Best Gas Station POS Systems

The best gas station POS system will automate, track, streamline, and track your inventory, employees, and customers.

Over the years, this technology has been helping gas stations attain and maintain compliance as well as mitigate unnecessary costs. Such a solution will also reduce transaction times, and enhance the overall customer experience in your gas station.

Additionally, it is advisable to get a system that specifically resolves common gas station challenges. Some of the changes you need to focus on include price fluctuations, house account management, and compliance reporting. This is to say that you should only invest in a system that is specifically meant for a fueling station.

While shopping for such a system, you should consider such features as pool margin calculation, reporting, and hot keys. Reviewed below are the top four gas station POS systems you should consider.

1. The Best Choice Overall for Gas Station POS Systems: NCR Radiant

The NCR Radiant point of sale system is currently being used by more than 61,000 businesses in about 18 countries across the globe.

According to such users, this system is a reliable solution to daily business challenges. In order to allow for superior operations in your business, the provider offers you a global presence, a customer-first mind set, vast service network, and continuous innovation.

Like these business owners, here are a couple of capabilities you will come to like about the NCR Radiant POS station:

Radiant Configuration Manager (RCM)

This feature is designed to offer you POS configuration capabilities for all sites. With the Radiant POS system installed in your gas station, authorized users in the business will have complete control over POS configuration for all your locations. The system is equipped with the configuration tools you need for enhanced consistency, and rapid changes.

This feature will allow the authorized staff to alter such aspects as receipt layout, and wording, pump prices as well as the menu defaults.

Panther Fuel Controller

This is a solution by Radiant that is meant to offer you direct connectivity to major outdoor payment terminals and dispensers. For instance, it allows for seamless connection to such outdoor payment terminals, and fuel dispensers as Wayne, Gilbarco, Tatsuno, and Tokheim.

With such a solution in your business, you will no longer require multiple forecourt devices. Additionally, this feature reduces transaction times considerably, and lets you run robust marketing programs.

As you will come to learn, this feature is essentially designed for enhanced ease of use and optimal reliability. Again, this solution supports higher transaction volumes as well as fuel-based loyalty programs. You will also find it to be relatively scalable to accommodate small and large businesses alike. Alternatively, NCR Silver and NCR Counterpoint are good options.

NCR Radiant Downsides

Despite having such powerful tools and capabilities, NCR Radiant POS system for gas stations does not feature a table grid. Additionally, phone support by the provider is only available during business hours.

2. The Most Affordable POS System: Gilbarco Passport

Gilbarco’s Passport POS solution for fuel retail sites is essentially designed to help small businesses streamline day-to-day operations.

The system is backed by a responsive 24/7 remote customer support by the provider. Despite being one of the most affordable gas station POS systems in the industry, Gilbarco Passport guarantees you a diverse functionality and industry-leading security.

Other capabilities fuel station owners have come to like about this system include:

Enhanced Flexibility and Control

To help you capitalize on your unique business strategy, this system supports an array of extensions. With such extensions, you will have the flexibility you need to reach a vast array of customers across all your locations. As compared to some of the leading POS systems in the industry, Passport POS allows for integration with the largest number of fuel dispensers.

You will also like the fact that this system offers you complete overview and control over your business. To begin with, you may use the Paid-Out/ Paid-In tools to track the movement of vendor payment money into and out of the cash drawers. The solution also features blind balancing capabilities to facilitate effective cash flow in the gas station.

More Partners and Possibilities

The provider currently has more than 120 certified partners. Such a large pool of partners offers you the flexibility you will ever need to combat your evolving business requirements over time. Again, connecting with any of these partners is relatively easy. A simple connection with the provider allows you to connect with any of the renowned third-party partners in its pool.

Should you experience any difficulties in the process, you can easily reach out to customer support for help. The provider has a U.S-based support team in place to handle more than 90 percent of the POS problems you may encounter.

Gilbarco Passport POS System Downsides

Setting up this point of sale system is comparatively complex. Additionally, you may encounter software glitches from time to time.

3. The Most Intuitive Gas Station POS System: LS Retail

Get your business a reliable and intuitive POS system that allows you to manage the business, and access data remotely.

With this solution, you will be able to monitor all the POS terminals in the station as well as access merchandising, and inventory information through the back office platform. With such tools at your disposal, overseeing a gas station chain business has never been easier.

According to the provider, this solution offers businesses a number of deployment options and a horde of industry-specific capabilities. Some of the aspects that set the LS Retail POS system apart from its competitors include:

On-site and Cloud-Based Convenience

If you are looking for POS solution that is easy to integrate, flexible, and powerful for your ERP system, LS Retail will be a great choice. In this regard, the system offers you powerful and relevant back-office and front-office POS solutions that allow for integration with your existing ERP.

In addition to helping you complete all sales and improve operation efficiency in your business, these capabilities make it possible for you to manage the business from a single platform. As such, you will find it relative easier and more convenient for you to manage the entire value chain from a single location.

Superior Service

Empower the staff across all your business locations for enhanced customer service. In this case, you will be able to complete all sales, on fuels as well as other items you may be offering, right from the POS. The system features an interactive graphic interface that is standard across all your locations.

For enhanced customer experience, LS Forecourt supports several sale methods for fuel. For instance, it allows you to accept pre-pay payments at the pump as well as preset and post-pay fuel payments.

Centralized Business Control

If you own a multi-location fueling station chain, you do not have to be on the ground to ensure that things are running as they should. This solution allows you to keep a close track on each one of the locations from a central location. To begin with, LS Forecourt gives you a real-time overview of all your store systems, merchandising, inventory, and POS terminals in your business.

Additionally, the changes you make from a central location are immediately implemented across the chain. For instance, you will be able to schedule price changes to be carried out automatically by the POS in different business locations.

LS Forecourt POS System Downsides

You may find it hard to configure the various panels and POS design on this system.

4. Most Feature-Packed Gas Station POS: Harbortouch

Free gas station POS system hardware, free on-site, installation, and programming are some of the best selling points of the Harbortouch POS system.

As if that is not enough, the product is backed with a lifetime hardware warranty by the provider. Despite such goodies, you will find this solution to suffice your gas station needs.

Some of the remarkable Harbortouch POS capabilities include:

Flexible Consignment/pricing

As you are aware, gas station prices fluctuate regularly. In order to accommodate these fluctuations, Harbortouch allows you to customize your prices.

In addition to prices, this dynamic customization makes it possible to personalize discounts and coupons in the business. The system also makes it possible for you to resell products on consignments as well as keep track of the payments you are supposed to make.

Layaways

If an item is selected for layaway, you only need to reserve it on the POS. this will preserve the item for the customers to purchase at a later date. With this system, you can also allow the customers to make partial payments for the layaway item until it is full paid.

Based on the purchase status of the layaway products, the system will adjust your inventory automatically.

Harbortouch POS System Downsides

With this provider, you may end up paying some hidden fees. Additionally, the provider may require you to commit to long-term contracts.

As you may have noticed, most motorists prefer refueling their vehicles with the engine still running. This means that they are in a hurry to continue with their journeys.

In order to keep them happy, you need to serve them and ring up their purchases in a faster and efficient manner. This is only achievable with the best Gas station POS system in the business.

This is particularly the case for gas stations that are a part of a convenience store or a grocery store. Basically, the right POS solution for such a business is one that the brand experience simple, and convenient.

In addition to moving the lines faster, the right system should also keep customer engagement at the pump simple, and effective. If you are currently shopping for best suited POS system for a gas station, here are some of the important considerations you should make:

1. Reporting

Just as is the case with other retail businesses, you will need to keep track of costs, sales as well as inventory levels in your gas station. This being the case, you will need a system that monitors such aspects automatically and furnishes you with the reports you need in real time.

For instance, compliance reporting is one of the reporting capabilities a good gas station POS system should have. Your preferred POS solution should be capable of generating all the reports you need to comply with government and federal law requirements for gas stations.

If your gas pump is tied to a convenience store, you will need software that is capable of running both efficiently. In this case, you will need a solution that features spoilage reporting will come in handy for a convenience store.

2. Flexible Pricing and Discounting

As you are aware, fuel prices fluctuate from time to time. Your preferred gas pump POS system should be able to calculate the prices in real time. In addition to being accurate, it is advisable to get a system that will always ensures that your pump prices are within the legal specifications in your state.

As for discounting, solutions that allow for quantity-based discounting are best suited for a gas station. Again, you should get one that lets you alter the discounts in whichever way you prefer. With such a system, you may bundle different menu items, while allowing the customers to save some bucks. For instance, you may offer 15% off on any 3 snacks, cheese or meat items priced below $3.99 when purchased together.

Such offers have been proven to encourage impulse buying among motorists. Again, the discounts may be used as a part of the marketing campaign to attract more customers to your business.

3. Pool Margin Calculation

Gas station success is often ascertained by tracking the profitability of the business. Additionally, you will also want to know which products are selling better than others.

In this regard, a system that is cable of working out the pool margins will be of great help. For accurate results, the system should feature such fields as the current inventory price, tank levels, current pool margin, delivery amounts, and price for each fuel. Most of the leading systems are designed to update this data automatically after every delivery.

4. House Account Tracking

For gas stations that serve corporate fleets, house account tracking tools will come in handy. In most cases, corporate fleets require that they be served through house accounts.

Your preferred software should be able to accurately keep track of house accounts separately. The system should also be able to relay updated reports relating to such accounts to the central office when required to.

5. Hot Keys

You also need to ensure that the system you opt for allows you to create, and customize hot keys. These are essentially short cuts to accomplish specific checkout processes.

For instance, this capability will make it possible for you to change, create or name hot keys relating to the best selling menu items. By so doing, you only need to press certain keys and specify the quantity whenever ringing up sales on those items.

As you can imagine, this will speed up transactions. This will, in turn, allow for the customers to be served a bit faster, hence prevent long lines in your gas stations on a busy day.

6. Multiple Measurement Units

This feature is particularly important that couple their fuel stations with a convenience store. While the various fuel types are measured in volume, the various items in the c-store are measured in different units.

A system that can accommodate different measurement units make ringing up of sales even faster. You will also find such a system convenient, as far as reordering, tracking, and managing the inventory is concerned.

As compared to other types of retail businesses, gas stations have unique POS requirements. Ranging from the constantly fluctuating fuel costs to swift transactions; your preferred system should address the various challenges in the industry. The four systems reviewed above are all outstanding choices, offering your business the industry-specific features it needs to prosper.

As such, your final choice will mainly depend on affordability and personal preferences. Regardless of the size of your business, this guide will help you choose the best gas station POS system.

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