With the economic road ahead still looking rocky, it's more important than ever to use the latest epos to beat the competition. That's according to Richard Quarmsby, managing director at Torex Petroleum and Convenience, who warns that retailers should look at the greater savings that epos can bring to their business during the credit crunch rather than dwelling on the initial cost.

Have you checked your epos data recently? According to research company Him, independent retailers only review the data they get from their epos systems an average of 4.5 times a month. The figure comes from its latest Cash and Carry Retailer Tracking Programme, which carries out interviews with retailers while they are shopping in depots.

There is no 'one size fits all' epos solution for forecourts. So says Paul Cooper, business development director at HTEC. And he should know, as HTEC provides solutions to 50% of the UK's supermarkets and to 3,500 forecourts. "We have been in business since 1989, with a focus on forecourt retail operations and we process £6bn-worth of payment transactions per annum," he says.

By having the right epos solution in place, you can increase your profits by at least 3% a year. So says Jamie Shipstone, sales and marketing director for YP Electronics. He explains: "By responding to accurate trading records, you will be able to control stock more professionally, save valuable management time, and offer your customers exactly the right range of goods at the right time. Valuable margin is maintained at the point of sale and orders can be compiled in seconds. Retailers can identify shrinkage, pinpoint best sellers, reduce out-of-stocks and analyse promotions, making informed decisions on what they know rather than what they think they know."

Technology develops at such a speed that it’s sometimes hard to keep up, but for a forecourt to operate seamlessly, it has to. A busy site can’t afford for its systems to fail so it needs the best equipment the operator can afford. Likewise operators need to embrace new security functions to counter fraud and the bane of every forecourt trader’s life, the drive-off.