This article is brought to you by Vixxo.

Building customer loyalty is a high priority, and delivering on customer experience is often the key to loyalty. Providing customers a great experience can involve your unique offer, but it’s more than that. The bottom line is that a great experience is a smooth experience.

Industry veteran and Senior Vice President of Customer Success—Convenience at Vixxo, a facilities solution provider, Jeff Stegman noted that many c-stores have at least 30 equipment assets, a number that is continuing to grow. “Whether it’s a pizza maker, a beverage dispenser or something else, equipment that isn’t up and running leaks both dollars and customers. With 75% of c-store profit coming from in-store sales, operators want to ensure customers get what they need,” he said.

Vixxo has observed that most stores do well in maintaining their HVAC and refrigeration equipment. However, food, beverage and pump equipment are more likely to be out of order, which negatively impacts the overall store experience. Maintenance presents several challenges, such as the availability of trained technicians, increasing equipment complexity and inefficient processes.

When a piece of equipment fails, it halts sales and may drive customers away for good. In a Vixxo study, 35% of convenience stores reported issues with revenue-generating equipment, and a quarter of all stores had problems with food and beverage equipment. “We see inefficiencies in the maintenance and repair process, combined with a shortage of trained technicians,” Stegman explained.

Efficiency is key when it comes to making repairs in the store. Today, most corporate c-store operators have their own in-house technicians as part of their facilities model. This model is meant to help manage costs, improve customer experience and provide better control over repair and maintenance—but it doesn’t always accomplish these results, said David Lambert, president at Vixxo.

Lambert explained, “We’re seeing organizations primarily focus on the percentage of work orders internal technicians complete. They are not always looking at efficiency or the right balance between external providers and internal teams, leading to higher costs and more equipment downtime.” An effective technician team, he said, should be spending more than 60% of its hours on-site. He’s seen operators with on-site numbers below 50% … who still pay their technicians a lot of overtime.

Transforming the Field With AI

It is projected that by 2025, the maintenance industry will face the challenge of filling 3.4 million jobs, as many technicians opt for retirement. The phenomenon is part of what’s referred to as the “Silver Tsunami.”

Lambert noted that the average time to recruit for a maintenance role is now more than 50 days—with an average training time of six weeks added on. Additionally, the turnover rate is at 20%—and even higher for employees in their first year—so companies are spending a lot upfront to build and maintain a technician team.

As the influx of new technicians continues to grow within the industry, companies are faced with the critical responsibility of cultivating and supporting the growth and development of these individuals. This was a great opportunity for artificial intelligence (AI) to come into play.

To learn more about how Vixxo is streamlining maintenance with its proprietary AI, check out the October 2024 issue of NACS Magazine.