A petrol station along Crown Street has gone back in time to offer full driveway service.
Decades ago, motorists could stay in their car while an attendant pumped the petrol and gave the car a once-over.
The worker would even take the cash for the petrol and bring back the change.
The Caltex service station – near the intersection of Crown and Powell streets – has decided to bring that customer focus back.
Calling it a “driveway concierge service”, office manager Jen Grills said it would operate Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm.
“When customers come in we have an extra person on – usually there’s only one console operator in a service station working, whereas we’ll also have someone working outside,” Ms Grills said.
“They come to your window and say ‘would you like me to fill up the car for you?’. While we’re there they’ll also ask if they want their window washed or their oil checked and we’ll also offer to do the tyres.”
However, motorists will have to get out of the car to pay if they prefer to use a card rather than cash.
The service started this week and, while some people still opt to pump their own petrol other customers have embraced it.
“One lady came in and said ‘I love it, I’m going to tell all my friends. I hate putting petrol in my car’,” Ms Grills said.
“A lot of people are dressed for work so it’s nice to pull in and not have to fill up your car and risk spilling petrol on your work clothes.”
Extracted from Illawarra Mercury