If your service station isn’t moving forward in today’s demanding market, you’ll fall behind. This is because of more fuel efficient vehicles, a move toward alternative fuels, and the overall changing landscape in how consumers interact with petrol stations.
Service station owners need to stay on top of the latest marketing and technology trends to make the most of their retail opportunities. Below are some ways to stay ahead of the curve and stand out from the competition.
1. Consumer demand for increased services and options in C-Store shopping
Going to the service station is no longer just about fuel sales; customers shop in c-stores for their everyday needs. They appreciate the convenience of picking up supplies, including groceries, household goods, food and coffee, in an accessible location that doesn’t make them go out of their way. For this reason, well-located service station cafes with plenty of parking are also popular places to hold business meetings or even small “hot-desk” satellite offices now that more people are working from home.
Service station owners should capitalise on these trends as traditional fuel purchases start to decline. They are investing more in c-stores and associated services and experimenting with expanded services like package pickup and drop-off collaborations with delivery services. These businesses seek more last-mile delivery support as online purchases continue to soar.
2. Faster, contact-free purchase journeys
As consumer patience continues to dwindle, c-stores and service stations have to meet their needs for speed and convenience in the purchase journey. At the same time, digitalised monetary regulations are proliferating to avoid cash transactions. Innovations include self-service kiosks for ordering and checkout, electronic labeling that enables customers to swipe or scan items independently, drive-thru purchasing, “buy online, pick up in-store” (BOPIS), curbside pickups, and online to offline (O2O) transactions.
Besides speeding up the checkout process, self-service kiosks increase c-store efficiency. It reduces the workforce required to staff the checkout counters and frees workers for other tasks. The interface makes it easy to personalise the transaction for each customer, supporting dynamic offers that can be customised with upsells for each shopper to drive up sales and increase loyalty. Handheld mobile POS (mPOS) accomplishes similar queue-busting on the forecourt. Omnichannel cloud architecture is needed to support this wide range of one-touch, remote, and self-service ordering and payments. The site and network owners can also connect these systems to license plate recognition systems and power advanced digital loyalty programs and anti-fraud technology.
3. Focus on sustainability
Consumers are constantly growing more concerned about sustainability and environmental issues. Additionally, regulations on emissions are becoming more and more powerful. Petrol station owners looking to the future are preparing their infrastructure now for the flexibility to accommodate alternative fuels like EV, hydrogen; “green” on-site services; and environmentally-friendly policies like paperless receipts and mobile loyalty programs.
4. Technology Advances: AI, ML, Cloud & IoT
Innovative retail management solutions that use advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning can improve supply chain visibility, predict demand, and forecast retail trends. Retailers can use big data analytics to shape marketing and loyalty programs by analysing customer preferences and offering hyper-personalized, targeted promotions that drive and retain business. These advancements allow them to always stay one step ahead of the competition.
The twin advances of cloud-based apps and tools together with IoT devices allow service stations to improve security and efficiency dramatically.
5. Cybersecurity
Cyber risks are growing with more sensitive data, more endpoints, and more data access points in the system than ever before. Consumers demand more robust cybersecurity as the hodgepodge of multiple vendors and payment methods increase the risk of security breaches. The data and connectivity in retail systems make petrol stations vulnerable, especially those with legacy technology that is out-of-date compared to the newest malware. Service station devices are a common weak point, often connected via default passwords and overlooked for regular updates.
Petrol stations also need to adhere to more regulations and standards surrounding data protection and privacy, just as they are also collecting more customer data to improve marketing and sales. They need robust and secure infrastructure with fully penetration-tested solutions and a strong cyber roadmap.
If you need help and advice to stay ahead of your competitors, contact us.