PriceAdvantage Announces Integration of its Fuel Pricing Software with Pinnacle Palm POS™ and Retail Back Office and Home Office Systems to Provide Insight into Fuel and In-Store Sales Correlation

–– Integration gives convenience store owners insight into what impact fuel sales has on in-store sales —

---

Colorado Springs, Colo. – October 8, 2014 – PriceAdvantage, a fuel price management software company and division of Skyline Products, is announcing new integrations with The Pinnacle Corporation, a leading-edge automation technology company for the convenience store and petroleum industries. PriceAdvantage will integrate its fuel pricing software with Pinnacle’s POS and Retail Back Office and Home Office Systems, enabling stores to correlate fuel pricing strategies with in-store sales. Analysts can then determine how fuel sales impact in-store sales and vice-versa, helping them set strategies to build overall store profitability.

At PriceAdvantage, we are focused on working closely with convenience stores and fuel retailers by providing state-of-the-art technology and flexible options to help them succeed with their fuel pricing strategies. Our new integration with Pinnacle overlays in-store sales for configurable product categories, such as special promotions or food, with fuel sales to help fuel analysts set the right fuel price and further maximize pricing strategies and profits across product categories,” said Chip Stadjuhar, President and CEO of Skyline Products.

The new integrations between PriceAdvantage and Pinnacle’s Systems, targeted for production release in Q4 2014, will include the exchange of three key elements. First, PriceAdvantage can send fuel price changes to the Palm POS for price change execution. Second, PriceAdvantage can retrieve periodic fuel volumes, as reported by the Pinnacle tank monitor web service. And third, PriceAdvantage will collect fuel and merchandise sales by store, as reported by the Pinnacle Manager Workstation. The information offers near real-time visibility into how well the fuel pricing strategies are working and allows fuel analysts to adjust pricing accordingly.

In the convenience store industry, competition, promotions and pricing can play a huge role in profitability.  With this integration, PriceAdvantage expands on its leading-edge technology to help stores maximize fuel pricing. Convenience stores that use integrated Pinnacle and PriceAdvantage software now have the tremendous advantage of being able to see the impact fuel strategies have on in-store sales, and how in-store promotions impact fuel sales. This powerful integration enables them to manage the big picture of overall store profits,” says Melissa Hadley, Director of Product Management at Pinnacle.

Pinnacle has provided automation solutions for the convenience store and petroleum marketing industries for more than two decades. Nationwide, its products and services are used daily in thousands of convenience outlets to automate and improve store operations, and by fuel marketers to increase efficiency in the complex management of fuel logistics.

PriceAdvantage combines the art and science of fuel pricing. First, it allows users to create business rules using their wisdom and insight regarding the special circumstances surrounding each store location – that’s the art. Next, it calculates and reviews prices using a scientific, economic algorithm – that’s the science. The result is the best of both worlds where fuel analysts arrive at successful pricing strategies and fuel pricing excellence.

About PriceAdvantage
A division of Skyline Products, Inc., PriceAdvantage believes that fuel pricing excellence is both an art and a science, balancing the importance of economic models with human knowledge of outside variables.  PriceAdvantage patented fuel pricing software helps dealer and company-owned convenience stores make the best, most informed fuel pricing decisions in less time by combining performance and competitive analysis with local area knowledge. PriceAdvantage offers the most complete end-to-end fuel price change execution software solution. The software automates the entire fuel pricing process from collecting competitive information, to performing sophisticated analysis for best price determination, to executing rapid speed-to-the-street price changes with price change confirmation feedback, all in a matter of minutes. Customers include: CST Brands, BJs, Rutter’s, Flyers Energy, Parker’s and more. PriceAdvantage is online at www.sellmoregas.com.

About Pinnacle
The Pinnacle Corporation provides leading edge automation technology to the rapidly evolving convenience store and petroleum industries. Pinnacle delivers products that automate the broad spectrum of convenience store operations and supply chain management of fuel operations. Nationwide, Pinnacle’s products and services are used daily in thousands of convenience outlets to automate and improve their store operations and by fuel marketers to increase their efficiency in the complex management of fuel delivery.

Skyline Products and PriceAdvantage are trademarks of Skyline Products, Inc. Other company and/or product names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Pinnacle Corporation, Sionic Mobile Partner to Launch Beacon Based Mobile Payments and Loyalty Rewards for Fuel Retailers 

— Combined point of sale, mobile commerce solution eliminates credit card fees on all fuel purchases while providing a more secure and convenient way for consumers to pay-at-the-pump with their smartphones —

Las Vegas, NV – October 8, 2014 – Sionic Mobile, with its channel leading ION mobile commerce platform, and The Pinnacle Corporation (Pinnacle), the leading supplier of automation technology to convenience retail and petroleum industries, today announced during the annual NACS Show the companies will integrate their solutions to to launch a robust mobile loyalty and payments platform for fuel retailers. The combined solution is among the first in the industry to leverage Bluetooth beacons inside the store and at pump islands to facilitate cloud-based payments and instant rewards for smartphone consumers.

The Pinnacle-ION solution helps convenience stores (c-stores) eliminate high-cost credit card fees on fuel purchases and encourages repeat business by providing customers instant rewards based on in-store checkout amounts. Using Bluetooth beacons for pump authorizations, customers can quickly and easily pay for fuel with a few taps on their phones. Leveraging fully encrypted and tokenized mobile payments, the process is more secure than traditional card swipe methods, protecting both the user and fuel retailer against fraudulent activity. The beacons are also used to deliver compelling, relevant promotions to customers boosting in-store traffic and driving high margin sales.

“Our priority is to deliver modern tools that automate the broad spectrum of c-store operations”, said Drew Mize, Pinnacle’s chief operating officer. “We continue to evolve our approach to ensure our services and products meet the current demands of fuel retailers and their consumers. We are pleased to partner with Sionic Mobile to integrate Pinnacle’s Palm POS™ platform with their next-generation loyalty program that combines mobile payments and instant rewards in one application, making it easy for operators to deliver an exceptional customer experience, while reducing costly transaction fees. We look forward to working the team at Sionic Mobile in delivering this proven, innovative tool to our c-store customer base.”

Consumers simply download the ION Rewards app (available in both the App Store and Google Play store), create an account and then use their smartphones to pay for fuel at the pump. Users receive an instant, ten cents per gallon savings on every fuel purchase at any ION-enabled fuel retailer. ION Rewards users also earn one to three percent in rewards on every in-store, non-fuel purchase.

“We are proud to partner with Pinnacle to help convenience stores better connect with nearby consumers, while reducing operating costs,” said Ronald Herman, CEO of Sionic Mobile. “We understand the increasing fees associated with credit and debit transactions, along with decreasing in-store sales are two of the biggest challenges facing c-store operators. ION is the only loyalty application that completely eliminates credit card fees on fuel purchases and rewards customers instantly based upon checkout amounts and payment types.”

About Sionic Mobile
Midtown Atlanta-based Sionic Mobile markets to smartphone consumers and rewards them for every mobile checkout. The mCommerce company utilizes mobile devices and the cloud to connect merchants with nearby, ready-to-spend consumers. The company is the maker and provider of ION — the first, fully digital mobile promotions, gift cards, payments and rewards apps for phones and tablets. Merchants use ION Loyalty® to increase traffic, sales & margins, reduce credit card fees and get good customers back more often. Consumers use ION Rewards® to earn IONs at every checkout, including sending gift cards or IONs to others, then spend them like cash on anything at any time at over 30,000 retail locations nationwide. The free apps support iOS and most Android devices.

About Pinnacle
The Pinnacle Corporation is a leader in the automation technology industry focusing on the rapidly evolving convenience store and petroleum industries. Pinnacle delivers products that automate the broad spectrum of convenience store operations and supply chain management of fuel operations. Nationwide, Pinnacle’s products and services are used daily in thousands of convenience outlets to automate and improve their store operations and by fuel marketers to increase their efficiency in the complex management of fuel delivery.

Automation technology solution provider further distinguishes itself by earning Gold status in the Microsoft Partner Network

ARLINGTON, Texas – September 29, 2014 – The Pinnacle Corporation (Pinnacle) the leading supplier of automation technology to the convenience retail and petroleum industries, announced that it has renewed its certification status in the Microsoft Partner Network, and earned the highest (Gold) level status available. This achievement demonstrates Pinnacle’s ability to meet and exceed Microsoft customers’ evolving needs in today’s dynamic business environment. To achieve this task Pinnacle completed a set of tests and qualifications to prove a sophisticated level of technology expertise, and marks Pinnacle’s 10th consecutive year in earning its way into the Microsoft’s Partner Network program.

“Earning our way into the Microsoft Partner Network each year requires a significant investment on our part, and demonstrates our commitment to evolving technologies and expertise in delivering solutions to our space,” said Drew Mize, Pinnacle’s Chief Operating Officer. “We earned a Gold level status this year, Microsoft’s highest level of achievement available, which affords us even more resources and support from Microsoft. These benefits enable us to provide an even higher level of value within our solutions and to our clients.”

Microsoft Partners receive a rich set of benefits, including access, training, and support for Microsoft platforms and tools, providing a unique and competitive advantage in the channel. The Microsoft Partner Program was originally launched in October 2003; Pinnacle has maintained its Partner certification status since 2005.

As one of the requirements to participate in the Microsoft Partner Network, Pinnacle had to declare and qualify for at least one specialized Microsoft Competency. These Competencies are designed to help differentiate a partner’s capabilities in specific Microsoft technologies, and each has a unique set of requirements and benefits formulated to accurately represent specific skills and services that partners bring to the technology industry. This year Pinnacle achieved two unique Microsoft Competencies:

Gold Application Development – recognizing expertise as a Microsoft ISV, software development, and web development capabilities.

Silver Enterprise Resource Planning – recognizing expertise in deploying Microsoft Dynamics business management solutions, with specialization in Microsoft’s Dynamics GP™ platform.

 

About Pinnacle
The Pinnacle Corporation is a leader in the automation technology industry focusing on the rapidly evolving convenience store and petroleum industries. Pinnacle delivers products that automate the broad spectrum of convenience store operations and supply chain management of fuel operations. Nationwide, Pinnacle’s products and services are used daily in thousands of convenience outlets to automate and improve their store operations and by fuel marketers to increase their efficiency in the complex management of fuel delivery.

Contact Information:

Heather Smith
The Pinnacle Corporation
1-800-366-1173, extension 205