The convenience and fuel retail industry is grappling with a myriad of challenges, including a scarcity of available workers, rising maintenance and service expenses and inflationary pressures on c-store products and energy costs. To address these challenges, c-store operators are looking for innovative solutions that can help them refine their operations while keeping costs low.

One approach is to invest in highly capable monitoring and control equipment that is essential to the store but can also serve multiple additional purposes. Leveraging must-have site technology (like an Automatic Tank Gauge (ATG) or National Electric Code® required site and personnel protection devices) to do more than just fuel inventory monitoring and compliance activities can help c-store operators automate routine business operations, optimize staffing levels and reduce maintenance costs.

How can c-store operators leverage must-have equipment to maximize operational savings?

1. Maintaining lighting energy efficiency:

With up to 10% of total energy costs attributed to a commercial building’s lighting, the rising cost of energy has become a concern for many businesses, especially for those like c-stores that rely heavily on outdoor lighting. However, many businesses are hesitant to invest in expensive lighting automation systems due to the high cost of hardware and installation. But there is a solution that can save both on hardware costs and energy bills. Franklin Electric’s EVO™ Series, which traditionally fills the role of a fuel system inventory monitoring and compliance device, can also perform lighting control duties. EVO™ can be programmed to control lighting systems based on pre-set parameters, such as time of day, traffic patterns and even weather conditions. By using this existing device to control lighting, c-store operators can save on hardware costs and reduce energy consumption by ensuring that lighting is only on when needed.

2. Minimizing downtime & maintenance costs:

Traditional maintenance practices often involve reactive responses to equipment issues, resulting in costly on-site service calls. By combining required site/personal protection devices (E-stops, dispenser disconnects, etc.) with remote equipment reset capabilities, Franklin Electric’s Remote Control Solution enables operators to proactively monitor critical site assets (like price signs, fuel dispensers and more), detect anomalies and remotely troubleshoot and reset equipment as needed. This type of technology enables operators to proactively detect equipment anomalies and address them remotely, minimizing the need for expensive maintenance trips. By reducing the frequency of service calls, c-store operators can achieve significant cost savings over time.

3. Temperature monitoring & automation:

With the surge in fresh food, hot food and take-home meals as integral components of c-store business models and the beverage refrigeration that’s crucial for a significant revenue stream for c-stores, temperature monitoring has emerged as a critical maintenance task for operators. Ensuring the proper temperature of refrigeration and warming units is vital for food and beverage safety, waste reduction and regulatory compliance. Traditionally, temperature monitoring has been manual, requiring staff to check each unit regularly. This process is labor-intensive, prone to human error and time-consuming. Franklin Electric's EVO™ Series again offers an automated solution. EVO™ can continuously monitor temperatures and send automated alerts if they fall outside preset ranges, eliminating the need for manual checks, automating reporting and freeing staff for other tasks.

In an era marked by operational challenges and cost pressures, c-store operators who leverage these types of multi-purpose solutions can optimize their operations, cut maintenance costs and maintain a competitive edge in the evolving retail landscape.