EL PASO, Texas -- Western Refining Inc. has selected Acumera Inc., a provider of managed network services, to deploy selected network integration services for the company's retail division. Acumera will integrate Western's existing IT and store operations systems onto a broadband network, enabling remote support.
According to its website, the services that Acumera consolidates include broadband credit card transaction processing, replacement of other dial-based services, broadband Internet access for the backoffice, private networks among multiple store locations, customer broadband access [image-nocss] via WiFi hotspot and RFID tag reading.
One of the central benefits of Acumera service is conversion of a merchant's existing dial-based POS equipment to broadband without any reprogramming, the company said. The merchant thereby achieves faster, more economical credit card transactions, using unmodified legacy equipment.
An existing point-of-sale (POS) device works as it always did, except the phone call is intercepted by a box with a broadband connection. The merchant obtains faster transactions because call setup time delays are avoided; and cheaper transactions because the merchant no longer needs a phone line, and the credit card processor no longer needs a bank of modems or an 800 toll-free phone bill.
Acumera's basic service, delivered and installed as a turnkey solution, involves bringing broadband services to the merchant premises (or using existing broadband, if available); inserting a small box between the phone network, the broadband network and the transaction terminal or POS system at the merchant premises; and intercepting transaction phone calls locally, then securely sending the transaction over the broadband network instead of the phone network.
Acumera integrates data flows from legacy devices such as automatic tank gauges to POS and fuel supply change management software. This integration reduces time spent manually collecting or aggregating data and reduces operating expenses, the company said.
Western Refining is an independent refining and marketing company headquartered in El Paso, Texas. It has a refinery in El Paso, two refineries in the Four Corners region of Northern New Mexico and a refinery in Yorktown, Va. Western's asset portfolio also includes refined products terminals in Albuquerque, N.M., and Flagstaff, Ariz., asphalt terminals in Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque and El Paso, retail gas stations and convenience stores in Arizona, Colorado and New Mexico, a fleet of crude oil and finished product truck transports, and three wholesale petroleum products distributors—Phoenix Fuel Co., Inc. in Arizona, Empire Oil Company in California and Dial Oil Co. in New Mexico.
Acumera, based in Austin, Texas, provides turnkey network integration, products and management services for multi-site businesses nationwide. Acumera products and services help companies reduce expenses and increase operational effectiveness.
Previous convenience store/petroleum clients include the 102-store, Abilene, Texas-based Skinny's, which was acquired by Alon USA, Dallas, in mid-2007.Members help make our journalism possible. Become a CSP member today and unlock exclusive benefits, including unlimited access to all of our content. Sign up here.