Fuel Sites Receive Major Upgrades Across Footprint
Mar 17, 2021
Communities across the MKC footprint received upgrades to their MKC fuel pumps this winter. Mor
e than just a cosmetic upgrade, most of MKC’s new fuel pumps will provide customers a seamless experience with new features, including a chip reader and, in some cases, tap-to-pay.
“We want to provide equipment that’s going to be reliable and safe for our customers,” said Scott Barkley, MKC director of energy.
Fifteen MKC fuel sites received new hardware and a software upgrade, while a few of those locations received all new dispensers. Sites with new dispensers will have the capability to utilize a chip reader and tap-to-pay, a form of payment that allows customers to tap a card to the reader instead of inserting the card. The upgrades provide a more reliable system to dispense gasoline and diesel and are safer to use from a card security standpoint.
The project began in January after credit card companies required fuel pumps to read credit card chips. The chip upgrade required a significant investment in software, so to provide a more positive customer experience, MKC looked into doing a total upgrade.
“We evaluated case by case which sites would be required to have new dispensers as part of the upgrade,” Barkley said.
“With part of the enhancements, we went ahead and upgraded as many dispensers as we could to optimize our
investment and provide equipment for our customers that will work when they need it to.”
The locations with upgrades to the fuel sites include Buhler, Haven, Herington, Inman, Kismet, Lindsborg, Manhattan, Marquette, McPherson, Moundridge, Onaga, Peabody, Plains, Walton and Westmoreland.
Customers can expect to utilize new pumps at all fuel sites by early May.
e than just a cosmetic upgrade, most of MKC’s new fuel pumps will provide customers a seamless experience with new features, including a chip reader and, in some cases, tap-to-pay.“We want to provide equipment that’s going to be reliable and safe for our customers,” said Scott Barkley, MKC director of energy.
Fifteen MKC fuel sites received new hardware and a software upgrade, while a few of those locations received all new dispensers. Sites with new dispensers will have the capability to utilize a chip reader and tap-to-pay, a form of payment that allows customers to tap a card to the reader instead of inserting the card. The upgrades provide a more reliable system to dispense gasoline and diesel and are safer to use from a card security standpoint.
The project began in January after credit card companies required fuel pumps to read credit card chips. The chip upgrade required a significant investment in software, so to provide a more positive customer experience, MKC looked into doing a total upgrade.
“We evaluated case by case which sites would be required to have new dispensers as part of the upgrade,” Barkley said.
“With part of the enhancements, we went ahead and upgraded as many dispensers as we could to optimize our
investment and provide equipment for our customers that will work when they need it to.”
The locations with upgrades to the fuel sites include Buhler, Haven, Herington, Inman, Kismet, Lindsborg, Manhattan, Marquette, McPherson, Moundridge, Onaga, Peabody, Plains, Walton and Westmoreland.
Customers can expect to utilize new pumps at all fuel sites by early May.