Unattended Refilling with the Bank Card
Here it goes! New modern unattended "tankomat" (outdoor payment terminal) where you can refill your car and pay by the credit card directly at the dispenser is the hot news at Czech refilling stations.
The first refilling station equiped with the unattended tankomat accepting VISA and EuroCard/MasterCard cards has been introduced in Prague this summer, others are very soon to follow. Near future should bring you the possibility to refill and pay with the credit card at the self-service refilling stations that are part of the shopping centers. This possibility will be followed later on with the same set-out at public refilling stations.
Outdoor payment terminals have already been in service at many commercial refilling stations in abroad, however, this technology has only recently reached the market in the Czech Republic. This modern technology is introduced to the Czech Republic by the Quitec enterprise, the Czech manufacturer of electronics and cashier (POS) systems for refilling stations. The development of new payment terminal was performed in the cooperation with Wincor Nixdorf company, the experienced partner in the area of bank and payment applications. Česká Spořitelna has also participated at the development of this application and is ready to accept payments made by and at the tankomat made by Quitec enterprise.
How to refill by using the bank card
Tankomat (OPT) at the refilling station
You can find this new tankomat either as the independent device located in the vicinity of dispensers or as the integrated payment terminal inbuild into the dispenser. In the case of the inbuild tankomat you do not need to select the discharging point, as you will get the fuels from the dispenser where you get the payment authorisation. On the contrary, the stand-alone tankomat will require the selection of the dispenser as it can control several dispensers. There can be a number of tankomats at the refilling station, however, the maximum is one tankomat per dispenser. Self-service refilling is very convenient for the customer, as it is a rapid service and the client does not have to go to and pay at the kiosk. The operator will, on the hother hand, appreciate the fast vacation of the dispenser for another customer. The kiosk can be closed down outside the rush hours as it can be fully and safely substituted by the tankomat; this will allow significant financial and energy cost savings.
Tankomat made by Quitec can be connected to the cashier (POS) system and therefore allow the existence of a new payment terminal - outdoor payment terminal. Tankomat then provides the reception of the payments only; printing of receipts and of proofs of payment and the refilling is controlled by the cashier system itself. This arrangement is workable at existing refilling stations where the tankomat is installed to cater for the night shift or to ensure the acceleration of the clearance ater the the refilling. When designing a new refilling station it is possible to use the tankomat for the direct controlling and management of the refilling station, i.e. of dispensers, gauging and price signs. Consequently, the cashier system is not necessary in such cases. Tankomat Titan accepts bank credit cards as well as bonus cards and special cards issued by the operator. The operator has the possibilitiy to issue special cards to its regular customers and enable them to refill noncash and/or at discount prices.
Central Office
The owner or the operator of the refilling station is not necessarily physically present at the refilling station all the time and therefore will appreciate the interconnection of the station with his office or with the central office. This connection is of the increasing importance if there exists a higher number of refilling stations that are to be controlled and operated. Quitec enterprise not only provides the cashier systems but also supplies the solutions for a refilling station network - the Central Office. The Central Office will provide the connection of refilling stations to the network and the access to the data from a single point. The cashier system allows not only monitoring and evaluation of the sales at all stations, but to follow the amount of fuels in the tanks and plan the filling as well as change the price signs of fuels and of the other goods, manage the cards of regular customers, set up prices, provide invoices and print the well arranged evidence sheets on the sales of goods and refilling.
Opportunity for investors
New payment terminal Titan made by Quitec offers the possibility of creation of new generation of the refilling stations and brings along the opportunity for new investors. New refilling stations will be established at many places of the Czech Republic. These stations will be based on the fully unattended operation of sales by using bankcards and/or CCS cards. Stations will be 100% self-service, without kiosk and without attendands. However, these stations will provide not only fuels, but in the near future they will sell also other goods and services, in particular. This concept of the refilling station will bring faster rate of the investment returns, as the drop-out of the kiosk and of some utility lines will provide the significang cost-savings and therefore the reduction of the initial investment.
Quitec enterprise is the reliable partner for potential investors and business partners. Quitec is the producer and supplier of the technology for refilling stations for fuels, LPG, oils and industrial fluids. It supplies tankomats (OPTs), dispensers, cashier systems and the technology for gauging as well as the controlling systems for networks of refilling stations. Quitec Technology and products are installed at more than 300 refilling stations in the Czech Republic since 1995.