Your Gas Station Business: 4 Ways to Improve

Running a gas station business has a lot of moving pieces and requirements in order to be successful.  If you know your customers and what they want, it can give you a plan of action when looking into how to improve.  Look at who your customers are.  Are they long-distance truck drivers, are they families, locals, business people stopping in to and from work?  Looking at the customer will give you a road map on how to best attract them to your gas station business.  Let’s look into four ways you can improve your gas station business no matter who your client is.  You can tailor the details in each to fit your specific clientele.

Customer Experience

Increasing a better customer experience from the time that they stop until the time they leave will encourage customer loyalty.

• Are your employees friendly and attentive?
• Is your gas station well lit?
• Is it clean at the gas pumps or dispensers?
• Are you consistently stocking shelves?
• Are your restrooms clean?
• What items are they asking for that you currently do not carry?

If the answers to these questions are not yes, then these are areas that need to be improved for your gas station business.

Signage

Utilizing eye-catching exterior signage can draw more customers from the road.  Track which signs seem to attract the most traffic.  It could be discounts, food specials, or gas prices.

Interior signage at the gas pumps or dispensers can help draw customers inside your convenience store.  Here are the different types of signage that you can use.

Fill Up Signage – A special offer for those that fill up their tank past a set number of gallons get a free coffee.

Gas Station Extras Signage – Offers or discounts on a car wash after filling up, or free air after filling up.

Staple Signage – Discounts on staple items like 2 chips for $2 or combination hot dog and soda for $2.

Specialty Item Signage – Discounts on specialty items that are in high demand from your customers.

Seasonal Signage – Offers on seasonal items, flavored coffee like pumpkin spice, slushies in the summer.

Offering Air, Vacuum, and/or Car Wash Options

By offering air and vacuum machines, you are going to generate more customers.  Whether it is free or at a small cost, a customer is likely to fill up their tank and even stop inside the convenience store after.

Car washes are a draw to a specific gas station.  They give you the opportunity to offer a solution while increasing the likelihood that they will spend on other goods and services you have.

It is all about making their stop convenient and giving them multiple solutions.

Gas Pumps or Dispensers

Tank monitors and dispensers are important operational elements at a fuel pump that need to be checked and maintained regularly.   Having pumps that are malfunctioning will lose the trust and loyalty of your customers.

When you notice that the flow is slow, or parts are showing signs of wear and tear then it is the time to look into new and reliable gas pumps and parts.  Purchasing reconditioned gas pumps or dispensers is an economical way to upgrade your gas station.  It is possible to get an edge on your competition at affordable prices.