Here's a rundown of what some suppliers on the trade-show floor were talking about:
Abierto Networks, Exeter, N.H. Abierto's Digital Marketing Platform enables retailers to target consumers with digital advertising and mobile-phone coupons. C-store chains can generate impulse buys and boost brand [image-nocss] awareness with promotional messages at the point of purchase, the company said.
Cybera Inc., Franklin, Tenn. Dan Glennon, senior vice president of marketing and strategy said bundling PCI-compliant services is the new phase for Cybera, which has built a reputation for providing network connections. Delivering managed services that provide retailers with compliant firewalls, intrusion-detection monitoring and other services gives retailers a single resource to meet multiple PCI requirements.
Dresser Wayne, Austin, Texas. The company announced dispenser certification to the PCI Security Standards Council, Wakefield, Mass. Dresser Wayne fuel dispensers featuring the iDPOS option are an extension of existing Dresser Wayne payment and physical security products, the company said.
First Data, Marietta, Ga., In addition to payment processing, the company is interested in providing services inclusive of prepaid and gift cars as well as fortified data-security measures, said Paul Cwalina, senior vice president, petroleum and north national merchant services.
Gilbarco Veeder-Root, Greensboro, N.C. Officials spoke of the company's point-of-sale (POS) help desk, demonstrating remote diagnostics, as well as repair and update features. The company also demonstrated dispensers with the "Applause Media System" for interactive promotion of in-store merchandise and on-demand coupon printing at the fuel island and other services.
Heartland Payment Systems, Plano, Texas. Bringing on Bill McCollough as its executive director of petroleum is an effort to strengthen the company's ties to jobbers and c-store retailers, officials said, with McCollough hailing from Houston-based CITGO's ranks. In addition to payment processing, McCollough said the company wants to act as a "problem solver," creating other products inclusive of managed area networks geared to retailers of different sizes as well as prepaid cards for consumers seeking alternative payment options.
MPSI, Tulsa, Okla. The company helps operators set retail pricing as well as provides assistance with site selection, said co-workers John McMullen, senior sales representative and John Voegele, senior technical consultant.
PDI, Temple, Texas. Officials spoke of a "Connections" Web page developed for users to share ideas. Officials also described the growing demand for its software's "enterprise architecture."
The Pinnacle Corp. , Arlington, Texas. Part of the company's expansion lies in Web developments, with one offer being an online, consumer interface to allow customers access to their loyalty history. The company also announced an application or "app" for the Macintosh iPhone, designed to be configurable to a retailer's chain.
Skyline Products, Colorado Springs, Colo. Increasing, electronic capability at the c-store is allowing Skyline the ability to integrate and execute fuel-pricing strategies, according to company officials. Aaron McHugh, division director, said PCI deadlines have forced many to upgrade registers and wide-area networks, which allows for the functionality necessary to better control and execute pricing changes.
Retalix, Plano, Texas. Within the c-store channel, loyalty and data analytics were big topics, with the use of business intelligence to understand what customers are purchasing, said officials with Retalix. In addition, their loyalty offer has a relatively small footprint, with the flexibility of delivering the type of program objectives a retailer needs, officials said. Its data analytics tool also helps retailers reduce inventory but keep the needed items in stock. Brad Prizer, vice president of marketing, said a focus on maximizing current product offerings and a reach into additional verticals were goals in the coming months.
Overall, Glennon of Cybera said the crowd appeared to be smallerestimated by NACS to be similar in attendance numbers to last year (about 1,200)the number of decision-makers there was evident. "The folks we had conversations with had well-defined needs and were there to seriously evaluate solutions," Glennon said. "They had a reason for being there."
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