Electric vehicles and their associated charging stations are dramatically changing the entire business model surrounding cars. They also have a major impact on other industries such as convenience and grocery retail. Many unmanned EV charging stations require new concepts such as unmanned stores or shops. However, it is not only electric vehicles that are driving the development of these new business models, but also staff shortages and personnel costs.
Predictive maintenance is an important keyword in this context, as faults must be detected as early as possible, ideally before the customer notices them. However, it is not enough to simply detect faults early on; the background processes must also function properly (e.g., dispatching a service technician). The key to success is workflow-driven error management combined with IoT solutions (e.g., sensors).
The biggest advantage of unmanned stores is that they are open around the clock. In order to keep the stores open around the clock, the availability of the devices must be as high as possible. High availability automatically contributes to high customer satisfaction. Thanks to remote diagnosis and remote maintenance, many problems and errors can be resolved remotely. But what about mechanical damage to devices such as refrigerators where the temperature rises, defective coffee machines, or cold pizza ovens? Another important aspect of unmanned stores is lighting as an important factor for safety during the night hours. Store operators need a range of different systems to maintain control over their devices and any errors that occur. Who can keep track of everything—what errors occur? Which of these have already been assigned to a service provider, for example? Which ones have not yet been processed?
The good news is that such workflow systems already exist for traditional fuel retail and can be easily transferred to these new business models. The better the organization of the entire charging and shop infrastructure, the higher the chances of standing out from the competition and establishing a strong market position.
Customers will not be willing to report errors. On the contrary, due to the negative experience, they are unlikely to visit the website again. Especially at unmanned locations, uncertainty among customers can be relatively high. Using the devices is new to many, and problems or errors lead to a poor customer experience. The key to success here is user-friendliness. Whether it's charging electric cars or shopping in unmanned local stores, it must be as easy as possible for customers.
omis is a cloud-based software solution that has been specially developed for decentralized organizational structures. More than 5,000 locations already use omis for important maintenance tasks and benefit from noticeable cost savings, a significant improvement in quality, higher equipment availability, and shorter processing times. Thanks to its modular design, omis can be adapted to the individual needs of each customer. In this context, our customers are operators of unmanned stores. Making their maintenance processes as convenient as possible automatically has a positive impact on their customers.