The GK team takes any opportunity to connect with and honor our fantastic retail customers. Last month, we had the privilege of meeting with our clients in person at several events, including our Retail Innovation Summit in Raleigh, NC.
Today, we'd like to highlight an exceptional, long-term partnership between GK and RaceTrac, a premier gas station and convenience store retailer in 12 southeastern states with 800 convenience store locations. And recently, RaceTrac's acquisition of Gulf Oil LLC has expanded the RaceTrac brand to nearly 40 states across the continental U.S. and Puerto Rico.
Tyler Grubbs, the executive director of store systems and technology for RaceTrac, was recently selected for the Future Leaders in Convenience Class of 2023 from Convenience Store News and the 2023 Influentials: Top Movers and Shakers in Retail award from RIS News in honor of his ongoing work with GK.
Since joining the RaceTrac team in 2011, Grubbs has greatly improved the retailer's technological capabilities and its customer experience. His work with GK has delivered exceptional results, and the partnership is only just beginning.
The Background: How GK and RaceTrac Work Together
When he was promoted to the executive director of store systems and technology, Grubbs set out to ensure the customer experience was never disrupted by technology challenges.
As any customer knows, a gas pump that's out of order or a checkout lane that doesn't take your preferred payment can slow down your shopping journey. And for gas stations and convenience stores, the need to deliver a quick, efficient in-store experience is imperative.
To improve redundancy and uptime rates for these tools, Grubbs turned to GK. By implementing GK's OmniPOS and Drive solutions, the functionality of key touchpoints was greatly enhanced.
The Results: How RaceTrac Improved the Customer Experience With GK
After integrating GK's technology alongside other key architecture advancements, Grubbs and his team witnessed significant improvements to their operations and the customer experience, including:
- 90% fewer critical hardware failures.
- 30% fewer non-critical device failures.
- 40% decrease in customer support tickets.
- 75% increase in time taken to resolve the remaining customer support tickets.
- 30% reduction in IT line-item expenses.
By freeing up valuable time and budget previously spent upkeeping technology, Grubbs and his team can further invest in innovative enhancements to the RaceTrac experience.
The Future: What's Next for RaceTrac and GK
Next, Grubbs is determined to strengthen the employee experience. Currently, tedious tasks like bookkeeping, staff scheduling and day-to-day management tasks can take hours and cause friction across teams.
Grubbs plans to streamline financial processes for employees by connecting disparate data sources across the organization. To get started, GK's POS technology at the pump is already directly connected to the cash register and to the back-end inventory system. This heightened connectivity will help simplify the employee experience and empower the front-of-house team to spend more time assisting the customer and building ongoing loyalty.
Team Up With GK: Contact Us Today
At GK, we believe that it's essential to work closely with our customers and act as partners. We're so proud of the achievements GK and RaceTrac earned together, and we're thrilled to see Tyler Grubbs honored by both Convenience Store News and RIS News.
If you're interested in hearing more about how GK can become a true partner for your business, reach out to us today.
