Background
A regional marketer based in Georgia operates over 70 gas stations and convenience stores across Georgia and South Carolina. Maintaining fuel price displays and other digital signage consistently is essential for daily operations. When these signs experienced errors or connectivity issues, 70% of the time a simple power cycle of the system components would resolve the problem. However, facilities maintenance teams were required to dispatch technicians to sites solely to perform these reboots manually. With long travel times through urban areas and to remote locations, these five-minute fixes became an inefficient use of time and resources.
Challenge
The marketer needed a way to remotely power cycle digital price signs and other equipment across locations to avoid costly travel costs. Additionally, getting signage back online requires system components to be powered up in a specific order. The sequential powering of each component was critical, adding complexity to in-person troubleshooting. The reliance on in-person technician visits led to unnecessary delays, increased maintenance costs, and missed opportunities for continuous customer engagement.
Implementation
The marketer adopted the Remote Control Solution (RCS) with OVERSITE™ from Franklin Electric to address their signage issues through remote monitoring and power cycling. By connecting RCS to their price signage systems, the marketer could now troubleshoot and power cycle signs directly from their central office. RCS also supports essential power-up sequencing, allowing them to remotely restore full functionality without dispatching a technician to the site.
The RCS combines the site and personnel protection devices required by the National Electrical Code® (emergency disconnects, E-stops, dispenser hook isolation, low voltage dispenser disconnects) into a single panel while also leveraging these connections to provide advanced fuel system and C-store critical asset monitoring and control capabilities including:
Remote E-stop initiation and monitoring
Remote asset power cycling and sequencing
Device power status monitoring with timely outage notifications
Automated event response triggers when paired with EVO™ Series
Remote Control Solution with OVERSITE™
FFS PRO® Connect Remote Software
The deployment of the Remote Control Solutions with OVERSITE™ led to significant improvements:
Reduced Service Truck Rolls
By leveraging remote power sequencing capabilities, the marketer significantly decreased the need for service truck rolls during outages, leading to substantial cost savings and faster recovery times.
Increased Site Uptime
Remote control over critical systems minimizes downtime at stores during storm events, ensuring customer access to fuel and convenience items when needed most.
Proactive Power Monitoring
With OVERSITE™ the marketer can now monitor and manage power-related events in real time, allowing for quicker response to site-specific issues and enhanced operational efficiency.
Sequential Power Restoration
Following a power outage, sequential power-up streamlines the process of safely bringing sites back online, reducing the risk of equipment overload and ensuring smooth operations across the network.
Conclusion
By adopting Franklin Electric’s Remote Control Solution with OVERSITE™, this Georgia-based marketer can significantly reduce the operational costs associated with signage maintenance. RCS has proven essential for enabling remote management across their network, providing a fast, reliable solution to keep fuel pricing displays functioning smoothly, maximizing uptime and operational efficiency across Georgia and South Carolina.
