Smaller format retail facilities to include convenience stores; grocers and bodegas face different operational challenges than supermarkets or other large format retailers.  By installing controls, such as ArtikControl™, it can help turn the challenges or problems these facility managers face into opportunities to reduce costs and enhance overall operations.

Most convenience stores do not have system controls. In a typical convenience store, the HVAC systems, Refrigerated Cases, Walk-in Boxes, and Lighting are all managed separately and are not connected. Even, if they do have controls, for the most part the Refrigeration System is often stand-alone and while thermostats are used, they may not be programmed to the correct settings. For convenience store facility managers or owners, your key problems likely include:

• Limited visibility into store operations: If you are responsible for multiple stores, you may not have the oversight to know what is happening in all your locations at any given time.  Recently, one of our Clients was not even aware that their reach-in cooler temperatures were above 45º F which makes for some warm beer and unhappy customers.
• Difficulty of enforcing store policies: You may have established business policies around lighting and thermostat settings, but how do you know that they are being enforced by the store manager and followed by personnel in a single store?
• Poor maintenance: Many facilities use a “run to fail” maintenance strategy, meaning that the equipment generally will fail without warning, leading to very expensive emergency repairs or replacements on short notice.  Using Duct Tape and Bubble Gum no longer works in maintaining these boxes.
• Energy leakage: If a mechanical problem or personnel issue causes a store to stray from the policies put in place – for example, settings on a thermostat are changed or canopy lights are left on throughout the day – this can lead to energy usage that is higher than necessary.

For an example, if an average 5,000 square foot convenience store spends $75,000 annually on operational costs, they may spend 44.5 percent of the budget on energy and 17.5 percent on maintenance. If this were your store, how much could you save by addressing the problems above?

To break it down even further, we know based on recent M & V Studies, on average ArtikControl™ Technologies are saving upwards of 93% on the reach-in display cases and the walk-in boxes.

Many people think that monitoring is enough, but that is not the case. It really is important to apply the entire system to manage, monitor and optimize your small format facility.

Interested in learning more about ArtikControl™ Line of Technologies’ for convenience on smaller footprint stores? Please email me at marybeth@refrigerationtechnologiesllc.com or call me at 888-286-3091 extension 101.

ArtikControl™ consistently monitors your walk-in coolers/freezers and sends out alarms via text and email alerts when problems arise so that any failure is discovered and addressed as quickly as possible.

In fact, “Arti” is your Personal Assistant for Food Freshness & Safety!
We monitor your systems 24/7 so that you don’t have to worry.

Do you have a Talking Freezer?

Contact Refrigeration Technologies’ today to schedule a No Obligation Energy Audit. (888) 286-3091