Dive Brief:
- Shell is partnering with payment technology firm Gilbarco Veeder-Root to update its payments technology at almost 13,000 locations by the end of 2024, according to a Thursday press release.
- Gilbarco’s Invenco iNFX payment software and corresponding cloud management platform will replace Shell’s previous payment solutions both in store and in the forecourt throughout the fuel company’s U.S. network, a Gilbarco spokesperson said in an email.
- The rollout of Gilbarco’s technology allows all pumping and payment processes to be controlled on site instead of from central servers, according to the company website.
Dive Insight:
By moving to Gilbarco’s payment platform, Shell will have the flexibility to add new features to its system, as well as reduce potential on-site disruptions during payments and create faster transactions. The platform is also easier to maintain than Shell’s previous platform, according to the announcement.
“This is a micro-services software solution that is hardware agnostic, meaning that it can be deployed either on an edge device, or operated with redundancy across Invenco payment terminals,” the spokesperson said.
Invenco iNFX features several microservices, including payment processing, forecourt control, and point of sale and back-office systems. Gilbarco, with headquarters in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a unit of the Raleigh-based Vontier, and its Invenco subsidiary is based in New Zealand.
Shell is attempting to expand beyond its oil roots and into the broader energy sector. Over the past year, the company acquired EV charging company Volta for $169 million and spent $2 billion on Nature Energy, Europe’s largest renewable natural gas maker. But with only 6% of cars expected to be EVs by 2030, there are plenty of reasons to continue improving the customer experience for drivers with internal combustion engine vehicles.
Houston-based Shell USA markets fuel at about 14,000 Shell-branded gas stations in 49 states and owns nearly 250 c-stores in the U.S.
