AU Energy uses Envysion Video and Reports to Gain Visibility into Areas of Loss Affecting their Bottom Line
Operating 150 Chevron and Shell gas station locations in California, Au Energy is similar to many petroleum retailers: the majority of their profit comes not from selling gasoline, but from the sale of higher margin products from an on-site complimentary business. With tight margins on gasoline, Au Energy needed to protect and expand the profitability of their convenience stores, lube centers, car washes and quick service restaurants.
An Eye on Expanded Profitability
Au Energy already had video cameras in their stores to guard against theft and drive-offs, but their management team wanted better insight into other areas of loss that affect the bottom line — such as employee fraud and operational inefficiencies — without the time and expense of having to physically be on location at every store. Au Energy looked to Envysion for a video technology solution that would give them the visibility they needed to improve profitability.
“Employee theft, shoplifting, administrative error, vendor fraud and other causes of shrinkage cost the retail industry $37.14 million in 2013, or 1.58% of total retail industry sales.” — Managing Loss Prevention, August 6, 2014; Convenience Store Decisions.
A Window into Every Store
The Envysion solution supplements Au Energy’s existing cameras with additional high-definition cameras, crystal-clear audio, and full integration with Au Energy’s POS data, providing the company’s management team with unprecedented visibility into every transaction at every store. Envysion also provides Au Energy with training and customer service so the convenience store chain does not have to dedicate IT resources to troubleshooting or user support. In addition, Envysion’s Cloud-based solution allows Au Energy to focus on their business, not on maintaining their video system.
We never have to worry about upgrades or having outdated video capabilities because our users simply log in to the Envysion system and have access to the latest features and capabilities.”
Seeing Real Results
Au Energy is seeing the effects of improved business insights on their profitability. Using Envysion, the company now has greater visibility into operations at every store, allowing them to:
- Quickly identify and correct fraud and theft, such as unwarranted cash refunds, discounts and voids.
- Review cash handling procedures and safe drops to mitigate risk and ensure employee compliance with company policies.
- Investigate liability claims, including sexual harassment accusations, slip and fall accidents, and customer complaints.
“Envysion gives us a comprehensive view into our store-level operations and unprecedented visibility into operational issues and areas of shrink that are impacting profitability.” — Sunny Goyal, Chief Operating Officer of Au Energy