Perfecting EMV: Compliant C-store Brand Offers Valuable Upgrade Advice

While some c-store operations are scrambling to beat the April 2021 outdoor EMV deadline, the folks at Maplefields in Northern New England are sleeping at night just fine.

Every single one of Maplefields’ stores is now EMV-compliant, months ahead of the compliance cutoff date. For IT Director, Skip Potter, keeping up with industry regulations and keeping customers protected from fraud are paramount to his business.

“If you’re not EMV-compliant by the deadline, then it all falls back on you. Breaches, chargebacks, those are 100% yours,” says Skip. “You own those. And I’ll tell you, one breach? That could destroy your company.”

Over the months of upgrades, Skip has honed the process into a well-oiled machine. Each store has its own technology closet, dedicated to all the peripherals necessary for EMV compliance. Underneath the front counters, you’ll only find interfacing cables, no hardware.

“It doesn’t take many EDH’s (Enhanced Dispenser Hub) with coffee dumped on it before you start saying, ‘this is crazy,’” Skip says. “We needed to think about [the EMV upgrade process] differently.”

Organized technology rooms are a small step stores can take early that pays huge dividends long after the upgrade is done, according to Special Projects Coordinator, Brian LaBrie.

“From a diagnostic standpoint, [tech rooms] really stand out for us because our guys can go in, identify the issue, fix it, and move onto the next thing,” said Brian. “Rats nests, clumps of wires, all of that creates a much longer workflow for them. Now everything is laid out like a roadmap.”

That’s not their only chip of EMV advice. Skip says, “do your homework and only work with reputable companies that know the petroleum industry.” Besides our 155+ years of fueling history, Gilbarco’s Passport Point-of-Sale was first to market with EMV software and is currently available for virtually all brands. Learn more about our indoor/outdoor EMV solution here.

Also, learn about the tests we perform in over 30 real-world categories to ensure quality and performance over the life of the equipment.