Tokheim Eye service station solution named finalist in Havering Business Awards

Tokheim Eye, the new integrated security system specifically developed for fuel service stations, has been named a finalist in the Havering Business Awards' Innovation category. The awards scheme rewards excellence and innovation and recognises best practice, with a record number of businesses entering this ninth annual contest.

Launched by Metro Security, using specialist software developed by Metro's sister company ADDER Digital Technology, Tokheim Eye is a powerful operational solution for service station security, bringing together forecourt pumps, payment and imagery in one package. High definition (HD) surveillance cameras are interfaced with automatic number plate (ANPR) recognition software and point-of sale-equipment both at the pumps and within the kiosk. This provides a range of valuable information linked to the camera recordings. Real-time and post-event data includes details such as the pump number, receipt, staff member involved, time/date and other useful transaction inputs.

CCTV footage can be quickly and easily retrieved using Tokheim Eye and its flexibility is extended through the system's use of intranet and internet technology, which puts real-time surveillance images on devices including desktop PCs, tablet computers and smartphones. Service station owners and managers can both monitor and control sytems on and off-site. Tokheim Eye's other operational benefits include the ability to check on footfall levels and patterns inside the retail shop, staffing levels and related behaviour. This has positive implications in terms of improving staff procedures and related training, for instance.

"Forecourt fuel retailers are being battered by low margins, falling sales and shrinkage threats to their business," says Metro's MD Trevor Wallace. "Tokheim Eye provides an effective and holistic solution to these problems and, importantly, the system's exciting security and operational advantages also mean the installation will pay for itself."

Tokheim Eye systems have been trialled at sites including Ron Perry & Son's two service stations near Hartlepool and encouraging results have convinced owner Ron Perry (pictured) to expand the installation: "The images and data I've seen have been invaluable in revealing the operational management improvements we can make," he comments. "For instance, reviewing staff activity after a recent drive-off incident showed we could introduce changes to maximise the chances of this being spotted and appropriate action taken.

"On a day-to-day level, it's allowed me to see when queues build up in the shop and make changes in shift patterns to minimise inconvenience for customers. It's now quicker and easier to search for any kind of incident because you can ask the system to search via criteria such as last fill-up, last cash payment, by receipt, date, etc."