Tackling Dispenser Downtime: How APIs Are Changing the Game in Fuel Retail

Managing hundreds or even thousands of dispensers across multiple fuelling sites is no small feat. One of the biggest headaches for fuel retailers and convenience store operators is simply knowing which dispensers are down — and then figuring out where to start troubleshooting. When you’re dealing with a sea of devices, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

As Josh Lehman , Senior Product Manager, put it during a recent session:

“If you have thousands of sites, or even hundreds, you have tens of thousands of events happening across these systems. You need to know where to start.”

That statement hits the nail on the head. Without clear, real-time visibility into dispenser status, maintenance teams often waste precious time chasing alerts or performing reactive fixes — sometimes even sending technicians out unnecessarily.

The Challenge: Knowing What’s Happening, When It Matters

Imagine trying to keep track of hundreds of dispensers with manual checks or delayed reports. You might get occasional updates, but they’re often not fast or detailed enough to act on immediately. When problems arise, it’s hard to know which issues are urgent and which have already been resolved. This uncertainty leads to longer downtime, frustrated customers, and lost revenue.

The Solution: Real-Time Updates through APIs

APIs (Application Programming Interfaces) act like a bridge that allows software systems to talk to each other and share information instantly. In the context of dispenser management, APIs can provide up-to-the-minute updates on the health and status of every dispenser in your network.

This means instead of waiting for a technician’s report or checking dashboards manually, you can receive alerts as soon as a dispenser goes offline or experiences an issue. More importantly, these alerts are continuously updated, so you always know if an issue is still active or has been resolved.

From Visibility to Action: Automating Fixes and Reducing Downtime

But having information is only half the battle. Some retailers are now using these real-time updates to automatically trigger solutions. For example, when an alert signals a problem, a system can remotely reboot the dispenser — often fixing the issue without any human intervention.

According to Josh Lehman:

“Certain customers actually automatically reboot dispensers using the API when a specific alarm comes through — achieving about a 90% success rate with just a reboot.”

This kind of automation means fewer truck rolls, faster repairs, and less lost fuel sales.

Why This Matters for Fuel Retailers

In fuel and convenience retail, every minute of downtime means lost revenue and dissatisfied customers. The ability to instantly know which dispensers are down and fix many problems remotely changes the game. It allows operations teams to focus their efforts where they’re really needed — and keep the pumps flowing smoothly.

As technology continues to evolve, embracing these kinds of connected, data-driven approaches will be essential to staying competitive and efficient in the industry.

In short, APIs are making it easier than ever to turn mountains of device data into clear, actionable insights — helping fuel retailers reduce downtime and improve customer experience.

Interested in learning more?

Contact us or DM now to explore how APIs can transform your operations!