For Matt Harber, IT Manager at the Purtill Group, choosing the right technology isn’t just about functionality; it’s about long-term reliability, simplicity, and the ability to support a growing network of service stations, retail outlets, and wholesale operations. Since 2017, Beacon POS Systems has played a key role in helping the group streamline their operations and future-proof its service offering.
A Group with Diverse Needs
The Purtill Group is no ordinary fuel business. Based in regional New South Wales, the company operates a wide range of services from service stations and general retail stores to fuel distribution and even a museum. Matt oversees IT across all these operations, and it’s clear that centralisation and consistency are critical to keeping things running smoothly.
“We’ve got six service station sites,” Matt says. “Five of those we manage centrally through Beacon Head Office, and the sixth is a third-party site. Having Beacon across the network has made managing inventory, pricing, stock files and reporting much easier. It’s all centralised, which is a huge time saver.”
One System, One Learning Curve
With multiple locations and a rotating staff base, standardising the POS experience across sites is a significant benefit. “We run the same button mappings across all our sites,” Matt explains. “So, if staff move between stores, they don’t need to retrain. They can just walk in and start serving customers.”
This consistency helps the team focus more on customer service and less on troubleshooting tech. “We try to keep staff out of the back office and on the shop floor where they’re most useful,” Matt adds. “Having a system that’s intuitive really helps.”
Embracing Unmanned Operations with Compac OPT
As part of their broader strategy to drive efficiency, the Purtill Group recently implemented a Compac OPT (Outdoor Payment Terminal) integrated with Beacon and DOMS. This move has enabled round-the-clock fuel access for customers and unlocked new operational opportunities.
“We now have a hybrid setup that allows customers to pay at the pump during the day or at night,” Matt says. “It removes the need for manual day/night switching and helps us offer our restricted white card holders more access.”
Interestingly, Matt notes that customers embraced the change quickly. “We didn’t even advertise it. People just started using it. That tells us there’s real demand for these options.”
Supporting Regional Growth with Smarter Tools
For Matt and his team, the ability to control everything from Beacon’s Head Office portal is a game-changer. “We have two staff in head office who handle invoicing and send data to sites. The sites don’t have to do any of that work themselves,” he explains.
This centralised control is especially important as the company continues investing in major upgrades like the full rebuild of their Ampol Hay site. “We’re going from two diesel lanes to four, and increasing storage capacity from 100,000 litres to over 300,000,” Matt says. “It’ll be our biggest site yet.”
With plans to roll out similar upgrades at other locations, the group is focused on delivering a consistent and modern customer experience across their network.
Preparing for the Future of Convenience
As fuel volume growth plateaus nationwide, forward-thinking operators like the Purtill Group are turning to shop, food, and coffee sales as the next growth frontier. The Hay rebuild includes a new drive-through coffee lane to better serve early morning tradies and commuters.
“We’re really trying to modernise,” Matt says. “You can’t afford to fall behind. There are a lot of new, well-designed sites out there, and if you don’t keep up, customers will go elsewhere.”
Beacon helps support this evolution by offering a system that balances performance with ease of use. “We’ve tried a few different POS systems over the years,” Matt says. “Beacon is by far the easiest for staff to learn. The layout just makes sense. Most people can use it confidently with minimal training.”
Training and Simplicity
Training new staff is a key challenge across the industry, especially in regional areas. “It’s hard enough to find good staff, and even harder to keep them,” Matt explains. “Having a system that’s simple to train on makes a big difference.”
He adds that Beacon’s consistency helps reduce confusion. “They don’t move icons around or change interfaces all the time. The experience is stable and reliable.”
Real Results, Real Confidence
Asked if he’d recommend Beacon to other operators, Matt doesn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. It just works. The reporting is accurate, the support is there, and the system is flexible enough for everything we do, whether it’s a manned or unmanned site.”
At a time when service station operators are juggling everything from staff shortages to shifting consumer habits, the right tools make a difference. For the Purtill Group, Beacon has become a dependable partner in helping them serve customers more efficiently, manage operations more effectively, and plan for future growth with confidence.
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