 1982 to become Wachovia-Southern Oil Company. Mr. Shelton carried on and occupied the office of President.
In 1996, Wachovia-Southern Oil Company became part of the Quality Oil family, and Mr. Shelton, although semiretired, stayed on to become part of our Customer Service Department. More often than not, that is exactly where you will find him. He’s a self-proclaimed “part-timer” whom loyal customers affectionately deem “Mr. Bill”. He also finds time to manage rental property, volunteer as a Gideon, lead a Men’s Cancer Support Group at Forsyth Hospital, and maintain active memberships in the Jonestown Civic Club and Calvary Baptist Church. Traveling has become a large part of his life. Along with regular trips to visit their children and grandchildren in various other cities, the Sheltons have also made mission trips. The most recent was in June 2000 to Belgium and London.
Mr. Shelton is a prominent figure in our community and in our hearts. The next time you are out this way, stop by his office and say “Hello”!
Employee News & Congratulations
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Congratulations Patty Bradsher Patty, our Manager at Burlington Gas House, recently received a Beautification Award from the City of Burlington, NC. She also received the Customer Service award and Excellent Image award at Quality’s last annual Gas House manager’s meeting. Patty has operated this facility for over two years. Thanks, Patty for a great job. |
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Eugene Crews Retires After fifteen years of dedicated service to the Quality Oil Company Paint and Sign department, Eugene Crews retired at the end of 2000. But, we haven’t seen the last of him yet! Gene plans to work part-time for Quality Oil Company and for individuals as well. Gene says that he looks forward to having some time to hunt and fish. And for those of you who don’t know, Gene grows the best vegetables around – and lots of them. Congratulations Gene! |
Employee Service Awards
| November 2000 | |
| Carlton Binns | 5 years Quality Mart #29 |
| Margaret Brown | 5 years Quality Mart #37 |
| Mae Luffman | 5 years Accounting |
| Margaret Gallagher | 15 years Quality Mart #6 |
| Ray Clifton | 30 years Reliable/ Winston-Salem |
| December 2000 | |
| Gray Fowler | 40 years Administrative/ Statesville |
| Andy Sayles | 20 years Administrative/ Winston-Salem |
| March 2001 | |
| Jim Slate | 45 years Administrative/ Winston-Salem |
Net Surfing
By Melynda Waller
As we are learning to surf the net, we come to realize that we do not
have just a typewriter in our home, but the world’s largest
cookbook and encyclopedia. I still have two sets of
encyclopedias and 20 cookbooks, but I can turn
pages faster on the Internet. Whether I am looking up an apple
crisp, or a venison recipe or studying the history of the sump
pump, I have it all at my fingertips. Some sites are easier to surf
than others, so here are a few I have enjoyed visiting.
- www.oldgas.com - I enjoyed this link, and got a nice surprise when I typed “Shell” in the search area. This is a link that leads to others where you may find that you own a piece of history or that the old gas can in the garage is now an antique.
- www.allrecipes.com - Whether you are looking for the recipes Grandma made or a quick-fix, one-dish meal, this is a great spot. You just type the food you want to cook in the search area, and wow... the recipes you’ll find. I typed in deer meat, and to my surprise, found over a hundred venison recipes, from steak to deer jerky.
Coming soon, our very own www.qualityoilnc.com.
Mission to South Africa
By Annette Wagoner
In March 1991, I had the privilege of serving on a three–week, nine–member
Christian mission team to Transki, South Africa. Our goal was to plant a
church. We worked in the village of Ntafufu with the Anapondo tribe of the
Xhosta people. This tribe worships their ancestors, spirits and idols. Witchcraft
is a part of everyday life. At birth, members of the different tribes are
marked with razor cuts to their face. The pattern of the scars indicates which
tribe they belong to.
Our team worked eighteen hours a day in 120 degree heat. We camped in bamboo and straw huts at the base of the mountain at the point where the Ntafufu river runs into the Indian Ocean. We traveled 45 minutes by truck each day to the top of the mountain to reach the villages. We were met all along the road by children. Most had never seen a truck. Since they had never seen people of any color besides black, they would touch our hands to see if the color would rub off on them.
During the day, we hiked through the mountains and visited people in their homes. The people live in mud huts without electricity or running water. Cooking is done outside on open fires. They eat whatever can be gath-ered, grown or caught. Water comes from rain gutters or the river. We were always offered anything that they had, and no matter what it was, we were required to eat it. We did not want to offend them in any way.
The afternoons were spent teaching skills, ranging from sewing to hygiene. At
night, we held tent meetings. In the evenings when we got to the tent there
were a few people waiting on us. When darkness fell, people came from all
directions out of the mountains. We had 300 – 400 people (and usually a few cows
and dogs) at every service. When the meeting was over, they
disappeared back into the mountains as quickly as
they had appeared. We stood on the top of the
mountain and listened after they left. They sang
as they walked home. In the total darkness, we
could hear voices echo. We were surrounded by
stars and song. Words can’t describe how
beautiful it was.
By the end of our time there, we were able to obtain a land grant from the tribal chief. With that done, we returned to the United States to begin the next phase. We shared memories of our trip with churches of every denomination and with civic groups. With the donations we received from them, as well as groups in South Africa, we began construction of the church. It was to be a one room, cinder block building with a tin roof.
In August 2000, our mission team went back to South Africa. We spent a week painting, cleaning, building pews, and finishing the construction of the church. On August 13, the ribbon was cut and the church was dedicated. It was a joyous occasion for the Anopondo people and for us as well. I am honored and humbled to have been a part of it.
Growing Again
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Quality Mart #43, at 2007 Presidential Drive in Durham, NC, opened in December 2000. It is the latest design in the ever-changing world of convenience stores. Its new features include separate alcoves for coffee and fountain beverages, hardwood floors, and an expanded cooler area. This store also has six pump islands instead of four. The biggest change is our interior graphics package, which conveys a warm and open atmosphere. District Supervisor Jimmy Sutton extends an invitation to stop by and visit him and the staff of Quality Mart #43. |
RIGHT-A-WAY Program Returning
By Danny Brown
The Right-A-Way (RAW) program will be returning to all
Quality Oil Company auto service facilities in the very near future. This
concept is not new to Quality Oil. Most stations had a similar program
10 or 15 years ago, but it has been phased out since that time.
The most basic auto service is the oil change, and it should be done on a regular schedule every 3000 to 5000 miles. Many of our dealers have experienced a dramatic decline in the number of customers returning to their facilities for this service.
In surveys taken from customers at quick lube facilities around the nation, most have stated they don’t use their local stations for oil changes anymore because they do not have time to wait or the level of service is not what they expected. According to a survey of quick lube franchise owners taken by the National Oil and Lube News, most operators are planning to increase the number of locations in the future to meet with customer demands.
Quality Oil Company is going to help its dealers recoup some of this service business from the competition by investing co-operatively in a new service bay look and bringing back an improved RAW program. The most important factor for making this program successful is a total commitment by the Dealer to designate a bay for oil changes and maintain a customer service level far superior to any of the competition.
We are excited about the changes happening at the Quality Oil service centers and are looking forward to having all of them converted in 2001. When your vehicle needs servicing, stop by one of our special oil change service bays for great service at a great price – done “Right-A-Way”.
Dealer Corner
Howdy, Howdy, Howdy and Welcome to our Quality Oil Family
WELCOME to the newest members of our Quality Oil family.
- Phillip Hutchens and Tammy Byrd of Siloam, NC. who are the new dealers at 52 & 8 Shell in Winston Salem. Phillip comes to us after spending 19 years with Douglas Battery. He is an excellent technician, specializing in electrical systems repair.
- We would also like to welcome Tommy and Lynn Forehand, the new dealers at Edenton Shell in Edenton, NC. Tommy is native to the Edenton area and previously owned and operated Forehand’s Tire Service.
All of us at Quality Oil Company wish you the best in your new business ventures.
2000 Symbol of Excellence Award Winners
The Symbol of Excellence Award is presented to the top Hampton Inn and Hampton Inn & Suites hotels as selected by Inn guests for consistently providing superior accommodations, service and hospitality. All four of Quality Oil Company Hampton Inn hotels received this honor for 2000. They are the BEST OF THE BEST. Congratulations to the:
| Hampton Inn | Hanes Mall Winston-Salem |
| Hampton Inn | I-26 Harbison Columbia |
| Hampton Inn | Christiansburg/Blacksburg |
| Hampton Inn & Suites | Raleigh/Cary |
Qaward - Hotel Award of the Quarter
The Quality Oil Hotel Division is proud to announce our first
winner of the “Operational Excellence” award. Called the “Q” award, it is given quarterly to the hotel with the highest cumulative score in several
measures, including franchise inspection scores, cost management, timely reporting, trip
reports and “Secret Shopper” scores. The race for the award has been a hard fought
battle with the lead changing hands several times. When all scores were tallied, Kathy
Wheeler and staff of the Hampton Inn Christiansburg, Va. won the 4th quarter award.
The Hampton Inn Colombia, S.C. came in a close second.
When interviewed by phone, Scott Stryon, General Manager at the Columbia property, was quoted as saying “Enjoy it while you can because the ‘Q’ is coming to Columbia next.” Don Baker, General Manager Hampton Inn, Winston-Salem, could not be reached for comment.
Spirit of Achievement Award
The 2000 Spirit of Achievement Award was presented to the Sleep Inn Hanes Mall during the Choice Hotels annual convention in New Orleans. The award recognizes outstanding performance in customer service. We would like to say WAY TO GO SLEEP INN, you are definitely Better Today Than Yesterday.
The Christmas Cheer Toy Shop
By Tina Watson
Several years ago, employees began considering ideas for doing something to brighten someone else’s holiday. After tossing around a few ideas we came up with a plan that has now been in effect for 5 years.
The Christmas Cheer Toy Shop, a United Way agency, works with the daycare assisted program that helps children in single parent homes. To be in this program, the parent is required to work but cannot make over a certain amount of money.
Working through the Toy Shop we received a list of children’s names, sizes, ages, and toys that they prefer. We purchased one toy and one article of clothing for each child.
Over the years, we have been most impressed by the people who run the daycare programs these children attend. They go above and beyond the call of duty. A retired public school teacher who runs the “Little Red School House” was one whose efforts seemed exceptional. She believes that under privileged children are not given equal opportunities in preschool. So she has become that opportunity, teaching them computers and a full preschool curriculum. She occasionally takes children home with her when a parent doesn’t show up. She gives them a bath, washes their clothes, and brings them back to school the next day.
I hope we can continue to be part of this program or another worth while cause. It gives you a good feeling to know that you may have touched someone’s life as much as they touched yours.
Ringing in 2001
By Jamie Westmoreland
Bringing in the New Year was a whole new experience for our Fuel Oil and Burner Service Department. January marked the change over to a brand new telephone system.
Keeping in touch with our customers is a challenge. This system will allow the department to work together to help accommodate all incoming lines, which will make our service quicker and more efficient. We have added more lines and more effective ways to give Quality service. When a telephone call is received for fuel oil and burner service, it is transferred into a separate network. This allows the next available representative to take the next call, whether it is a fuel oil order, a service call or even an opportunity to answer questions.
We are a growing company, always willing to improve our response to the needs of our customers. Being in touch tomorrow means keeping in touch today.
Tidbits
How To Find Happiness
Everybody, everywhere seeks happiness, it’s true.
But finding it and keeping it seems difficult to do.
Difficult because we think that happiness is found
Only in the places where wealth and fame abound –
And so we go on searching in “palaces of pleasure”
Seeking recognition and monetary treasure.
Unaware that happiness is just a “state of mind”
Within the reach of everyone who takes time to be kind
For in making others happy we will be happy, too.
For the happiness you give away returns to “shine on you.”
—— Helen Steiner Rice
I have learned that...
... the best classroom in the world is at the feet of
an elderly person.
... a smile is an inexpensive way to improve one’s looks.
... opportunities are never lost; someone else will take the ones you miss.
... when you harbor bitterness... happiness will dock elsewhere.