5 Best Practices for Making Your Gas Station Business Profitable

Focusing on best practices can take your gas station from a potential stop for customers to a destination stop.  Thus, increasing your customer traffic and your bottom line.  By focusing on the details in relation to customer service, convenience, and best practices, you will have a profitable gas station business.

Consistency with Opening Hours  

There is nothing more upsetting to a customer than to show up at a gas station during operating hours to find it is closed.  Make sure you hire prompt and timely employees for all shifts but in particular the opening shift.

Convenience Store and Added Services

Most gas stations have a convenience store, as it is a great way to increase profits.  Selling food items can draw and bring in more customers.

Supplementing your gas station by adding a lottery machine inside will bring more value for your customers.  With the jackpots growing, you could make a significant profit off the sales of lottery tickets.

Redbox Kiosks can be a great way to increase traffic to your location.  Movie rental kiosks are proven traffic generators, both causing existing customers to return more frequently and attract new customers.

Adding extra car services is another option within your gas station business.  A car wash, air, and water machines, maybe even a service shop, will be lucrative.

Not only will these added features add to your sales, but it also makes your gas station a one-stop-shop of convenience.

Signage to Promote Your Station

Having good signage is critical to bringing customers into your business.  You want to have signs in town as well as on main highways to promote that you are nearby.  Especially if you have a convenience store and other draws that make stopping at your gas station an all in one stop.

Stay on Top of Inventory

If your gas station has a convenience store, then maintaining your inventory and restocking is a must.  A customer wants to be able to stop and get what they need on top of putting gas in their car.  For your late-night customers, it is even more important to have the shelves stocked.  Your convenience store may be the only place open.  A customer will remember how easy it was to get what they needed at your gas station.

Inventory your station’s tank amounts as well.  There could be nothing worse than not having enough gasoline in your tanks.

Employee Safety and Security

Of course, security is always a need for yourself, the employees, and the business.  However, a lack of security can create a bad public relations situation for your business.  Bad security and PR will definitely mean a loss of business.

Have employees only keep a small amount of cash in the registers.  Install a drop safe under cash register so that it is easy and safe for them to drop excessive cash in it without having to leave the storefront, especially if there is one employee for the shift.

Excellent Service is Always A Must

It goes without saying that the two biggest pieces in making your gas station business profitable are having excellent customer service and well-maintained gas pumps and dispensers.  Above all, this will make your gas station a sought-after location.