Read carefully and analyze in the context of your gas station what you were able to do from the suggestions below and what you weren’t able to do. Select successful gas stations in your area and think about what their secret is. You will be convinced that there is nothing new or unknown to you. All successful gas stations adhere to certain rules and principles, which we have tried to summarize in this article.

As analytical studies of the All-Russian Association of Marketers show, the appearance of a gas station plays a decisive role in the choice of a driver. All other things being equal, when a potential buyer has the choice to refuel a car at “this” or “that” gas station, he will always choose a gas station with an original, new, modern look and design. On a subconscious level, it seems that the old gas station sells poor quality fuel, and there is less trust in old-style fuel pumps when it comes to topping up fuel. Put yourself in the buyer's shoes. You are driving along the highway with an empty tank of gasoline and choose a gas station where you will refuel. Will you pull into an old, run-down gas station with old gas pumps and 10-year-old plastic? What associations will such a gas station evoke in you? First of all, distrust in the quality of fuel.

Step #1

The primary task to increase the turnover and profitability of gas stations is to bring the appearance of the gas station to modern requirements. Moreover, the reconstruction of gas stations should be carried out comprehensively, and not by replacing individual elements. Customers should not be left in any doubt about your intentions to improve the performance of their gas station. It is important to think through everything down to the smallest detail. It is important to use modern materials and technologies in order to keep up with competitors, and even better, to get ahead of them.

You need to start by choosing an original design that will distinguish you from your competitors, select a bright billboard in Makhachkala, the shape of the canopy and price tag, use modern LED indicators and fuel brands. Think through and implement ideas for maximizing comfort for customers: a cash register-shop, possibly a cafe (like tea-coffee-baked goods, like at the BP gas station chain), modern restrooms, a prayer room, convenient entry and exit. It is necessary to carry out landscaping of the territory: green areas with flower beds, painted borders, yellow dividing strips, etc. And in the case of a gas station located on a highway, it seems very important to create all conditions for transit transport (so-called truckers). Organize for them a guarded parking lot, safe conditions for staying in a hotel with all the conditions, an inexpensive cafe with quality food, home-cooked. Don’t forget that 1 trucker visiting your gas station means at least 1 ton of fuel plus additional sales in a cafe, grocery store, or hotel. And if he likes your services, he will advertise you among his friends and acquaintances. It is also important that all truckers communicate via radio (walkie-talkie) on a certain wavelength; they have formed a kind of forum platform where they discuss common problems and solutions.

We have decided on the 1st step to increase turnover - this is comprehensive reconstruction of gas stations, making refueling more comfortable for the client. As practice shows, after a major reconstruction the number of customers wishing to try out a new gas station increases sharply. Fuel sales turnover increases at least 2 times!

Step #2

Next, it is very important to constantly maintain the quality of all types of fuel and service at gas stations. One bad batch of fuel can ruin the entire reputation of your gas station. Needed constantly monitor quality, mention this everywhere (for example, by placing advertising on banners), bring it to the attention of all gas station employees, and conduct constant quality control. Quality should be your calling card, it should be evident in everything. Everything you and your employees do should meet one goal - maintaining the quality of fuel and services at your gas station. Over time, your position will be heard and will be transmitted from mouth to mouth, like through gypsy mail. There is a striking example - this is the VNK gas station network, which sells only high-quality Lukoil brand fuel (Volgograd), and “popular rumor” quickly spread rumors throughout the city about the good gasoline sold in this network. The result is customer trust and constant queues at gas stations of this network.

Please note that if your gas station has related services (hotel, cafe, grocery store), the quality of goods and services must be maintained there too.

Step #3

• promotions for drawing free liters of gasoline;
• promotions for drawing valuable goods;
• creation of a unified payment system for Pit-Stop cards;
• creating the possibility of paying by bank cards;
• creation of a customer loyalty program (discount cards for regular customers);
• PR for your gas station in the media (for this you should contact a good advertising agency in Makhachkala).

Let's look at each point in detail.

Organizing sweepstakes with announcements on the radio and on outdoor advertising billboards always attracts the attention and interest of customers. The nature of people is such that most of us like gifts and free bonuses. Therefore, such promotions provide a sharp and short-term (at the time of the promotion) increase in customer flow.

When alerting potential clients, you need to think about the media that will bring the information to potential clients as much as possible. Maximum coverage of the driver audience you need is provided by radio advertising and various types of outdoor advertising (billboards in Makhachkala, for example).

Creating a unified Pit-Stop payment system also increases your sales. Organizations that own corporate transport and pay VAT will be interested in it. These cards allow you to solve two problems: allocate VAT in the organization and provide the ability for drivers to refuel and control the amount of fuel they fill using cards without using cash.

The ability to pay with bank cards is especially important for truck drivers who do not have to carry large sums of money with them. And in large populated areas, a fairly large part of the population uses bank cards, on which salaries are calculated or citizens’ personal savings are made.

Creating a customer loyalty program is an integral attribute of any successful business. Discount cards for regular customers bind and retain the most loyal group of regular customers. Not only do these customers become attached to your business, but they also do informal advertising by sharing information about your loyalty to them with their friends and acquaintances.

Marketing and PR are the main success factors in any business. What is PR? This is everything you tell about your business and show to your clients. Your task is to tell and show everything good that is in your business, talk about projects, about the positive results of your activities, about the quality of products, about fuel delivery channels that guarantee that you will not get a surrogate. Talk about ongoing promotions, sponsorships, publish various news in newspapers and the media. In a word, you must constantly remind yourself of yourself with articles in newspapers, radio, television, publish articles on professional topics (for example, about the quality of gasoline, about Euro-3 standards, about diesel fuel, about everything that may be of interest to a potential client) . This PR will create an image of you as a professional, an image of a business that cares about the client, an image of the No. 1 business in its industry, increasing awareness of you and the loyalty of potential clients to you.

Step #4

In no case don't limit yourself to temporary success. You often come across a situation where a business owner invests enormous resources, finances, health and energy in opening a new business (the construction of a gas station, for example), and after six months or a year control weakens and quality indicators deteriorate. This situation can often be observed in the example of restaurants. A new restaurant opens, a magnificent, expensive renovation has been done, everything is beautifully furnished, excellent cooks and service, and six months later... you wait for waiters for half an hour, the dishes are not tasty. The restaurant immediately loses its image and customers, respectively, due to the lack of control on the part of management. And the owner completely forgets about changing outdoor advertising from time to time.

Step #5

Any business owner in Makhachkala and beyond should conduct operational accounting and control of all indicators. Control should not be limited only to accounting, but also take into account marketing indicators. The analysis and accounting of return indicators from various types of promotions, advertising in Makhachkala and events must be constantly carried out. Based on the results of the analysis, appropriate decisions must be made. For example, if the results of the analysis showed that 20% more customers came to you with discounts, and you lost 3% of profit on the discount, but these customers made additional purchases from you in a store, cafe or hotel, you must also calculate the profit from these clients for additional services. Moreover, you must control this moment: how many of your clients have become your regular customers, and how many no longer come to you. It is necessary to analyze the reasons why they did not come to you.

Your employees must maintain a customer database with all their contacts and phone numbers (data can be obtained, for example, by asking them to fill out a form for discount cards). Based on your customer base, you can send SMS messages to various promotions, sweepstakes, or news about the company. For example, about a drawing for 30 liters of gasoline, about the opening of a hotel complex with overnight accommodation for truckers for only 300 rubles, etc.

And in conclusion I would like to emphasize that you should always put yourself in the client's shoes, ask questions: how does a client choose a gas station? What is the client thinking about at this moment? What motivates him? What's bothering him? What is he afraid of? and what does he secretly dream about?

That's all. All that remains is to wish you success in your business and remind you not to forget about charity. After all, the more we sacrifice for the poor in the name of the Almighty, the more He rewards us!

I. Shikhsaidov

Now that sales are falling in almost all market segments, business is having a hard time. But you don’t have to be a great marketer to understand: during a crisis, the volume of sales, as a rule, of expensive and “delicacy” goods and services decreases, but we will not stop eating and drinking at any exchange rate of the ruble. At the same time, the demand for comprehensive services is growing. For example, having stopped at a gas station to fill up his favorite car, the driver hopes to find antifreeze, washer fluid, oil and other car essentials, as well as drink a cup of coffee and grab a sandwich.

The first gas stations with developed infrastructure appeared in the USA. Then they developed in Europe. In Russia, the idea of ​​creating gas stations as a multifunctional complex was implemented gradually. Back in the late 1990s, it was believed that related services should be separated from fuel sales. And gasoline was sold through a small window, and the store had a separate entrance. Then they finally decided to unite the two branches of one business and offer people tea and coffee. The retail space was expanded and filled with goods of impulse demand.

In Europe, too, sales of non-fuel goods account, according to various estimates, from 60 to 70% of gas station profits. In Russia, the figures are still more modest. Thus, in the TRASSA Group of Companies, a store at a gas station brings in 33% of the total profit, in Tatneft - 40% (at the same time, the growth dynamics of non-fuel revenue for the first company last year was plus 40, and for the second, more than 100 percent ).

As follows from a survey conducted by the Gazpromneft company among motorists, the presence of a store and cafe at a gas station is important for 47% of visitors. And now the non-fuel business of network gas stations is rapidly developing. At the same time, according to experts, it has great potential, which has yet to be revealed on the Russian market.

“When the product and price at gas stations of different fuel companies are practically the same, you need to compete in something else,” Oleg Alekseenkov, general director of the TRASSA company, told RGB. “It is necessary to sell not just fuel, but also related services. And here we must "work every square meter of the station filled with goods of impulse demand. It is this superstructure over the fuel foundation that allows gas stations to compete in an oversaturated market, acquiring more and more loyal customers."

“For network gas stations, fuel and non-fuel business are two groups of equivalent and complementary businesses. The fact that in Russia and throughout the post-Soviet space the non-fuel business is still called an accompanying business is the result of the continued lag of local gas station networks from their Western competitors. There is no lag. only in process development, but also in the development of managerial mentality, although this is normal for the young market of the Russian Federation,” says Alexander Kuzmin, general director of the RusHolts company.

Our interlocutors agreed that non-food products at gas stations must include motor oils, coolants and brake fluids, distilled water and some fuel additives. Further assortment depends on the size of the station and primarily includes emergency accessories and auto lamps. In winter, this list is replenished with antifreeze liquids and snow brushes. The cafe must have high-quality grain coffee and tea (meeting the standard of modern coffee shops, but sold mainly as a takeaway), fast food (sausages, hamburgers and sandwiches), hot pastries and chilled confectionery. The store's food assortment includes snacks, packaged drinking water, energy drinks, lemonades, juices, chewing gum and ice cream. “Before you bring any product to the store, you need to study the market, analyze what is in demand. There is no point in competing with retail supermarkets and selling potatoes and cabbage. But if the car owner forgot to buy pasta or a pack of butter for the dacha, he has the opportunity to stop by at the gas station and find everything there. Many gas stations are located near populated areas where there are no 24-hour stores. This is very convenient for residents," Oleg Alekseenkov is sure.

“Income from the sale of goods at gas stations often depends on a strict matrix and approach to a specific client, since in a minimum space you need to offer a large number of goods that are needed right now. It is important to note that, for example, snacks at gas stations are bought even more often than gasoline , and they can be sold regardless of the sale of fuel. Therefore, today, opening a gas station is inseparable from opening a store there,” says Vasily Sorokin, head of the related services group at Tatneft-AZS-Zapad.

“The non-fuel business is not only a generator of a significant part of the profit of the gas station network, but also the most important marketing option that has a positive impact on the sale of the main product,” says Igor Rubis, head of the non-fuel business department at Neste St. Petersburg. Thus, some chain gas stations use non-core trade as a bait for the client, offering a glass of coffee as a gift when purchasing a certain amount of fuel. The cost of the gift is low: the cost of a 150-gram drink does not exceed the price of 1 liter of gasoline. And a motorist, once receiving such a gift, will definitely come here again.

Of course, the main thing at a gas station is the quality of the fuel. If it sells petroleum products of unknown origin, even the most delicious buns will not save it from bankruptcy. Fortunately, network gas stations usually keep the quality of fuel at a high level, and strict control extends to “non-automotive” products. With the current huge selection and strong competition, it is not profitable for chain gas stations to sell unsuitable products. And now, many truckers and car enthusiasts who make multi-hour trips do not take provisions from home, preferring to have a snack and relax at a gas station in a comfortable environment.

For a gas station, the game is worth the candle. The payback period for cafe equipment does not exceed a year, and it lasts up to 10 years. Coffee machines have the fastest payback: 1-3 months.

“The norm for selling coffee at gas stations is 100 cups plus 30-40 cups of tea per day. Record-breaking gas stations sell up to 800 cups of coffee per day. As a rule, for every 2 cups of hot drinks there is one bun sold. Fast food sells 100-300 units per day depending on the location of the gas station.It is not difficult to calculate the benefits for the average gas station: sell 100 cups of coffee - the profit is 6 thousand rubles, 30 cups of tea - 900 rubles, 60 units of baked goods - 1800 rubles, 100 fast food products - 4 thousand rubles "The total profit is 12.7 thousand rubles per day, 380 thousand rubles per month. By operating only one cafe, the gas station owner covers the costs of staff salaries (8 people) and utility bills. But there is also a store," - calculated for RSL by Alexander Kuzmin.

Thus, the expert emphasized, the non-fuel business of a gas station network is a resource that, if used correctly, can provide the same profit as from the sale of petroleum products. In addition, a well-organized non-fuel business significantly increases sales of the main product.

According to avid motorists, network gas stations are gradually becoming islands of civilization on our roads. Currently, the Federal Road Agency is implementing a concept for the development of road services, which involves the appearance of multifunctional road complexes along public highways, including a variety of facilities. And where “advanced” gas stations already exist, this work will go much faster.

Gas station 1998

Not so long ago, some 15-20 years ago, gas stations in Russia were a rather miserable sight. Usually the driver drove up to a building that was very relatively clean, often with an untidy territory, an inevitable queue of cars and unobtrusive service, well seasoned with rudeness. A cash register, a warehouse of paper coupons with blue stamps and a strong smell of gasoline. Here it is a gas station of the late 20th early 21st century in Russia

As the industry matured, the situation began to change rapidly. Now we won’t even look in the direction of such a gas station. And it’s no longer possible to find one like this. With increasing customer demand, gas stations gradually acquired additional services. So at the moment, the income of a modern gas station consists not only of the sale of fuel, but also of the sale of additional services and related products.

According to a sociological study conducted by the company NEXTEP Group , 47% of visitors preferred a gas station with a cafe. And among car owners whose income exceeds the average level, 62% of respondents pay attention to the quality of gas station infrastructure. No customer-oriented company can neglect such figures. But is it only attention to customer wishes that underlies the development of additional services in gas station networks? Definitely not! High profitability of related products and services is the main driver of the development of filling stations and filling stations.

Company specialists NEXTEP During the survey, we found out what additional products and services customers are most looking forward to at a modern gas station.

Availability of a clean toilet

Almost every third respondent noted that they consider the presence of a toilet to be the most important thing at a gas station. Moreover, this public place must be clean! Everyone is ready to pay money for this. But they noted that in 50% of cases the condition of the toilet (even for a fee) is far from ideal, and the queue there is always long.

Refueler

“If there is no gas station, I go to another gas station,” says motorist Evgenia from Moscow. - Well, I can’t handle a pistol well. 80% of female drivers ranked this service as the most important. That is why all large gas stations have such an important person on their staff.

Almost all respondents noted that the presence of a cafe at a gas station has a beneficial effect on its external and internal condition. And the opportunity to drink a cup of coffee or buy a bottle of water and a pie for the road is a good bonus of any fuel network. The only thing that often irritates drivers who visit such a place is the queue at the ticket office. Many noted that they get very nervous if they have to wait a long time to pay for fuel, because someone is buying something to eat or drink.

Of course, this is a solvable problem. The owner of a gas station only needs to open the cash registers and the queue will become much shorter. So this problem can be called temporary.

Tire service

¼ of the surveyed gas station customers noted that the gas station lacks good tire service.

– Such a service as checking and minor car repairs is very important on the road. Especially if you are traveling a long distance. But for some reason, gas station owners rarely provide such services,” complains driver Igor from Vladimir. – I often travel to other cities, I have a premium car, so I don’t want to stop at second-rate workshops. And sometimes, oh, how you need help on the road. The road is generally not a predictable thing.

Hotel and large parking lot

This type of service is wanted by 10% of respondents, most of whom often travel long distances on business trips. The interviewed drivers noted that they are sometimes afraid to stay at hotels on the roads for several reasons. First, they don't like the service. Secondly, they don’t feel safe. This is the only reason why drivers, sometimes risking their health, travel long distances without sleep or rest.

Modern gas stations have long begun to include a whole range of services, the quality of which is constantly growing. It’s difficult to say now what other customer needs gas stations will satisfy. But we can say with confidence that there are no limits to imagination here. For example, on one of the Canadian highways there is a station with a small zoo adjacent to it. Drivers with children try to refuel here. Near another station there is a bakery offering a huge assortment of baked goods with apples. And all this becomes an integral part of the fuel business. Part of it bringing in more than 50% of your income!

However, it is worth remembering that it is not only the presence of the service itself that attracts visitors, but also the quality of its execution. Only in such a tandem do these parts lead the company to success.

The efficiency of a gas station depends on a number of factors: fuel quality, its cost, location, list of additional services, and so on. In this article, the magazine “Modern Gas Station” will dwell in detail on such an indicator of the efficiency of a gas station as the quality of service, its relationship with other factors, as well as its potential in increasing business efficiency. In addition, we will look at what tools can be used to measure this indicator, and how to properly respond to the results of a service quality check, and what specific steps will help correct service deficiencies if they are identified...

During inspections of service quality at gas stations in Russia, for example, customer experience research company 4Service, one of the most dynamic and innovative Mystery Shopping service providers in Central Asia and Europe, found out what criteria domestic customers most often use when choosing a gas station. As can be seen from Fig. 1, criteria that in one way or another relate to the quality of service - “Speed ​​of service”, “Politeness and friendliness”, “Activity of staff” - are just as important to customers as the more “tangible” “Quality and cost of services” and “Location of gas station "

Market experts note that the quality of service largely determines other indicators. For example, customer reviews of your fuel are highly dependent on what your employees think and say about it. Loyalty programs and their level of demand again depend on what your employees say about your loyalty program. The sale of additional services - the main margin-generating products - also depends on your staff. That is, the higher the quality of customer service, the more likely it is that customers will prefer your network and work for your reputation and generate greater profits.

How can you understand the state of service at your gas station, objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses, and start working on improving quality?

Net Promoter Score

Every client is different and each has their own priorities and expectations. Despite this, today there is a universal and effective tool for checking customer satisfaction. We are talking about NPS (Net Promoter Score) - an index of customer loyalty. This indicator was invented in 2006 and today it is used by all the most popular companies in the world due to the high quality of service (Apple, Amazon, Zappos).

The essence of the method is that the respondent is asked only one question: “How likely is it that you would recommend this point/network to your friends and acquaintances?” The answer is given on a scale from 1 to 10, where “1” equates to the answer “would never recommend”, and “10” equates to “definitely recommend”.

According to the survey results, clients are divided into three categories:

Promoters are those who rated the probability of recommendation at 9–10 points. Such clients are the main value of the company. They come to gas stations more often, buy more, and participate in all promotions. In addition, they are “traffic generators” - they bring friends and acquaintances and create the image of your brand.

Passives/neutrals - people who gave you 7-8 points. They are not ardent fans, and will leave for competitors as soon as prices creep down on the neighboring stand.

Detractors/critics are those who chose an answer option from 0 to 6 points. These people are also your customers, and they also make a profit by buying fuel and non-fuel products. At the same time, they sow negativity, reduce the flow of customers to your gas station, love to complain, create scandals and spoil the mood of the staff.

The idea behind NPS is that there are good and bad returns. The good ones are the profits received from the promoters in the long term. Tomorrow these customers will come to you again and purchase your product again.

Profits made from detractors and neutrals do not guarantee your future success. There is a risk that when a new competitor appears, your performance will immediately drop.

Now in many companies the NPS level is perceived as second in importance after financial indicators and is always considered by the board of directors.

Maintenance diagnostics

What needs to be done to make NPS grow? First of all, you need to diagnose your service.

There are two main tools that help you manage your service and make your customers happy - mystery shopping and POS audit.

At gas stations, many operators use a program to evaluate and motivate staff - “mystery shopping”, when an agent arrives under the guise of an ordinary customer and evaluates how he was served.

It evaluates the quality of service according to two criteria:

compliance with standards (check the corresponding boxes in the questionnaire);

and subjective perception (liked or disliked the service from the point of view of an ordinary buyer).

If we are talking about standards, then, as a rule, questionnaire forms at gas stations are divided into the following blocks:

assessment of the gas station attendant, cashier;

assessment of operating standards - cleanliness at the gas station, condition of the bathroom.

The tanker is usually assessed on the following points:

did you approach the client?

did you suggest wiping the glass and headlights,

did you fill up the car?

wished you a happy journey.

Refuelers and cashiers are also often subject to very serious requirements regarding active sales - offering a full tank, premium fuel and additional services.

In the subjective assessment, experts note five criteria identified by the clients themselves.

These criteria are rated on a 10-point scale and include:

courtesy of the staff,

staff activity,

speed of service,

personnel competence,

location interior.

Comparing objective and subjective indicators allows specialists or management to assess the situation at a gas station and encourage staff to fulfill certain requirements in order to increase customer satisfaction.

The second project mentioned above is a POS audit (Point-of-Sale Audit). In this case, the inspection takes place openly and suddenly: an auditor arrives who knows exactly what standards at the gas station need to be checked, and the staff is obliged to let him in there. Now, as a rule, this happens in a very technological way - auditors come with tablets, take photographs, immediately attach the photo to the application form and publish it on the Internet. The report on the gas station instantly appears to management, who must respond to it.

Many Russian companies are trying to combine these two projects. They want a mystery shopper to come and see if, for example, a fire extinguisher is hung correctly. But, according to experts, this is a great detriment to both fire safety standards and customers. Firstly, because the “mystery shopper,” in order to remain secret, cannot always thoroughly check all the nuances of the gas station design. Secondly, instead of assessing the quality of service, describing their perceptions and expectations, comparing with competitors, and making recommendations in the context of “what do I need as a client,” the “mystery shopper” is forced to write where the fire extinguisher hangs. Therefore, many companies working in this area recommend separating these projects.

Feedback

In addition to the two main tools, experts recommend actively using feedback from real clients. A technology called exit polling is used here. At the exit from the gas station, customers are met by an auditor with a tablet and asked to rate the service in a playful way - move emoticons, put a certain number of stars. Such surveys, as a rule, do not take much time from clients, occur very quickly, are interesting for the interviewees themselves, and at the same time provide instant data.

Another option is telephone surveys, where they call a customer who has just filled up. Most chains have their own loyalty cards, and all transactions are tracked. Two things are important here: call quickly and ask clarifying questions. The disadvantage of telephone surveys, according to many experts, is that clients show greater loyalty in conversation than in reality, and the indicators obtained in this way are often slightly inflated.

You can also use feedback in the locations themselves. In some places the traditional “grievance book” still exists, but it is gradually dying out. Now there are “complaint books” in electronic form - for example, there are two buttons at the exit; the client can press green or red and rate his impressions of the visit as positive or negative.

It is also impossible not to mention the ever-increasing role of monitoring reviews about the quality of service on social networks - this is already widely practiced by retail chains. In reviews, customers mention both the quality of the fuel and the type of service provided. There are a lot of programs that allow you to monitor the Internet space automatically: as soon as the program finds a review mentioning your brand, it is immediately sent to the person in charge who will take specific actions regarding this.

Work on mistakes"

After the company has carried out a comprehensive assessment of the quality of its service using the above tools and identified weaknesses, the time will come to work on eliminating them. The ultimate goal of working to improve the quality of service is precisely to increase the NPS index.

Experts note that the “road” to high NPS goes cyclically and consists of several stages. The first thing to do is to align employee behavior standards with customer expectations.

Today, most standards of conduct at gas stations are a serious document with many seals, approved at a high level and very far from real life. At the same time, employees are often not even familiar with this document. In addition, it does not include the customer's wishes regarding service.

Then a period of training for the new standards begins for the staff. Naturally, no network can afford to train all cashiers and gas station attendants in a training format; moreover, it is often difficult to find an opportunity to seriously train gas station directors. Therefore, it is worth concentrating on regional managers. It is important that regional managers clearly understand the benefits of the service and have no doubt that they personally need good service. They are the people who will implement the idea of ​​good service locally.

Implementation of standards

Once you have understood exactly how to serve customers and trained your staff in this, a period of control begins over the implementation of these standards in everyday practice.

Experts say that control for the sake of control brings little benefit. The results of control must be inextricably linked with the employee motivation system. It is important to observe 2 principles:

1. It is not the front staff (refuelers and cashiers) who are responsible for the quality of service, but the managers,
2. motivation must be positive.

When it comes to service, about positive emotions that need to be given to the client, the fear of being punished will only hinder the achievement of results. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about this. Basically, at domestic gas stations there is a system of fines: “Say this, or we will fire you, smile, or we will fine you.” This leads to the fact that certain standards begin to be met, but in such a form that the client does not perceive them. A paradox arises: standards are met, but the number of clients and NPS do not grow.

Therefore, experts often use two indices: an objective assessment of standards and a subjective one - “like/dislike” in order to correctly regulate employee behavior.

The idea behind NPS is to work in a “closed loop.” When you get different customers—satisfied, neutral, and dissatisfied—your job is to make them all happy. They, in turn, will bring new clients with whom the same work will need to be done.

For example, the 4Service company offers its clients such a software solution as an action plan, when after receiving data from any source and finding a detractor among clients, the operator immediately begins to act.

Experts note that we need to learn not to wait for the “report by the end of the quarter” to hand out bonuses or fine someone. It is important to react quickly, without delay. As they say, “a spoon is dear to dinner” - when clients complain, they want solutions to problems “here and now.” It is necessary to establish such a system so that as soon as a detractor is identified, the information is immediately sent to the responsible person - the head of the gas station itself, the region, or the person in charge in the company, and he makes a decision on what to do. Sometimes it is enough to call the person, apologize and say that his problem will be solved. You will thereby transfer the detractor to the category of promoter, because the people whose problem was reacted to tend to talk and write a lot about it on social networks. They are even happier than those who have never been detractors.

When a problem can be solved through one client, this is the so-called customer plan (client level). It happens that the problem is systemic and a solution must be sought either within a specific station, or region, or the entire network - this is the organization plan (company level). Finding solutions to problems at the moment they arise is the main distinguishing feature of a modern gas station.

It happens that a company is afraid not even of monetary costs, but of resource costs for working with quality of service - it takes time and distracts from seemingly more important things. However, companies that do not neglect this can see financial results.

With control and motivation of staff, there is a sharp increase in the frequency of transactions, due to the fact that people choose your gas station rather than competitors, and bring new customers. There is an increase in the average bill due to the offer to fill a full tank, an increase in sales of premium fuel, where it is available, due to the fact that it is recommended by gas stations, and an increase in sales of additional goods - tea, coffee, sandwiches, etc.

As an example, we will give a case that was implemented by 4Service together with Shell. The goal was to increase sales of winter window washer.

The essence of the project was as follows: the company pasted stickers on the washer reservoir for the “mystery shoppers”, which indicated the value of the cash prize that the gas station attendant could win. The gas station attendant who offered to buy and fill the washer to the client received the specified prize.

Mystery shoppers had been checking Shell petrol stations for two years prior to this project and their questionnaires always included the question: “Have you been offered winter washer?” The answer was not always positive. When such a seemingly simple motivational campaign was launched, information about it by word of mouth immediately spread throughout the entire network. Employees enjoyed the game and during this time not a single car left Shell without an offer of winter washer. Everyone wins because Shell increases sales profits, employees are more motivated, and customers are cared for. It was a very positive experience.

Managers and workers

The last item in the service improvement plan is staff surveys. It is very important to think and remember what work issues concern your employees, because very often problems with the quality of service are the result of a gap between managers and employees.

Experts note that it is important to conduct staff surveys on three points:

1. what your staff thinks about your fuel. If the staff believes in it and recommends it, they will buy it. If not, you need to find a way to show employees its benefits, otherwise you will not see an increase in sales volumes.
2. how the staff relates to the employing company. If the staff does not like the employer, then the service at such points will be very low. It is very difficult to achieve good service by force. By investing in staff motivation and loyalty, you are investing in your customers.
3. what the staff thinks about your service standards, which standards they consider useful for the client, which ones they do not. Sometimes the staff independently comes up with something new that is worthy of implementation. People who feel involved in something big and important give more to the common cause.

Specialists working in the field of improving the efficiency of gas stations are confident that if you follow these tips, then without any special investments, literally within a quarter, the situation with the service in the network will improve dramatically.

Many people have probably seen the video “Achki nnada?” on the Internet, where a Chinese salesman on a bus demonstrates the wonders of increasing sales. Despite the comical nature of the situation, the seller can be praised - he uses merchandising technologies, although, perhaps, he himself is not aware of it.

It is difficult to imagine that any gas station managers would use this technique in sales areas, because many have long ago learned the truth that “not all yoghurts are equally healthy.”

We invite our readers to familiarize themselves with the eight commandments, the observance of which, according to specialists from the company TD SOYUZ, which has one of the best turnovers per square meter at retail outlets at Russian stations, will inevitably lead to an increase in sales of additional goods at gas stations.

Commandments
The first commandment of successful sales at gas stations: expand the range. Specialists from TD "SOYUZ" explain: goods to be introduced into any store must be carefully selected. How to determine that a product will sell? Pay attention to its uniqueness, recognition, demand, marginality and turnover from the area it will occupy. Demand should be determined among the target audience, and recognition should be assessed from the position of the product category and brand. The better these characteristics, the greater the sales, and therefore the profit.

This is especially important in stores at gas stations, where there is a specific target audience of visitors, a small retail space, and the staff is always busy serving refueling customers. For example, let's take the product category driver glasses. Why do they sell so well at stations? Because the coverage of the target audience is 100%, the retail outlet occupies a small area in the hall, and the product margin is extremely high (the markup on Cafa France glasses, for example, is 40–60%, with a retail price of 1100–1400 rubles).

Second commandment: the supplier must stimulate sales. At gas stations, packaging, POS and promotional materials work at full capacity. To this you need to add retail equipment, advertising campaigns in the media, and the product will be sold! Such items involve significant costs, so not all suppliers are willing to bear them. Look for those who will take it, and you will profit.

Third commandment: the product should be located where it will be noticed, there should always be plenty of products. The issue of display in a gas station is one of the most important. Non-essential and impulse items should be where customers can see them. First of all, these are the checkout area and corner shelving.
With placement everything is clear, but why is a good inventory so important? Because otherwise sales will be lower. Market leading companies understand: the absence of only 30% of product positions on the rack can lead to a decrease in profits by up to 40%! Trading House "SOYUZ", for example, solves the problem of inventory quite simply - the company maintains a large staff of sales representatives in each region.

Fourth Commandment: create interest in selling locally . Obviously, already busy gas station workers do not always like to advise customers about additional products. By motivating the station employees, you can get approximately the same Chinese seller from the bus, at least in terms of the degree of desire to sell the goods. It’s interesting that even an ordinary incentive, for example, like a bonus on a phone for a sold pair of glasses, can sometimes increase product sales to record levels.

Fifth Commandment: the total purchase price needs to be increased . This refers to promotions like “Buy a product and get the second one as a gift!” According to SOYUZ Trading House, up to a 30% increase in profits in the regions was achieved by a promotion when, when purchasing driver glasses, the client was given from 3 to 5 liters of fuel. By the way, such promotions can be repeated from month to month with consistently good results.

Sixth Commandment: use loyalty programs . They allow you to increase by 30% not only fuel sales, but also prize goods. Thus, when choosing a prize, drivers give preference to points right after fuel and essential goods (cigarettes, lemonade).

Seventh Commandment: organize competitions and quizzes . Practice shows that competitive, educational promotions and SMS quizzes always attract the attention of consumers. Profit increases by almost 20%!

Eighth Commandment: don't forget about the occasion . This little trick becomes a great motivating factor. Thus, events taking place from November to December are best tied to the New Year, and in late spring and summer, organize “Get the most rest” promotions. In June-July, any attraction of attention to the product leads to an increase in sales.

Yes, the level of sales at gas station stores in Russia is not yet comparable to that in Europe, but volume and turnover, and therefore additional profit, are constantly growing. However, when expanding the range, it is necessary not only to carefully select the product, but also to think through ways to promote it. With the departure of liquor and beer stations, increasing gas station store profitability has become an important goal.