This article is brought to you by Vontier.

Convenience retail is evolving, and stations are adding more offers and services as they transform into mobility hubs that provide fuel, EV charging, car washes, food and other value-added services. This offers tremendous opportunity but also significant challenges, said Austin Lieb, chief product and device engineering leader of convenience retail at Gilbarco Veeder Root.

“Siloed systems, fragmented data and increasing operational complexity are driving-up costs and limiting retailers’ ability to innovate and deliver seamless consumer experiences,” Lieb said. “The forecourt, store and carwash must operate as a unified, cloud-connected ecosystem.” He added that an integrated approach can simplify operations, enhance uptime and create a seamless journey for consumers, “ultimately driving growth and profitability.”

Comparatively, disconnected technology systems can impact retailers’ ability to operate their network efficiently. “Without estate-wide data visibility, operators often struggle to optimize performance or leverage insights to reduce costs and improve uptime. A non-working fueling position or disjointed loyalty experience creates dissatisfaction and drives consumers to other brands with a more seamless experience,” he noted.

He said three industry trends make this the moment for digital integration:

1. Format Evolution: Mobility hubs need sophisticated, integrated solutions that meet complex operational requirements.

2. Technology Maturity: Advances in cloud computing, microservices and edge devices enable scalable, secure and cost-effective integrated platforms.

3. Speed of Innovation: Retailers who don’t integrate could face fragmented consumer experiences, higher costs and lost revenue opportunities.

“The time to act is now,” Lieb said.

According to Lieb, there are two different levels of integration: site and cloud. “At the site level, there is seamless communication between equipment like dispenser electronics, payment terminals and the POS unlocks real value to customers with features like ordering in-store items at the pump and personalized media that enhance the consumer experience and drive incremental revenue.”

At the network level, he noted that Vontier’s cloud asset management platforms provide retailers real-time visibility and remote management across entire retail estates, including remote diagnostics, software upgrades and automated workflows.

Integration will continue to become the key to unlocking value for today’s operators—“lowering the total cost of ownership by eliminating siloed systems, improving operational efficiency through automation and enabling rapid innovation so retailers can deploy new features, all while ensuring compliance and reducing certification costs,” Lieb said.

Vontier’s approach to digital integration centers on connectivity as the core of its solution architecture, he said. “By linking a broad portfolio of devices and software, both on-premises and cloud-based, Vontier delivers boosted in-store conversion through integrated media and personalized promotions at the dispenser, simplified compliance and reduced costs via unified payment platforms and more.”

This is part one of a two-part series brought to you by Vontier. Read more about how technology can create a seamless customer journey in part two.