We all know what a good epos system can add to your business – from improved operational efficiency to an enhanced customer experience thanks to better stock and sales management.
And it’s for all these reasons that Nicholsons Stalham Gulf forecourt and convenience store, part of the Stalham Engineering Company Limited Group, chose Henderson Technology’s EdgePoS for its refreshed site.
Located in Stalham, a small market town in Norfolk, the site has been operating for around 80 years. Demands from a more diverse customer base led to a rebrand to Morrisons Daily.
And, recognising the need to modernise, the expanded store is now run more efficiently thanks to EdgePoS Retail.
About the new store, manager Kirsty O’Connor says: “Morrisons has enabled us to expand our produce range, which means we offer more to our customers, and having a lovely clean shop is great.”
She adds that she’s never looked back since implementing EdgePoS: “I’d recommend to every retailer to look at investing in EdgePoS. We’ve had a real positive experience with it so far and are already reaping the rewards.
“Overall, EdgePoS has had a very positive impact on our business. We estimate that we’ve gained approximately £3,000 extra in sales per day, which shows why we would need an extra till system down the line.
“The handheld system has saved time. In the past it would have taken two or three times longer to complete roles. In terms of staff satisfaction, they are much happier using the new system and our customers are far happier now that we have two tills and can minimise waiting times.”
The implementation process was smooth, thanks to the training services provided by Henderson Technology. Kirsty praised Bronagh from the training team: “Bronagh was so helpful. She never gave me the impression that what I was doing was wrong; she explained everything very well. It makes such a difference when you get someone who is just nice, understanding, and especially helpful.”
Nicholsons Stalham has benefited so much from the investment in EdgePoS technology that the company is now considering further investments, including self-checkouts (SCOs) and electronic shelf labels (ESELs).
Kristine Moore, retail technology channel manager at Henderson Technology adds: “The transformation of Nicholsons Stalham through the implementation of EdgePoS has been a resounding success. The move to modernise with Morrisons Daily and incorporate advanced retail technology has not only streamlined operations but also significantly enhanced customer and staff satisfaction for Kirsty’s store.
“With a substantial increase in daily sales, reduced queue times and an overall improvement in efficiency, the store is well-positioned to meet the demands of its local customer base. The positive experience with EdgePoS has laid a strong foundation for future investments in additional technologies like self-checkouts and ESELs.
“Nicholsons Stalham stands as a testament to how embracing innovation can revitalise a long-standing business, ensuring its continued success.”
Another recent convert to EdgePoS is East of England Co-op, which has installed the technology at five of its forecourts. Chief finance officer James Norman says: “We were very motivated to switch to EdgePoS as the system ticked all boxes for us. Being able to extract data and use it to understand what customers on our forecourts are actually buying is vital especially in today’s competitive marketplace. We are now able to provide consistency in our offers, across our food stores and forecourts so we can provide our members and customers the best value whenever they shop with us.”
Moore explains that part of EdgePoS’s appeal is that it is a “uniquely flexible and scalable” epos system, which includes an intuitive point of sale system, an integrated payment solution and comes with a number of comprehensive analytical tools.
ESELs are fully integrated into EdgePoS, enhancing the in-store shopping experience while streamlining operations for independent retailers and store managers.
“ESELs cut down hours of manual price-changing for colleagues and ensure stores stay compliant. In addition, ESELs align retailers’ commitments to sustainability by replacing paper labels with digital displays–- significantly reducing paper waste. This cutting-edge technology not only enhances operational efficiency but also provides customers with a seamless shopping experience.”
Henderson Technology is currently trailing the integration of digital screens in its flagship stores. With the aim to launch in 2025, these screens will offer retailers enhanced promotional features, allowing for dynamic, real-time advertising and interactive customer engagement. This innovation will help further future-proof stores, enabling them to adapt to evolving consumer preferences and provide a more seamless shopping experience.
Cutting-edge solutions
Clive Hughes, CBE director UK, believes the key to staying competitive in the fast-moving forecourt industry lies in embracing cutting-edge solutions, including self-checkout systems and native cloud back-office platforms.
“Customers today value speed and autonomy,” says Hughes. “Whether they’re fuelling up, grabbing a coffee or picking up essentials, our self-checkout solutions allow them to move through the process effortlessly.”
For customers, this means shorter queues and a more seamless experience. For operators, the benefits are equally compelling. By integrating CBE self-checkout systems Hughes says forecourts can optimise staffing – allowing employees to focus on high-value tasks such as personalised customer service and upselling. These systems also handle industry-specific challenges like age-restricted items, oil company payments and loyalty programme integrations, and pump activation with ease.
“Peak times can be particularly challenging for forecourts. Self-checkout technology offers flexibility, enabling businesses to efficiently manage surges in customer flow without overburdening staff.”
Beyond the shop floor, forecourts face the challenge of managing complex, multi-site operations. Hughes says traditional, siloed back-office systems often act as barriers to efficiency, but the adoption of cloud-based platforms is changing the game.
“The demand for our CBE Cloud solution has really taken off since the pandemic. Staff in businesses that implemented our solutions have seamlessly pivoted from working in the office to working from home.”
CBE Cloud provides operators with instant access to critical data via live graphical dashboards. Hughes says this level of accessibility is proving invaluable to decision-makers.
“Owners and managers can monitor performance across multiple sites with ease. They have the insights they need to make informed decisions at their fingertips.”
CBE Cloud also streamlines operations like pricing management. With features such as centralised price pole control, forecourts can ensure consistent fuel pricing across multiple locations, eliminating manual errors and enabling dynamic pricing strategies. Real-time analytics further refine decision-making, providing actionable insights into customer behaviour.
Meanwhile, CBE Cloud’s Head Office WetStock centralises data from multiple sites into a secure platform, offering real-time insights into inventory, delivery accuracy and pump performance. Advanced analytics detect discrepancies, such as leaks or theft, ensuring compliance and minimising losses.
“Technology is no longer an option for forecourts; it’s a vital component of staying competitive,” says Hughes. “By embracing these advancements, forecourts can deliver exceptional customer experiences, optimise operations, and position themselves for a sustainable, tech-driven future.”
Counting the cash
While many people are happy to tap their card or phone to pay for their purchases – whether that’s fuel or food – still some people prefer to use cash.
Volumatic offers a number of cash handling solutions that offer additional security to staff at the point of sale. In addition to its CounterCache Classic, its lockable steel unit that stores banknotes securely at the pos, there is the new Secure Cash Trolley, which allows you to transport cash safely from your tills to your back office and features a number of clever anti-theft devices including unique speed-locking wheels, side skirts and a Camlock series 65 lock with a 64-point locking mechanism.
However, Volumatic says its ultimate cash handling solution is the CounterCache intelligent (CCi). This validates, counts and stores notes at the pos and, because notes are stored in sealed pouches inside the device, they are not touched again until they reach the bank. As well as reducing shrinkage, the CCi keeps your team safer and allows them to concentrate on customer service instead of manual cash counting that makes them inefficient and puts them at risk from would-be thieves. The CCi’s technology is trusted by Tesco, The Co-op Food Group, Morrisons and Subway among many others, and is used by retailers across the globe.
Volumatic recently developed a new, improved version of its CashView Enterprise software that works alongside the CCi and the CountEasy TS to offer retailers a more intuitive dashboard of their cash takings, accountability, banking and trading reports, giving them full visibility to manage all the CCis across an estate. This will also be supported by a number of new apps that will ultimately offer a new, true end-to-end, fully traceable cash handling solution from pos to the bank.