SSCS Was There: The Convenience U CARWACS Show

SSCS traveled north of the border this week to attend the Convenience U CARWACS Show in Toronto. The exposition is for gas stations, convenience stores, and car washes.

It was a great opportunity for us.

That’s because recently we added functionality to our flagship back office system, the Computerized Daily Book (CDB). The enhanced software allows us to support the transfer of sales data back and forth between the CDB and the Bulloch Technologies’ Inc., BT9000. The BT9000 is the dominant point-of-sale system in Canada. As this was the first Canadian show we’ve attended since implementing support for the BT9000, it was a pleasure being able to talk to the many Canadian operators needing a turnkey solution to increase profits in their c-store.

“CARWACS is so widely attended, I always think of it as the Canadian equivalent of NACS,” states our on location SSCS sales rep. “This makes it an important show for us, as it gives us international exposure that’s pretty unique. If you’re in our industry and you’re trying to establish or strengthen brand recognition in Canada, the CARWACS Show is the place to be. We fielded a lot of curiosity at our booth, and made quality contact with prospective customers.”

The value of CARWACS in establishing an international footprint is evidenced in the number of high profile, U.S.-based companies were in plain evidence on the trade show floor. In fact, the mix of exhibitors wasn’t all that different that what you would find in a U.S. show. “I noted a heavier percentage of car wash-related interests than you might find in the U.S.,” continues our rep, “and because cannabis is legal in Canada there were many exhibitors on the floor that you wouldn’t see in the States. But other than that, Canadian retailers need the same things as their American counterparts—efficiency and profitability—and it was nice to be in a position to assist.”