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“20 Most Innovative Business Leaders To Watch In 2021,” focuses on the leaders who are redefining leadership in today’s world. An important contributor to this issue is the journey of Joe Hessling (Founder and CEO of 365 Retail Markets). His unique acumen and business vision have proven beneficial for the success of 365 Retail Markets. Expressing his thoughts on leadership, he explains, “Leadership to me is having the right leaders, in the right roles that can lead their teams. I enjoy collaborating with teams and departments but knowing that I can count on the department heads to lead their people and do a better job than I can, is important. I do find that it is necessary to change my leadership style based on personality and what the company needs. When we were small, it was more hands-on, helping in the day-to-day as we grow. I’m more in the mindset of guiding the direction of the company.”
A serial entrepreneur, Joe has founded, owned, and operated several companies in the past twenty-five years in areas ranging from Distribution, Managed Services, Restaurants, and other investments. He believes leadership means something different to everyone at 365; some people need a more hands-on approach; some need just someone to bounce ideas off of. Either way, finding the right balance is key to leading people and a company during incredible growth.
365 Retail Markets is the global leader in self-checkout workplace technology and offers the best-in-class platform for MicroMarkets, vending, foodservice and hospitality. Under Joe’s leadership, the company has been pioneering innovation since 2008.
In addition to offering the widest variety of self-pay, micro-markets, dining, vending, and OCS solutions on the market, 365 provides strategic business partnerships to operators and their customers with one-of-a-kind solutions to meet the changing needs at the locations and sites. Its POS innovations can be found in breakrooms or cafés of all shapes and sizes. The team at 365 takes pride in creating customizable solutions to meet the business’s unique needs.
Recently, 365 has acquired and merged with other leading industry companies—Company Kitchen, Stockwell, LightSpeed, Avanti—to ensure that its consumers have a complete holistic convenience experience. It offers many award-winning self-service options under one roof. 365 is constantly evolving and growing and look forward to more innovations.
Back in 2008, the initial idea for 365 was to be able to provide service, snacks, and products without the need or necessity of a cashier. Ever since, it has been enhancing consumer experiences and providing foodservice operators around the world with endless convenience opportunities. By innovating the vending industry and developing best-in-class self-service technologies, it has become the global leader in the MicroMarket Industry.
365 offers foodservice convenience technologies ranging from MicroMarkets to vending to mobile to dining to coolers and beyond. In September 2019, 365 acquired Company Kitchen, which expanded its leadership position, by enhancing self-service dining with CK’s premier customer engagement, dining, and self-service technologies. It has driven the self-service industry forward with new technology and new customers.
To further increasing the industry superiority and providing its partners with more convenient opportunities, 365 acquired Stockwell in August 2020. This acquisition provided 365 with Stockwell’s retail platform that focuses on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and computer vision.
In 2021, Lightspeed and Avanti became a part of the 365 family. Two industry leaders who provide operators with technologies and resources to continue to excel in the self-service industry. The combined resources will have rapid innovation and a focus on automation, product stability and security.
Today, 365 continues to be the global self-service convenience technology leader who not only provides the heart of thousands of operations but a partnership dedicated to operators and their success. The solutions will continue to become more tailored and cost-effective, yet most importantly, continue to be focused on the client’s needs.
365 offers the widest variety of self-service technologies and the only completely connected ecosystem, the 365 Connected Campus ℠. “We are more than the innovations that we create. 365 is your strategic business partner, providing you and your customers with one-of-a-kind solutions to meet the changing needs at your locations and sites,” says Joe. 365 is the one-stop-shop for all things convenience. It has the right industry leaders under one roof that are here to help bring success to the operators and bring the best convenience options to their consumers.
It’s the most recent innovation that is bringing a lot of excitement in the industry and has debuted at the biggest industry tradeshow, the NAMA/ CTW Show. The PicoMarket is the standalone self-service solution a part of the 365 PicoPlatform family. It brings convenience to smaller locations, can be added to OCS, or even as an additional touchpoint to streamline the checkout experience in larger markets. The PicoMarket is a grab-and-go solution that meets consumer’s on-the-go needs.
COVID-19 has laid a huge impact on both personal as well as professional lives. During the same time, Joe felt that at times people needed more support and assurance than they had in the past and other times really needed to be motivated in such an odd time. Throughout his career, he has been able to change course easily, see what he needs to do to help others, and this is also a strength he looks for in the leaders at 365.
The industry has endless opportunities to meet consumers’ self-service needs post COVID-19. Consumers need even quicker and safer ways to connect to foodservice wherever they may be. Joe and his team at 365 listen to what its operators and consumers need and create technologies and partnerships that meet their expectations. The pandemic has allowed everyone to reflect and reevaluate. Digital behaviors have forever changed the buying journey and consumers look for contactless and/or self-service experiences. Joe expresses, “At 365, we are passionate about ensuring consumers receive the best self-service experiences so, during the Covid-19 crisis, we made sure we were more aligned with our customers and consumers than ever before. We continued to partner with leading industry companies to provide a complete holistic self-service experience. We offer operators and the food service industry innovative solutions to grow their businesses everyday.”
Recently, 365 rolled out many technology innovations that provided consumers with the safety and more scan-and-pay capabilities that they were looking for, such as the launch of the 365 Pico Platform℠, additions to Touchless Transactions℠ , and just for operators, the 365Ops app.
The 365Pico Platform includes multiple convenience opportunities within one technology. The industry’s only self-service innovation that can be placed anywhere and everywhere you want to bring convenience to customers. The PicoPlatform transforms standard locations with a variety of checkout points.
PicoCooler— the cooler functionality of the platform— offers grab-and-go convenience that is controlled-access with high-tech coolers. The 365 PicoCooler offers more product versatility and a wider, healthier, snack and beverage selection.
PicoVend/PicoVend Mini— the vending functionality of the platform— offers an upgrade to traditional vending with two technologies: touchscreen vending peripheral that allows existing vending machines to accept a wide variety of payment options, including 365Pay.
PicoMarket— the standalone self-service solution of the platform—it’s flexible to fit any type or size location and a great way to get into unattended retail with lower startup costs.
The Touchless Transactions utilizing the 365Pay app offerings grew by the consumers’ demands for more contactless experiences with 365Dining OrderAhead with Lockers, Touchless Vending, and Touchless Coffee.
365Dining OrderAhead with Lockers streamlines customers’ mobile experiences with the contactless food delivery and pick-up stations with 365Lockers—innovative food locker technology that provides an easy and secure option to pick up orders, at the customers’ preferred time. It reduces face-to-face interaction creating a contactless dining experience.
Touchless Vending provides consumers with safer, worry-free vending all from their smartphone via the 365Pay app. This innovative touchless solution requires no connectivity setup, it works between the vending machine and the consumer’s phone via a simple Bluetooth connection.
Touchless Coffee is Powered by 365Beacon and BUNNlink®, a cloud-based solution with a wide variety of hot beverage solutions. The checkout process is three simple steps by connecting directly to the machine via 365Pay.
The 365Ops app is an operator’s on-the-go market management app that makes their day-to-day business easier. It gives them the power to go throughout their workday without leaving their sites- now all their market needs are a touch away.
The Global Self-service Kiosk Market is poised to grow by $ 2.97 bn during 2021-2025, progressing at a CAGR of almost 6% during the forecast period. At 365, we offer customer service, customer support, and innovation to help our customers grow. The goals are based on its operator’s goals and that is what sets 365 apart from others. Joe says, “We followed trends and created trends. We do research and test to ensure what we are offering is in fact what is needed for our industry and our consumers.” Further, he adds, “We will continue to revolutionize the industry by developing self-service innovations that exceed consumers’ needs and connect them to the conveniences of today and of the future. We also plan on continuing to partner with other industry leaders to ensure that our operators are set up for success.”
Joe Hessling became the New Chair of the NAMA Board of Directors recently.
Joe’s proven dedication to the convenience services industry and its success makes him an essential partner as chair,” said NAMA President and CEO Carla Balakgie. “His fearless and innovative mindset will be invaluable as we navigate the changing nature of our world. I can’t imagine a better time for the industry to benefit from his foresight and leadership.”
Hessling takes leadership as NAMA accelerates its efforts to help the industry transcend recovery from the pandemic and drive growth.
“I couldn’t be more excited about leading this great organization for the next year,” said Hessling. “I have seen many changes in my career within the industry and believe that we are now experiencing the most positive tailwinds that will solidify the convenience services industry for the long term.”
As a long-time supporter and partner to NAMA and The NAMA Foundation, Hessling was recognized as NAMA’s 2018 Industry Person of the Year and Ernst and Youngs 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year. Under his leadership, 365 Retail Markets was named among Crain’s Michigan Fast 50, one of the Inc. 5000 List of America’s Fastest-Growing Private Companies two years in a row. The company also earned both Automatic Merchandiser’s Reader’s Choice Product of the Year recognition and the NAMA Innovation Award.
