H. HAKANSON

An Automated System for Marketing Fuel on credit through Self-service

. . 0 CONTRIBUTED BY HANS HAKANSON, PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT, SVENSKA ESSO AB.

New Swedish Invention makes possible fully automated fuel sales

Last December, Esso initiated a series of tests with credit card automats at the Esso service station at Tumba outside Stockholm. In February, a second test station was opened at Vasteras. ·

The system has been developed by Securitas Alarm, Stockholm, and will be tested during a six-month period. During this time the purpose is to collect experience about the system, to investigate more closely further applications of t~e system, and last but not least, sound customer reactions.

Th~ credit card automat allows customers to buy fuel ~and, m the future, also TBA) even when the service station is unattended. The customer uses a special credit card and -as a security-a personal code. The pump is of the co~ventional self-service type, equipped with a card reader umt. The pertinent data is transmitted electronically to a paper ta~e punch located in the station building. Later the tape 1s forwarded to a data centre for invoicing, etc.

The advantages of the system are many. The customer can fill up at any time of the day or night. The customer need not waste time by paying for the volume purchased. The operating hours are not restricted by personnel or economic conditions. On the other hand, the system allows fore~'?urt personnel to concentrate upon any necessary serv1cmg of cars.

Due to the personal code (which is not shown on the card), the system is considered so safe that it is not ~ecessary to block a lost card. Should it be necessary, it is possible to block a credit card sale through a blocking umt connected to the system.

During the trial period a system with a maximum capacity of 5,000 customers will be used. This capacity can, however, be varied- be reduced to 90-500 customers, or increased to handle 50,000-500 OOO customers and so forth. '

The system involves a credit card, a card reader a controlling unit and a blocking unit. ' (a) The credit card

Each credit, c1;1ston:ier w_ill have <1: card of a special type. The customer s 1dent1ficat1.o~ code 1s punched in the lower part of the card. In addition, the customer will have a personal code. The meaning of this latter code is described below.

(b) The card reader .At the service stati<;ms .each pump must be equipped with a card reader, which is placed behind the door inside the pump. Instructions

The first step in the credit card automat and the only one the customer need remember.

I. Open the small door.. 2. Place the credit card m the slot. d d by 3 Show the personal code to the car rea er

· pressing the bu~ton~.

In other words, the code is numerical co111bmat10n. 4. Let go of the small door (which dth~n Iockst).d The 5. A ureen lamp lights up-the car IS accep e . pu~1p begins operating. 6. Fill up with gasoline. 7. Press tbe yellow button. . . 8. The green lamp switches off. Ope1~ the small do01. 9. Remove the credit card. The sale 1s completed. (The photograph shows, in descending order, th~ gre~n lamp and the yellow button. The lowest button IS. on Y used for cash sales).

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