PerformanceRetail Goes Live At Amerada Hess

Houston-based PerformanceRetail today announced that Amerada Hess has gone live with its first installation of InSiteä, the newly named convenience retail software application and business service offering from PerformanceRetail. The first live Hess site is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and begins the rollout of the InSiteä product throughout Hess retail chain.

HOUSTON (PRWEB) October 18, 2001 -- Houston-based PerformanceRetail today announced that Amerada Hess has gone live with its first installation of InSiteä, the newly named convenience retail software application and business service offering from PerformanceRetail. The first live Hess site is located in Allentown, Pennsylvania and begins the rollout of the InSiteä product throughout Hess retail chain.

We are extremely pleased to have Hess on board," says PerformanceRetail President and CEO Gregg Burt. By choosing PerformanceRetail to fulfill vital back office operations and performance management services, Amerada Hess has made a significant commitment to leveraging technology to improve retail operations."

InSiteä will find its way into all Hess-owned locations, with initial rollout to continue throughout the remainder of this year. With nearly 1,000 company-owned retail outlets, Amerada Hess has become the leading independent C-store/gasoline retailer on the East Coast. Late last year, Amerada Hess received Convenience Store Decisions 2000 Chain of the Year" award, recognizing its outstanding customer service, store design and market share growth.

The PerformanceRetail solution will strengthen our growth strategy, enabling Hess to respond to customer needs more effectively," says Borden Walker, senior vice president of Amerada Hess. The range and scope of services offered and the foundation for future technology improvements made PerformanceRetail a natural partner for Hess. We look forward to utilizing these innovative retail technologies to further improve merchandise and fuel sales growth, and to truly streamline daily retail operations."            

About InSiteä
Designed to improve the efficiency and profitability of the convenience retail industry, InSiteä brings together the most advanced suite of retail software applications, outsourcing processes, human performance optimization tools and supply chain management capabilities.

InSiteä links vital point-of-sale transaction data with sophisticated category management tools and powerful back office systems to provide retailers with real-time access to critical operating information to make better informed, fact-based decisions. Systems range from merchandise assortment and space optimization to price management, inventory control, promotion planning and tracking, sales processing, demand forecasting, store replenishment, supplier and vendor performance management, financial planning and analysis, accounting and performance optimization.

Because InSite is web-based, customers only need a browser and an Internet connection-a simplified solution for retailers in todays rapidly changing technology environment. Core benefit areas targeted by InSite include the following:

Increased Sales Performance - Through the use of sophisticated merchandising applications and techniques, retailers can quickly identify consumer trends, target unique product offerings, effectively present and stock product, improve retail execution and appropriately manage price changes to generate additional sales revenue and margin.

Reduced Operating Costs - Costs associated with managing stores are reduced through heightened efficiency in retail systems and process management. Improved inventory turns, automated product replenishment and demand based forecasting diminishes costs further by minimizing stock-outs and shrinkage. Flexible subscription pricing models and the avoidance of heavy up-front capital commitments provide additional benefits, including the elimination of technology development risks.

Simplified Business Processes - By streamlining and automating existing processes, store personal will spend less time in the back office on burdensome administrative tasks and more time up front responding to customer needs. PerformanceRetail can also assist in store accounting, pricebook maintenance and vendor rebate management to provide added functionality, enabling retailers to focus on activities that drive the business.

Improved Human Performance Capabilities -- New technologies and processes are maximized when the workforce is skilled to deliver new results. PerformanceRetail recognizes the importance of retail execution and has incorporated targeted e-training, consulting and industry specific content to enhance employee productivity.

About PerformanceRetail
PerformanceRetail is the leading provider of web-architected software applications and business management services designed specifically to increase the efficiency and profitability of the convenience retail industry. By partnering with retail industry leaders, including Amerada Hess Corporation (www.hess.com), Tosco Corporation (www.tosco.com), BP (www.bp.com), Accenture (www.accenture.com) and Retek Inc (www.retek.com), PerformanceRetail enables retailers to better manage sales and profitability, merchandise and fuel inventory, financial reporting and analysis and employee productivity. For more information, please visit us online at www.performanceretail.com.

About Amerada Hess
Amerada Hess, headquartered in New York, is a global integrated energy company engaged in the exploration for and the production, purchase, transportation and sale of crude oil and natural gas, as well as the production and sale of refined petroleum products. Exploration and production activities take place primarily in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway, Denmark, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Algeria, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Azerbaijan, Brazil and Colombia.