service station equipment – John W. Kennedy Company Blog

Fuel Management System Buyer’s Guide

By Author February 7, 2018 Uncategorized

Those of you new to the game might be asking what fuel management system is, and why do you need one for your gas station.

So, before we walk you through the key considerations to make when buying a fuel management system, we would like to address your questions at hand.

What is a Fuel Management System?

Simply put, a fuel management system is a reporting software, hardwired to your fuel dispensers and storage tanks, enabling you to monitor your fuel stock.

Why do you need one for your gas station?

By keeping a record of how much fuel has been consumed and how much fuel remains in your storage tanks, a fuel management systems ensures greater accountability and visibility of fuel stocks, allowing for convenient management to prevent stock shrinkage, theft and outages.

Now that you know what a fuel management system is, and about its importance in a fuel dispensing setting, let’s get into the details of what to consider when buying a fuel management system.

Buying a Fuel Management System – Key Considerations to Make

A fuel management system is a big-ticket item. As such, an uninformed decision exercised in the purchase of the equipment, can lead to a futile investment if it does not comply with the station-specific deployment requirements.

How to avoid such scenario and make sure your investment delivers on the purpose that it has been made for?

Ask these questions to yourself and in the light of the answers, make an informed purchase decision.

Question #1: How Much Accurate Do You Want It to Be?

No fuel management system is designed to yield 100% reporting accuracy. Period.

The higher end versions usually have a reporting accuracy of +/- 0.25%, while the lower end systems offer an accuracy of up to +/- 0.5%.

Now every gas station owner would want their fuel management systems to be as accurate as possible, but for that it also means that you will have to invest in more expensive solutions.

So, in the end make a choice that is financially feasible—both in the short and the long term.

Question #2: Does the Retrofit Solution Complies with Your Existing Refueling Hardware?

When buying a fuel management system, you have two options. You can either buy a complete system—refueling hardware incorporated with a fuel management system. Or, you can buy a retrofit solution to go with your already installed dispensers and storage tanks.

When you are buying a retrofit solution, it’s important to ensure that the standalone system can be easily integrated with your existing fuel dispensing and storage points.

Question #3: How Do You Intend to Access the System Data?

The basic models limit the accessibility of fuel stock data to an on-site model, meaning, that if you want to access the system data, you need to physically access your fuel management system. This could be a problem for owners who run their operations at multiple locations.

The high end models, on the other hand, allow the system data to be automatically synced with a cloud storage platform, which allows you to conveniently manage your fuel retail operations from anywhere, at any time. Some modern systems also allow accessibility through mobile apps.

By keeping these key considerations in mind, you can make a better decision when it comes to purchasing a fuel management system and choose a solution that best fits your needs.

Buy Fuel Management Systems Online

At John W. Kennedy Company, we stock quality brands fuel management systems, designed to provide gas station owners with all the reporting features necessary to make sure their fuel stocks never run low or exhaust.

You can order service station equipment and gas station supplies online and we will deliver it to you at your doorstep.

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Features to Look for When Buying a POS System for Gas Stations

By Author February 5, 2018 Uncategorized

Looking for a POS system for your gas station but don’t really know where to start?

Don’t worry. We have compiled this brief guide to help you find the right solution for your service station, one that makes filling of vehicle tanks a total breeze for your customers, while also allowing you to manage your fuel retail operations conveniently.

So, let’s get started!

Compliance with ATEX Regulations

When buying a fuel POS system, the first thing that you need to make sure is that the system complies with many different industry specific requirements—the most important being ATEX regulations. These set of regulations govern the design standards of a POS system so as to make its operation safe in a potentially explosive environment.

It Should Enable Short Transaction Times

Gas stations receive high volume of customers every day – around the clock. As such, you cannot afford to spend too much time processing a sale, with the queue of cars adding up and customers honking their discontent to let you know they are getting late. Your POS system should accommodate faster transaction times with easy to access sales information and quick-to-process system functionality.

A User-Friendly Interface

The best fuel POS systems are designed for intuitive operations, having a user interface that is easy to navigate and interact with. The easier the system is to use, the greater the time savings it will offer—otherwise expended to train your staff—and the lesser the encountered human errors while processing a payment.

Designed to Accommodate Multiple Modes of Payment

Consumers today expect retailers to accommodate multiple modes of payment when they are making a purchase.

Fuel retail and convenience store purchases are not exempted. Therefore, your POS system should be able to accept payments in cash, credit and debit—while also offering discount coupons and fleet cards integration.

A Convenient Inventory Management

Fuel retail operations are resource exhaustive. As such, stock levels need to be continuously monitored to minimize outages and shrinkage—not to mention the disappointed maneuvers as customers lap the leagues to look for an alternative.

A fuel POS system should offer inventory management to ensure uninterrupted supply of gasoline to the customers.

A POS system having these 5 key features should be able to support your fuel retail operations holistically.

Buy Fuel POS Systems Online

At John W. Kennedy Company, we stock high quality service station equipment and gas station supplies, providing everything you need to run your business smoothly, efficiently and safely. You can place your order online and we will deliver it to you at your doorstep.

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Climate Change Warning Labels at Gas Stations – Yay or Nay?

By Author February 3, 2018 Uncategorized

As affixation of climate change warning labels on gas pumps, moves towards mandatory resolution in our neighboring territorial jurisdiction, Canada, concerns have been growing among the nationwide gas station owners.

What if a similar legislation is passed here, in the United States?

What implications it could have on the sector and the businesses operating in the sector? Could it possibly deter consumers from using gasoline and prove to be another coffin in the nail for the industry, where service stations are already closing down amidst the surrounding economic volatility?

And let’s be honest here, the idea might not be very far off from being potentially implemented.

When the Seattle City Council Came Close to Passing the Legislation

Back in 2015, the Seattle City Council explored the idea of introducing a legislation, according to which it would have been mandatory for gas station owners to affix their gas pumps with climate change warning labels. But, the idea was not followed into implementation.

Nevertheless, this could be seen as a potential indicator to where things might move towards in the future—as of now, it’s not the case.

And what if such a legislation is eventually passed – then what?

The Implication

The prospect appears to be frightening for gas station owners. But if you look at the current gasoline consumption, things do not appear at all ugly.

According to the 2016 NACS Retail Fuels Report:

“Approximately 39 million Americans fill up their gas tanks on a daily basis.”

Combine this with the total number of alternative fuel and hybrid vehicles in the United States, and it becomes clear that the phase-out of gasoline is beyond any realms of possibility for at least foreseeable future. As such, even if you stick those gas station warning labels on your gas pump nozzles, it would hardly serve to deter consumers from refueling their cars with gasoline.

However, what it might do is create better awareness among consumers to exercise precautions to prevent over spills so as to control environmental damage. This in itself is everyone’s responsibility — yours, ours and every other human being.

Affixing a climate change warning label, as such, could only imply that you know your responsibilities and in turn create a positive image of your business among your customers.

And whenever such a legislation is passed in your state, be assured that we will have the stock of labels for your gas station, like we stock every service station equipment and essentials to keep your gas station running smoothly and efficiently.

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