Excel Tire Gauge helps Cumberland Farms drive site traffic and customer loyalty while enhancing image

Leading-edge digital air machines provide unprecedented accuracy, performance and ease-of-use.

WARWICK, RI • DECEMBER 10, 2010

Cumberland Farms has installed high-precision Excel digital air machines across its entire chain of 480 retail gas/c-store locations. The air machines, which automatically inflate and deflate a tire to within .5 PSI of the desired calibrated pressure, deliver a customer-centric service that enhances repeat business and increases overall revenue.

“In today’s highly cost-conscious environment, we need to give a consumer every possible reason to develop a bond with our brand and our sites,” says Mike Esposito, Category Manager for Cumberland Farms. “The Excel digital air machines help our customers inflate tires properly and easily. As a result, they can get maximum gas mileage, lower their carbon emissions, and enhance their overall driving safety.”

In addition, advanced tire-pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) — which are now required equipment for all cars newer than 2008 — make it harder to procrastinate when tire pressure issues arise. Excel digital air machines are a viable solution for drivers to make the precise adjustments needed.

Hassle-free operation leads to increased usage

By making proper inflation quick and easy, Excel digital air machines encourage drivers to monitor their tires frequently. This attracts new customers to a site, while getting regular customers to visit more often.

“We started the switchover with 15 test sites,” Esposito says. “When usage went up by over 30% in the first 90 days — compared to the previous machines we had — it was a no-brainer to install Excel air machines system-wide.”

The fact that Excel maintains an inhouse team of live operators and knowledgable technicians is an added plus for its customers. Many issues can be handled remotely. The company prides itself on the ability to deal with onsite issues within 48 hours — and normally within 24 hours. It also offers web monitoring capabilities for companies who desire an additional level of monitoring.

“The idea is to take the onus off the customer to ensure the air machine is operational,” says Jay Nelson, CEO of Excel Tire Gauge. “We can actually be proactive, and alert the owner when there’s an issue.”

“Excel has really performed well for us in a number of ways,” Esposito concludes. “On the device side, their technology has really set the new standard. It’s a great differentiator for our c-stores that also enhances our overall brand image. Excel’s solid background and all-out service philosophy are the icing on the cake. You can actually call them and get a live, knowledgeable person on the phone. That’s a key consideration for a company like ours with a sizable number of locations.”

ABOUT EXCEL:
America’s leader in digital air inflation equipment, Excel Tire Gauge has manufactured and installed over 50,000 machines worldwide for a Who’s Who list of customers that includes Sheetz, Cumberland Farms, Costco, Discount Tire and Shell New England. With digital air machines as its sole focus, Excel performs all device maintenance and manufacturing inhouse — while offering exceptional onsite support and turnaround times.

To learn more, visit exceltiregauge.com or call 888.813.4400.