APC rolls out new PayQuick cash acceptors
APC marketers are confident the new PayQuick
Island Cash acceptors (PIC) currently being rolled out will be
a hit with gasoline customers. We've been testing and improving
PIC for two years now.
PIC came out of the retail SBU study which said we needed to boost convenience. Research confirmed customers like our prices, not our lines.
"Simulation model testing confirmed that payment transactions were the bottleneck," says PIC project manager Joe Bookout. "We studied several payment options, and decided to accept cash at the island. Since 60 percent of consumers, and 80 percent of our customers pay cash, we felt cash acceptors would help us leapfrog over competitors, none of which offer island cash payment.
"In mid-1995, the PIC team was formed to develop and test the first PIC machine. As an answer to customers' pay-at-the pump, our challenge was to create a reliable, secure, user-friendly system."
Test Sites
The units were installed and tested at 10 local sites in mid-1996. Gasoline sales results were so promising that ARCO decided to expand the test. Bookout, a former engineering manager, felt field input was so important that the core PIC team includes many field people.
Working with Schlumberger Technologies, the PIC team fine tuned PIC for a 50-site pilot test, which involved La Palma, Retail Sales, headquarters, and PayPoint people. PIC was tested in California, Washington, and Arizona. "Customers loved it," Bookout says. "Gasoline sales, customer service, and convenience increased."
Full Rollout
A full rollout to PSI sites began this summer in conjunction with the new Retail Excellence Point-of-Sale (POS) system. "The integration of these two projects employs $100 million of equipment and systems technology, the benefits of which will position us to compete successfully well into the next century," says Retail Marketing VP Karen Eadon.
In August, we completed a PIC presentation blitz to lessee and contract dealers. "With over 380 PSI sites now in operation we expect to begin rolling out to dealers by year-end," says Retail Sales VP Fred Holgate.
Bookout's core team of specialists is busy implementing PIC. Says Gasoline Brand Manager Craig Barberio: "PIC is one of the larger projects we've undertaken. We'll take what we learn here and use it to improve future rollouts."
Bookout: "It's important that PIC succeeds. Competitors have focused on the plastic pay-at-the-pump method. We now have plastic (debit) and cash at the island. This allows us to appeal to a much broader segment of the marketplace.
"A key challenge is to get customers to change their buying habits and use PIC. We plan an aggressive television campaign. But store employees have to educate customers. APC employees can play a vital role by buying ARCO gas, telling friends, and showing customers how to use PIC."