Best Convenience Store Software - Features, Pricing & More!

What is Convenience Store Software?

Convenience store software is an inclusive and incorporated solution that has been made particularly for convenience store proprietors, retailers, and small retailers to effectively control and manipulate their everyday operations. 

This end-to-end platform simplifies work, simplifies activities, and escalates performance rates, empowering convenience retailers to operate without fail.

The importance of efficient in-store operations, optimized inventory control, and enhanced customer experience for generating income and surviving in the market is recognized with 5,943 store closings in 2019. 

C-Store software is an entire solution that caters to these urgent needs by providing a concentrated channel by which C-store owners and store directors judge and handle different features of their stores. With the right convenience store software, they can evaluate and control their stock administration, movement and development, human relations, and deals projects. 

It allows you to refocus more time and energy back into the day-to-day running of your store—and back toward more of a working-on-your-store focus than working-in-your-store.

What are the Benefits of Convenience Store Software?

1. Keeping Your Stock Available 

Convenience stores stock a wide variety of products. Still, the scope of this disparate inventory can push operational capabilities to the limit; the complexities of managing shipments from foreign suppliers can be daunting.

Average inventory record accuracy in U.S. retail stands at 63%, resulting in costly inefficiencies and lost sales.

Another major area where most convenience store managers suffer is the product stockout challenge.  Shoppers will abandon and may never return to purchase on brief delay, which requires line managers to optimize their stock of the bestselling products and staples while avoiding a surplus.

To keep track of inventors, managers need an accurate view of the product sales mix, your inventory choices aren’t practical to your business needs and don’t help build trust with customers.

It’s kind of a catch-22. How do you get an accurate view of product sales when manual processes and rogue pricing limit your visibility?

As soon as customer’s top-selling products like Pringles are getting low, you'll be alerted so that you can replenish it and keep the sales running. This can double your profits. Cha-Ching!

Also, Automated systems keep an eye on volatile pricing trends, identify the buying habits of your customers, and stay competitive in the C-store industry.

2. No More Employee Theft

Let’s Face it, employee theft is a drag. Sick of it yet?

 You trust your team, but sometimes things vanish and you can’t begin to fathom how, or why. 

That time you noticed a bunch of packs of gum and cigarettes were gone from the shelf. 

You thought maybe it was an accident, but then it just kept happening, and you knew something was up. You trust your team, but now you’re wondering if it’s John, always shooting the breeze with customers, or Emily, always restocking the shelves. You’re frustrated, desperate to figure out how to make sure it never happens again, and worried about how much it’s costing your store.

Well, to make it easy for you;

Employee theft is the cause of more than 30% of all business bankruptcies.

One way that convenience store software increases staff accountability significantly is through employee permission management. With this function, store owners and managers can assign certain permissions to each employee, so they can access only the parts of the software they need to do their job.

For example, convenience store managers can stop their staff from seeing the cash office, or the inventory room, unless the employee is authorized.

Team monitoring is another critical factor in staff accountability. The software provides real-time tracking and reporting to track employee activities, sales performance, and customer interactions. 

3. Equipment Management 

When running a C-store, it is important to keep everything neat, so there are no accidents or annoyances. Plus, there are those pesky occupational safety laws to worry about. 

Every machine or piece of equipment in a C-store must be labeled with a safety inspection sticker before it can be used. 

A convenience store assistant helps you by keeping track of repairs & maintenance that need to be scheduled. It will send alerts/notifications so you are never surprised when something breaks down. You can even schedule monthly PMs so problems are avoided and things are cleaned.     

Wait there is more. C-Store software keeps them compliant with auditing agencies. You make sure you pass inspections while scanning through regulations step by step. 

4. A Delightful Customer Experience 

When it comes to making your convenience store a success, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is the primary answer. You see, customers love feeling special, and what’s more special than accumulating points and discounts just for being a loyal member? It’s like a VIP pass to your store. 

93% of customers are more likely to be patient with shipping delays if they see great customer service from your brand. 

C-store software with CRM-integrated data feeds can deliver timely, relevant assistance and updates, to keep your customers happy and engaged. Putting the right investment in CRM tools ensures high customer care and retention.

5 Best Convenience Store Software To Date

As we just talked about, convenience store managers face challenges that other merchants don’t, and choosing an application that doesn’t fit your needs can doom you to failure.

Here are our picks for top convenience store software that can help you resonate with the constantly evolving customer behavior.

1. Xenia- Overall Best Convenience Store Software

This end-to-end operation execution software is built with seamless communication, scalability, and total visibility into daily tasks across all locations in mind. It’s a daily snapshot of what needs to get done… so you can get it done.

But here’s the thing Xenia is useful not only to retail store managers, the app is useful to anyone with a lot of people and locations or just plain stuff to keep track of: district managers, regional officers, home inspectors, and even franchise business consultant.

Let’s break down How Xenia simplifies store owners' and managers’ lives giving them the freedom they deserve.

An all-in-one, holistic view of operations across all locations in a centralized dashboard gives managers Control over all of what’s happening at your stores in real-time. 

This is what many C-store operators lack. 

The app ensures task tracking, maintenance, and team performance for complete involvement and visibility to quickly fix issues.

But that is only one aspect of this robust C-store software. There’s a lot more 

Ticket Routing and Requests

What makes Xenia different from competitors is its incredibly full workflow management — the ability to build workflows in great minute detail.

Using simple templates and checklists, you can assign tasks and forms at the drop of a hat. Managers can pick the right task/checklist, designate the employee or location, and assign a due date, all in a few clicks. 

Suppose you want the coffee machine to be clean for the morning shift. 

Log into the Back Office, pull up a Cleaning Schedule checklist, and assign it to an employee to complete by tomorrow. 

The best part is you can set a priority level, and attach files or pictures if you want to hold workers to a higher level of work quality.

Once an employee gets a task on their Xenia app, they can complete it and send it back to the manager through the app for a thumbs-up. They can then track the progress to make sure the task is done and dusted.

To make it even easier, you can use pre-made templates for popular retail operations for C-store managers. 

Templates cover inventory management, HACCP logs, Temperature monitoring checklists, customer service standards, and food safety protocols. Choose the templates you want, download or customize them, and make them fit your needs easily. 

2. Monitor Store Operations and Performance Metrics Remotely 

The responsive mobile dashboard gives home officers instant updates and a bird’s eye view of what’s happening across the stores without them being there. 

You will have access to current tasks, overdue items, what is due today, what is due this week, how many total tasks are, and the completion rate of tasks all in one place! 

You will have the ability to keep on top of things with this report and make decisions based on facts, not instincts. You will quickly know how your team is doing every week. 

No more searching through reports or calling team members for updates. 

To make things even simpler, the app lets you search for the contact information of your team members and managers without any hassle. Instead of scrolling through your old emails or spreadsheets, you can simply get in touch with the right person in no time.

For example, being the operations leader for a chain of convenience stores. You log into the Xenia portal and see that Store A is not hitting its cleaning schedule (overdue items). 

You can quickly assign a new task to the team to get back on track and send a reminder announcement so it gets done. Meanwhile, you notice that Store B is obliterating it with a 95% task completion rate. 

You can use this insight to figure out what's working and replicate it across the other stores.

Boom!

3. Ensure Brand Consistency with Audits and inspections

Brand consistency is imperative for convenience stores. Regular checks need to be performed to ensure everything is up to standard. 

Two types of audits can be carried out: either a site visit is made by a team member or by a mystery shopper who drops in unannounced.

Regardless, the auditor can take pictures of issues and enter them into the software with additional instructions or filters. He will then assign a task to the store manager or a team member to ensure corrective action. This convenience store software organizes audits, inspections, and tasks making it much easier to maintain brand standards.

Moreover, an AI-powered tool allows you to easily create custom procedures for your store ops, get expert feedback to make them even better, and automatically assign them to specific teams or stores. This is a complete game-changer for training your line managers and staff - they’ll be pros in no time!

4. Automated Logs

Automatic in-depth task logs give you full visibility over the task history. 

You'll instantly know who did what, and when. You'll see how tasks evolved with full visibility and accountability, without awkward manual tracking or in-person check-ins. 

You can note the adjustments and updates and see the full task history in one fell swoop! It's the kind of paper trail but without the paper.

Key Features

• Dedicated Tasks: Create tasks and assign them to designated store-front teams for swift action. 
• Real-time Collaboration: Allows real-time monitoring of ongoing operations by facilitating communication among store managers, retail staff, and key stakeholders via dedicated in-app chat rooms or tasks.
• Ticket Routing & Maintenance Requests: Use processes to quickly route tickets to relevant departments, enabling you to produce a wide range of maintenance requests without compromising the user experience. 
• Multi-Unit Checklists: Create new checklists or utilize custom templates to effortlessly integrate retail operations across many units, ensuring consistency and compliance. 
• AI-Powered SOP Builder: Use an in-app AI-powered SOP generation tool to create an unlimited amount of standard operating procedures (SOPs), whether they are particular to retail operations or any other activity that requires rapid attention. Consider inspections and audits, crucial equipment maintenance, asset management, and anything else that affects how retail operations function properly.
• Log Builder: Automatic log trail offers insight into task completion progress, and new status changes, and offers overall increased accountability. 

Pricing

• Free Forever: For up to 5 users with unlimited access to all the basic features
• Starter: $99 per month for 15 users with access to core features
• Premium: $199 per month for 15 people, including access to all core & advanced features 
• Custom: Do you need anything exclusive to your organization? 

Book a free demo today!

2. ePB

ePB, cloud-based convenience store software, streamlines your store's operational tasks by integrating all your systems in one place – and it does so for any number of stores. 

From employee scheduling of your labor management system, and comprehensive store analytics to syncing your inventory in real-time, ePB is the solution.

Managers can access a store's vital information from anywhere in the world. Loaded with powerful features that eliminate the guesswork from running a C-store, the software can do it all

But it doesn't stop there. With daily sales tracking honed to perfection, the most precise tobacco rebate and loyalty reporting ever, and an unrivaled array of additional features, it’s like having a hyper-imaginative assistant working ceaselessly to keep your store on the up and up.

Key Features 

• Daily reconciliation guarantees that all transactions are recorded accurately and finances are leveled with ease
• Precise inventory control helps store owners track stock levels, manage reorders, and reduce waste.
• Store merchandising tools optimize product placement to maximize sales opportunities.
• Detailed shop analytics gives you deep insights into sales trends, customer behaviors, and overall store performance.

Pricing 

• Contact Vendor

3.  Heartland Retail

Previously named Springboard Retail, this CRM software is the runner-up for the next best convenience store software designed for multi-store and multi-channel retailers. 

This retail solution is designed to keep up with the ever-evolving demands of today’s retail landscape.

Heartland Retail POS offers a customer dashboard, which is capable of providing valuable insight into customer behavior by gathering information right at the point of sale. 

That information is then used to generate averages about such things as what the customer likes and what their history of purchases shows. With an unlimited number of custom fields, tracking and reporting can be altered to match any business's individual needs.

Key Features 

• Streamlined buying process with comprehensive purchasing features.
• Improved customer relationships and detailed insights with customer management tools.
• Informed decision-making through valuable data with advanced analytics.
• Overall store operations are enhanced by efficient management features.
• Accuracy and real-time sales data with robust sales tracking.

Pricing 

• Contact Vendor 

4. Korona POS

From convenience stores and liquor shops to quick-service restaurants, KORONA POS works for all types of retail locations. 

The ticketing features and membership modules this one of the best convenience stores offers also serve retail shops like museums, wineries, and theme parks.

And it doesn't stop there. It automates even the most complex tasks like calculating commissions and franchise royalties. Whether in-house or remote, the app has devised a way to seamlessly manage all business operations through Point of Sale.

The newest functionality embedded in the KORONA POS provides advanced product analysis with ABC inventory grading, detailed sales reporting, automated reordering and stock notifications, theft prevention, and a complete range of employee management tools. 

Key Features 

• Effective stock control and visibility are promoted by inventory management.
• Sales channels and online presence are enlarged by e-commerce integration.
• Customer retention and repeat business are increased via loyalty programs.
• Detailed customer insights and engagement are offered by customer relationship management tools.
• Operations are facilitated and royalty calculations can be automated with the franchise feature.

Pricing 

• Korona POS Core:$59
• Korona POS Retail:$69

5. Zenput

Zenput is essential for retailers, restaurants, and other multi-unit businesses. 

The software makes sure important initiatives and operating procedures are executed flawlessly and the business rules. 

This solution can be transformational for operators running a really busy multi-location business because it automates the roll-out and implementation of key initiatives and operating procedures.

Zenput has it all covered- whether it is monitoring food safety, checking equipment temperatures, or completing audits and checklists.

Key Features 

• Tasks are assigned for automatic corrective action to ensure timely addressing of problems
• Task progress and completion are automatically tracked
• Advanced reporting delivers in-depth analyses and insights
• Keep teams informed with alert notifications on important updates and issues
• Take control and have compliance tools in place to ensure adherence to your regulations and standards

Pricing 

• Contact Vendor 

Which is the Best Convenience Store Software for my business?

As per Google, 71% of consumers expect companies to use technology to make their experiences more seamless. And that’s just what C-store software does – it simplifies operations, increases efficiency, and results in sales. It's a simple choice!

On that note, Xenia caters to C-stores with its wide range of purpose-built tools. It offers a seamless and intuitive solution to deal with the special challenges that C-store owners have.

With tools like inventory management and customer relationship management, along with a portfolio, Xenia supports successful market competitiveness today.

Don't let the backlog of paperwork and tracking hold you back any longer.