No operator wants to think that their own staff might be stealing from the business, but employee theft is a reality in retail and service stations are not immune. Whether it involves cash skimming, stock going out the back door, fuel being dispensed without payment, or mates rates discounts that are never authorised, the impact on profitability can be significant, especially when it goes undetected over time. The first line of defence is having clear systems and procedures that make theft difficult to carry out and easy to detect. Cash handling processes should include regular till reconciliations, ideally at every ...

The back of house area at a service station rarely gets the same attention as the shop floor or the forecourt, but it plays a significant role in how smoothly the business runs day to day. A cluttered, disorganised storeroom or office creates inefficiencies that ripple through the entire operation, from slower restocking to misplaced paperwork and missed deliveries. Start with the storeroom. Stock should be organised in a way that makes restocking the shop floor fast and intuitive. Group products by category, keep the most frequently sold items at the front and within easy reach, and make sure there ...