The Systems

An integrated petrol retail automation system
designed by you for your business.

In our analysis, working both with major oil companies and independents, the message is clear. You are no longer interested in anything but total and open solutions. You do not want to build your retail business around specific payment terminals, or any proprietary devices.

Some of our systems' main features:


• Hierarchical remote programming capabilities on the entire database - selectively at national, regional and station levels.
  
  
• Direct encrypted E-mail facilities between network stations and Head Office operation to ensure accurate and immediate management actions and responses.
  
  
• Copious reporting facilities, operational trends and statistics, providing rapid assimilation of network sales information in the form of predefined reports and user definable file exports.
  
  
• Integrated automatic reordering and purchasing cycles, fully monitored and controlled by the system: Allowing advanced optimisation and just-in-time purchasing reducing money tied up in unnecessary stock.
  
  
• Highly sophisticated pricing strategies definition system, allowing setting of discriminatory long and short term pricing strategies at national and local levels, as well as at product and product group levels.
  
  
• Advanced Customer Loyalty system with loyalty magnetic strip cards, supporting various on-line authentication possiblilities such as Verifone terminal, own HOIS Online Loyalty Customer Clearance Server, etc..
  
  
• Highest level of system security: user access, database & communications encryption, power fail protection, auto-backup;
  
  and also...
  - flexible and expandable configurations;
  - local and wide area customised networking & communications;
  - remote terminal interfacing;
  - realtime interaction with retail stations;
  - event monitoring and alarm reporting;
  - multiple language capabilities;
  - comprehensive maintenance and support packages;
  - remote on-line diagnostic capabilities;
  - turnkey system delivery & commissioning:
  - open system interfacing & industry standards;

The Head Office Information System

The HOIS is a network system which provides management information, management programming and reporting facilities for a country-wide network of Retail sites.

The HOIS allows:


• Remote programming of all operational parameters of the Prisma site controller running at the retail sites.
  
  
• Download and integration of all data generated by the retail sites, such as sales, purchase and supply data, but also event logs, inventory statuses etc.
  
  
• Centralized management of fully automatic reordering procedures for a complete and timely supply of the entire network, based on latest inventory changes on each retail site and each product.
  
  
• Remote management of credit card payments.
  
  
• Generation of an extensive set of predefined reports, but also an unlimited number of custom defined reports available both as printed copies and as export files.
  
  
• Remote definition of access rights for either station staff or service support engineers.
  
  
• Fully automatic communication cycle with all retail sites, as well as online clearance of the Customer Loyalty System transactions.
  
  
• Wide range of WAN's supported (dial up lines, X25 switched, X25 via Satellite, TCP/IP both via landlines and satellite etc.)

Please look at the HOIS Q&A page for more information.

The Site Controller

The Prisma ensures the smooth operation of the retail sites, while keeping under control virtually any on-site trade activity. The system is interfaced to the Veeder Root tankgauging system and supports a vast variety of pumps.

The Prisma consists in two main sub-systems, still running within the same program module: the manager's Prisma menu and the POS desktop.
Each Prisma POS desktop PC is interfaced to a fiscal printer, a barcode scanner, a customer display and a card reader. All Prisma computers on the site are connected through a LAN (local area network) and all newly registered data are being backed up in real time.

The management (Back Office) PC is connected through a Wide Area Network (WAN) to the HOIS (the Head Office Information System).
The Prisma supports a variety of communication protocols and communicates with the HOIS with encrypted data transfers. The back office workstation allows local programming of the Prisma database at the level, permitted by the HOIS. In this way the Prisma supports from a fully decentralized way of network management, up to the fully centralized definition of virtually any database item (including articles, prices etc.).
The Back Office PC is also interfaced to a handhold terminal for easy stock counts and inventory checks, as well as supports a data interface to either a local or centralized accountancy package.

Other Prisma features:


• On-spot invoicing
  
• Online authentication of customer loyalty cards
  
• Various payment methods, such as cash, cheque, coupons, credit cards etc.
  
• Full featured sales reporting, stock management and programming modules
  
• Fully automatic reordering, based on on-spot inventory status
  
• Email from and to the HOIS
  
• File transfer from and to the HOIS