This article is brought to you by Franklin Electric.
Convenience stores are evolving beyond the one-size-fits-all approach for fuel management systems as they work towards meeting regulatory requirements, managing costs and filling cars faster, said Bill Gockman, senior global product manager at Franklin Electric.
In the convenience industry, no one store is the same—so there is no cure-all, magic system that can refine operations at every store, because not all solutions will work on an individual basis. However, solutions that allow for flexibility and customization empower retailers to craft a system built for their store and its needs. Effective fuel management is no longer just about compliance and efficiency, but also about enhancing the customer experience.
“Franklin Electric’s EVO Series is designed to meet the ever-changing needs of station owners and c-store operators,” said Gockman. The EVO Series not only provides advanced fuel system control and monitoring, but also gives retailers an opportunity to leverage their automatic tank gauge (ATG) investment to streamline additional business operations—which operators can choose freely to fit their needs.
“The EVO Series offers four different options with right-sized features to meet the requirements of a specific application, size, and different compliance needs. To us here at Franklin Electric, the EVO is more than a tank gauge,” said Gockman.
For example, operators are faced with a growing number of maintenance tasks to complete, especially with the rise in popularity of fresh food and take-home meals. Maintaining the proper temperature of refrigeration and warming units is critical to ensuring the safety and quality of the food and beverages, preventing spoilage, reducing waste and maintaining regulatory compliance.
Traditionally, the temperature monitoring has been done manually, requiring staff to check the temperature of each unit often. This process is both time-consuming and labor-intensive and runs the risk of human error. With EVO, operators can continuously monitor these temperatures and create custom alerts if temperatures fall outside of a pre-set range, eliminating the need for staff to check temperatures manually. The EVO can also help operators comply with regulatory requirements by generating reports that provide proof of compliance, reducing the risk of fines and penalties.
“That’s just one example—we like when operators have a situation that is unique and different. That’s where we thrive,” said Gockman. “We know that EVO has the ability to solve it with a couple of conditions and programming.” He continued, “The EVO just makes things easier, from maintaining compliance and protecting against leaks to seamlessly connecting operators with their stations via FFS PRO for remote access. You can just do more with the EVO.”
Not only that, but the flexibility of the EVO extends to the user interface (UI), which features six customizable one-touch buttons, a shallow quick jump menu and an icon-based structure. Operators can customize the interface to meet their specific station needs by choosing their own home screen, product colors and more.