FAQ
Straight answers to the questions we hear most
The platform, pricing, onboarding, hardware, security and support. If your question isn't here, just ask.
The Platform
What is Head Office?
Head Office is our core platform. It's a cloud-hosted system that sits above the hardware on your forecourt and pulls everything into one live dashboard. Every pump, tank, terminal and price sign, across every site, in real time, with the controls to act on what you see.
What can it actually do?
Monitor and control your forecourt remotely, gauge your tanks, reconcile fuel automatically, manage pricing and payment, handle account cards, run reporting and analytics, and manage users and security. You switch on the modules you need and leave the rest.
Is it one product or several?
One platform, licensed by feature. You start with the modules most operators switch on first, monitoring, tank gauge and reconciliation, and add more as you grow into it. Everything runs under the same login, on the same dashboard.
How many sites can it handle?
From a single forecourt to a national network. The platform is multi-tenant and runs across more than 1,200 endpoints today. It works the same way whether you have one site or several hundred.
What does HOS mean?
HOS stands for Head Office System, the same thing as Head Office. You'll see the acronym in our technical material. There's a full glossary of industry terms in the Resources section.
Getting Started
How hard is it to set up?
About as easy as it gets. We send you a small PC, pre-configured for your site. You plug it into your network and your forecourt appears on the dashboard, usually within minutes. No VPN to configure, no multi-week implementation.
Do I need a VPN?
No. Connections run over secure HTTPS straight out of the box, so there's no VPN to set up or maintain.
Can I try it before committing?
Yes. We offer a 30-day trial. We send the hardware, you run Glassbox on a real site, and if it doesn't earn its place, you send the box back. No contract, no obligation.
How long until I'm up and running?
Once the box is plugged in, your site usually appears on the dashboard within minutes. Getting the trial organised and the hardware shipped is a matter of days, not weeks.
Will it disrupt my forecourt to install?
No. The platform reads from the hardware you already have. Plugging in the box doesn't interrupt trading.
Pricing
How much does it cost?
Glassbox is feature-licensed and charged per site, so you pay for the sites you run and the features you actually use. The best way to get an accurate number is a quick conversation about your network. Get in touch and we'll walk you through it.
Do I have to buy the whole platform?
No. You licence the features you need and add more over time. Many operators start with monitoring, tank gauge and reconciliation, then grow into the rest.
Is there a contract?
The 30-day trial has no contract and no obligation. For ongoing use, talk to us about what suits your network.
Are there charges for upgrades?
Head Office is on a continuous release cycle, so improvements roll out to customers as part of the platform. There's no version lock-in or paid upgrade treadmill.
Hardware & Integrations
Will it work with my existing hardware?
Almost certainly. Glassbox is hardware agnostic. We integrate with the major pump controllers, tank gauges, payment terminals and price boards, including Gilbarco, Invenco, Veeder-Root, Franklin Fueling, PAX and POSTEC. Tell us what's on your forecourt and we'll confirm.
What if I change hardware vendors later?
That's the point of being hardware agnostic. Swap a vendor and Glassbox keeps running. You're never locked into one manufacturer because of your software.
Do I have to use your POS and OPT?
No. Head Office works with the POS and payment hardware you already have. Our own POS and Outdoor Payment Terminal are there if you want tighter integration, but they're optional.
Can I get my data into Power BI or my ERP?
Yes. Head Office exposes a clean, documented REST API, so your team can pull data into Power BI, your ERP, or your own tools. The data is yours.
Security & Reliability
Where is it hosted?
Glassbox is cloud-hosted in New Zealand, close to the networks that rely on it.
What happens if a data centre goes down?
The platform is disaster-recovery replicated across two data centres, so a failure in one doesn't take your forecourt offline.
How is my data kept secure?
Connections run over secure HTTPS, access is role-based and multi-tenant so each organisation's data stays separate, and every transaction and user action is logged in a full audit trail.
Who can see and change things in the system?
You decide. Role-based access means each user only sees and touches what their job needs, scoped to the right sites, and every action is recorded.
Support and when things go wrong
What happens when something breaks at a site?
Head Office alerts you the moment a device throws a warning or error, with enough detail to act. In many cases, you can fix it remotely, suspend a pump, reset a terminal, without leaving your desk or sending anyone to site.
Who do I talk to for support?
Our support team is based in Hamilton. You're not routed through a queue in another time zone. We're a small team and we answer the phone.
Can you fix problems remotely?
Often, yes. Remote monitoring and control mean a lot of issues can be diagnosed and resolved from the dashboard, keeping your forecourt earning while one device waits for a tech.
Do you keep improving the platform?
Constantly. The fuel industry changes, payment standards shift, compliance tightens, new hardware arrives. Head Office is on a continuous release cycle so the platform keeps moving with it.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask us directly. We're happy to talk through anything specific to your network, or just book a demo and see it for yourself.
LEARN MORE
CONTACT US
