"Ekto", Ultimate, Pulsar, G-Drive. Every motorist knows the names of premium grades of gasoline from large filling networks, and the differences in consumer properties none will explain. At the same time, sales of expensive, high-status fuel are only growing, and for independent gas stations, the only marketing ploy is to reduce prices for regular gasoline. Because of this, independent networks may soon disappear altogether.
IVAN ZHDAKAYEV
Retail doesn't matter
In an advertising comparison of "just washing powder" and "our company's powder," the former is always the loser. It not only removes stains worse, but also looks somehow not very good: the letters smeared with computer graphics remind of frames from the criminal chronicle. It is immediately clear that this is not worth taking. Marketers who promote gasoline brands have a more difficult task. On the one hand, it is necessary to sell gasoline with a name. Which in itself is not easy when it comes to a product whose only purpose is to burn. On the other hand, conventional fuel should also be sold, moreover, at the same gas station. This is how the consumer needs to get into the brain so that he, not being able to feel the difference here and now, decides to pay more?
The arguments of all sellers of branded gasoline are approximately the same. “There are long-term advantages when operating a car with G-Drive fuel: the engine service life increases, its power increases, due to power there is savings in fuel consumption,” says Vitaly Polzik, Head of the Business Development Department of the Gazprom Neft Regional Sales Directorate.
But the TNK-BP company has a common management, but the gas stations are different: TNK and BP. BP Ultimate gasoline began to be sold back in 2006 - a pioneer of branded gasoline on Russian market are proud in the company. "This fuel keeps the engine clean and increases its power," Amir Feyzulin, TNK-BP First Deputy Vice President for Refining and Trading, explains the difference.
The novelty took root, the experience began to be transferred to partners in the company: in 2009, new Pulsar gasoline appeared at TNK gas stations. “The goal of developing branded products under the TNK brand was to create products that are not inferior in terms of performance to imported counterparts, but at the same time more attractive in terms of cost,” says Feyzulin. “Pulsar prevents the formation of deposits in the engine, increasing its power and service life.”
So what is the difference between the Ultimate and Pulsar brands, which are produced by the same company? "BP Client - business man who needs high-quality services, it is important for him that the car has more power, more mileage between refuellings,” Feyzulin says. “TNK's client is a professional driver who spends a lot of time behind the wheel. The car for him is a means of earning, so it is important for him to use fuel that extends the life of the engine at an affordable price."
In a word, the difference is in words (although the manufacturer claims that these gasolines contain different additives, but which ones are a trade secret). Feel the difference between branded fuel and conventional quality gasoline drivers will not succeed, even large gas stations admit: the clause about the long-term benefits is key here. Manufacturers claim that these advantages can be confirmed by laboratory tests. But a driver who loves his car doesn't need tests. About the same as a cat lover, it is not necessary to know whether a pet will enjoy a gold-plated collar bought for him.
“There are a huge number of additives on the market for different purposes,” says the head of one of the independent filling networks (which does not have its own branded gasoline). “They do not have a serious effect on the engine and are inexpensive, so the production costs of such varieties are very small. So branded gasoline provides a good margin, but it is unlikely that a rational consumer would buy it."
However, the choice of brand is rarely rational: after all, Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola are unlikely to differ in taste as much as the differences between their fans are serious.
The companies do not disclose their financial performance, but it is clear that branded gasoline can make good money. On average, it is 0.7-1 rub. more expensive than usual - it is clear that the cost of additives is much less. Of course, the company spends quite a lot on advertising such gasoline, in particular on commercials on federal channels. However, advertising of the brand of gasoline works primarily on the image of the network of filling stations: it is associated with a premium product.
“We have a 19% share of branded gasoline sales in the total volume of 95 gasoline,” says Vitaly Polzik from Gazprom Neft. “This is an average for all gas stations, this figure is higher at premium locations. thirty%". TNK-BP, the pioneer of branded fuel in Russia, has even higher figures: the share of branded gasoline is more than 40% of regular gasoline.
The giants of the gas station business were followed by smaller chains of gas stations. For example, the Transneftmagistral network, which consists of five dozen gas stations, offers Evolution fuel. Or another independent network, "Greitek" - they call premium gasoline 95Plus. True, these companies refused to tell the Deneg correspondent about their premium gasolines.
Obviously, a small company is less likely to make money on branded fuel, if only because there is no way to advertise it. But why not try if the cost of its production is cheap? The gas station network Trans-AZS did not experiment, and Deputy General Director Yuri Demidov explains why. "In accordance with the technical regulations, manufacturers are required to add detergent additives to any commercial fuel. After that, you need to add other additives very carefully. Large companies can afford research, quality control, additives are added at the manufacturer. If this is done at some oil depot, hardly anyone watches how these additives interact with other additives that are in gasoline according to the regulations.
Bonuses instead of discounts
Marketing promotions are, one way or another, a treat for big companies. “We also had regular customer cards, but they had to be removed,” says Yury Demidov. “They could get a discount of 50 kopecks per liter. , from the price reduction there is an increase in sales, and after the cancellation of the cards, at first there was an outflow, but it was not large.Still, we attract customers by others.We have been working for a long time, since large companies. Accordingly, we have good places for filling stations. We have not changed the brand, we are used to us, so we work mainly for regular customers."
Loyalty cards and bonus programs rather the fate of large networks of gas stations. With a large network coverage, it is more profitable for them to tie a driver to themselves. True, there are loyalty programs that do not bind anyone - when they give a gift for the accumulated points. But even if the client accumulates points for one souvenir mug, he is unlikely to seek to save up for another one, says Vitaly Polzik from Gazprom Neft. "We immediately refused the option with gifts for bonuses. It is also not possible to give a direct discount the best option. Since the margin of gasoline sales is low, the discount is limited to a maximum of 5%. Even if you refuel for 1,000 rubles, you will save 50 rubles - and you will give this money to a gas station, for example. But if 10 thousand rubles accumulate in six months. on the card - this is already motivating. This money can be spent with us at a gas station or with our partners by paying for their services - at a car wash, for example, "describes the benefits bonus card Creepy.
Such accumulative cards for bonuses, by and large, are also a discount, only stretched over time. Their issuers do not say how much money they end up losing because of this discount. Final goal, as in any retail, to increase sales per filling station. "Loyalty is measured in tons and liters, as well as in how customers behave in times of crisis," says Vitaliy Polzik.
But still, not cards and not branded gasoline are the main tools for increasing loyalty. For large networks everything starts with appearance and ease of refueling. It is important that there is a shop, an ATM, so that you can drink coffee.
VINKs (vertically integrated companies.— "Money") are successfully using gas station stores as a tool to generate additional profit and attract customers,” says Amir Feyzulin. “In December 2011, TNK-BP launched a non-fuel pilot project: opened a series of stand-alone Wild Bean Cafes, which until then were located only at BP gas stations. At the end of 2011, TNK-BP's retail management set a goal to increase sales of non-fuel goods to 50% of total revenue."
It is clear that large filling networks integrated with oil product manufacturers have many opportunities to attract customers and increase profits. Independent gas stations can compete with them mainly due to price - and therefore there are fewer of them.
Price wars
29.07, 29.00, 29.10 - prices for 95th gasoline at Moscow gas stations usually differ by a few kopecks. 28.00 - such a price tag immediately attracts attention. It was installed by the network of filling stations "Neftmagistral" (however, at the time of delivery of the number, this price had already increased to 28.30).
“It’s just that we are a young and dynamic company,” explains Konstantin Kozlov, deputy general director of Neftmagistral. The low price brings the best results. When customers get used to us, we will bring the price closer to the market - maybe in a year."
"Gas stations that do not show off famous brand, should set the price lower, especially if we are talking about Moscow, where there are many gas stations, - confirms Yuri Demidov from Trans-AZS. - We believe that we, as an independent, non-branded company, should cost 20 kopecks lower than large companies ".
There are fewer and fewer independent gas stations, says Sergei Tsukasov, director of the Russian Fuel Agency. “This is especially noticeable beyond the Urals,” the expert notes. “Independents are forced to sell their business, and not even at the price of objects, but at the price of land, because large chains that buy out businesses will build everything from scratch. Those who are trying to be independent, forced to engage in chemical processes, to produce home-made gasoline. Such gas stations are mainly beyond the Urals, where, for example, with the help of additives they increase the octane number of low-octane gasoline - and this is already dangerous for a car."
Not to say that the large networks of gas stations were to blame for this situation. It's about government pricing. The government kept wholesale gasoline prices before the elections (and, according to experts, will continue to do so until July). At the same time, there was a deficit in many regions. First of all, independent gas stations lacked fuel, because some LUKOIL or TNK-BP can supply their gas stations from their factories.
In Moscow, gas stations are easier - the capital's residents are less sensitive to price: if the gas station is on the road, you don't feel sorry for the extra 50 rubles. It is also easier to survive for gas stations that are only relatively independent. For example, "Trans-AZS" actually works for the sale of one of the major mining companies.
Those independent tankers who live to see the summer price liberalization will probably be able to breathe easier. True, a new surprise awaits them: the Transneft company announced that in the summer it could stop one of the two pipes supplying the Moscow Oil Refinery. It is not clear how long the repair will take: the pipe runs through a nature protection zone, which delays the process. Independent tankers may well not survive another shortage.
How to increase sales at gas stations How to increase the profitability of stores at gas stations? This question gives thought not only to plant managers, but also to suppliers. The answer to it is given by the company TH "SOYUZ" - the leader in the number of outlets at gas stations in Russia in the category of driver's glasses ...
Probably, many have seen the video “Achki nnada?” on the Internet, where a Chinese seller on a bus demonstrates the wonders of increasing sales. Despite the comical situation, the seller can be praised - he uses merchandising technologies, although, perhaps, he himself does not know about it.
It is hard to imagine that any of the gas station managers will use this technique in the trading floors, because many have long learned the truth that "not all yogurts are equally useful."
We invite our readers to familiarize themselves with the eight commandments, the observance of which, according to the specialists of Trade House SOYUZ, which has one of the best turnover per square meter in retail outlets at Russian stations, will inevitably lead to an increase in sales of additional goods at gas stations.
Commandments
First Commandment successful sales at gas stations: expand your range.
Specialists of Trade House "SOYUZ" explain: goods for entry into any store must be carefully selected. How to determine that the product will be sold? Pay attention to its uniqueness, recognizability, demand, marginality and turnover from the area that it will occupy. Demand should be determined among target audience, but to evaluate recognition from the position of the product category and brand. The better these characteristics, the more sales, and hence the profit.
This is all the more important in stores at gas stations, where a specific target audience of visitors, a small trading area, and the staff is always busy serving refueling customers. For example, take the product category driver's glasses. Why do they sell so well at stations? Because the coverage of the target audience is 100%, outlet occupies a small area in the hall, and the margin of the product 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 promote sales. At the gas station, packaging, POS and promotional materials work with full dedication. To this must be added shop equipment, advertising companies in the media, and the product will be sold! Such items involve significant costs, so not all suppliers are willing to take them on. Look for those who will take, and you will profit.
Third commandment: the product should be where it will be noticed, the products should always be in abundance.
The issue of laying out in gas stations is one of the most important. Non-essential goods and impulse goods should be where the buyer can notice them. First of all, these are the checkout area and corner racks.
With placement, everything is clear, but why is a good inventory so important? Because otherwise sales will be lower. Market-leading companies understand that the lack of only 30% of the items on the rack can lead to a decrease in profits up to 40%! TD "SOYUZ", for example, solves the problem with inventory quite simply - in each region the company keeps a large staff of sales representatives.
Fourth commandment: create interest in selling locally . Obviously, already busy gas station workers don't always enjoy advising customers on additional products. By motivating the station staff, you can get about the same Chinese seller from the bus, at least in terms of the degree of desire to sell the goods. It is interesting that even an ordinary promotion, for example, like a bonus on a phone for a pair of glasses sold, sometimes allows you to raise product sales to record levels.
Fifth commandment: total cost purchases need to increase . This refers to promotions like “Buy a product, and get the second one as a gift!”. According to Trade House SOYUZ, up to 30% of the increase in profits in the regions was given by the action, when, when buying driver glasses, a 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 sales of fuel, but also prize goods. So, when choosing a prize, drivers prefer points immediately after fuel and essential goods (cigarettes, lemonade).
Seventh commandment: arrange 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 the reason . This little trick becomes a great stimulating factor. So, events that take place from November to December are best tied to the New Year, and in late spring and summer, organize “Relax to the maximum” promotions. In June-July, any attraction of attention to the product gives an increase in sales.
Yes, the level of sales at gas station stores in Russia is not yet comparable to the European one, but the volume and turnover, and hence additional profit, are constantly growing. However, expanding the assortment, it is necessary not only to carefully select the product, but also to think over ways to promote it. With the departure of liquor and beer stations, increasing the profitability of the gas station store has become an important task.
With all the huge potential of the non-fuel business, the crisis in the industry is observed even in countries as advanced in terms of customer service as the United States. What to say about domestic market, if experts and analysts predict the closure of hundreds of points of sale at American gas stations by the end of this summer! And all this against the backdrop of a general increase in profits. So what is the cause of the crisis? How to increase customer loyalty index?
Representatives of the non-fuel direction in the United States over the past three years have earned more than ever before. In 2016, their profit was more than ten billion dollars. There is a paradox on the face: while some brands receive multimillion-dollar incomes, others lose their positions and are forced to curtail their business. The culprit, according to a recent report from The Street, is low customer loyalty. In other words, visitors simply choose the best of the proposed alternatives. The only question is how to make your own offer the best in terms of potential customers.
Don't listen but hear
The problem with many chains is that they don't want to change their concept, even if the current model is unprofitable. It is easier for some business owners to close a point of sale than to invest in its reorganization, the purchase of new equipment and goods, interior design, etc. But all these factors affect the loyalty of visitors. It is obvious that a person will choose a more comfortable cafe with more delicious coffee and even entertainment in the form of drawings, bonuses and discounts. Moreover, in our country, such a model is successfully working in the form of the Team Vortex instant prize draw system.
Ready for change, American retailers are opting for healthier food and beverages, expanded menus and diverse programs to attract new customers and retain loyal customers. The times of cafes and shops "everything for 99 cents" are long gone. Modern consumers have learned not to be deceived by an overloaded assortment of dubious quality.
If earlier, according to statistics, buyers in shops and cafes at gas stations purchased 7 unnecessary things out of 10, now people have begun to be more scrupulous about choosing goods for purchase. The business is faced with the task of listening to its customer and offering him what he wants exactly when he wants it. Otherwise, there is a very high risk of being on the list of closed points of sale by the end of this summer.
Customer loyalty programs
Using the example of successful American chains that have consistently received multimillion-dollar profits over the past few years, three main customer loyalty programs at gas stations can be distinguished.
- "Quickly and efficiently".
- "Advanced IT Solutions".
- "Just the facts."
Let's take a closer look at each program in more detail.
Fast and tasty
One of the main tasks for the non-fuel business is to serve customers quickly and efficiently. Modern consumer- being busy. The less time he spends on satisfying his own needs, the better. The Americans have introduced the so-called "in-and-out" scheme: the client quickly enters, buys what he needs while the car is refueling, and quickly leaves.
To do this, at the point of sale, a scheme should be established for the interaction of personnel with visitors and equipment, which, in turn, should work without the slightest failure. In Russia, this scheme is already working in coffee sales at gas stations thanks to remote monitoring of coffee machines, which:
- eliminates the slightest chance of theft by customers and staff;
- reduces the cost of repairing coffee equipment by 80%;
- provides full control over all points of sale;
- shows the number of cups sold.
At the same time, it is necessary to manage to “shove” discounts, prize draws and other bonuses into the process of interaction between the client and the store. The client must be able to please in the shortest possible time.
Advanced IT Solutions
Everything is simple here. Without advanced technologies, it is simply impossible to stay at the proper level. The implementation of IT solutions is a proven opportunity to survive in the face of fierce competition.
Mobile technology is ubiquitous in retail. Largest networks developed own products for devices in order to simplify the life of their customers as much as possible. The Internet of Things, instant payment systems, remote ordering and other innovations have made it possible to improve existing loyalty programs, making them as effective as possible.
Only the facts
Information is gold for business. Accurate data will allow you to give customers exactly what they expect from you. For this reason, the relevance of marketing solutions that allow you to generate statistics in real time has grown significantly. Now a successful network is a network that knows WHAT and WHEN to sell to its visitors. It is very important to establish interaction with customers inside the point of sale and constantly maintain feedback.
For two hares
It is important not only to improve the main indicators of loyalty, but to really influence the choice of your customers. Many networks in pursuit of new customers forget about old ones, which is unacceptable. It is necessary to take into account the wishes of everyone and everyone, keeping regular visitors and attracting as many new ones as possible.
The flexibility of the business model, combined with advanced technologies and competent analysis - these are the components that will not let you be on the list of outsiders. Our company specializes in the implementation of successful turnkey business models. On the account of specialists, there are a lot of implemented projects both for the non-fuel business of filling station chains and for hypermarkets. Don't know how to create successful business?
The opening of a store at a gas station has already ceased to be competitive advantage This is the business standard all over the world. The sale of related products can bring gas stations up to 70% of the profit, but only on one condition: the trade in the store must be properly organized.
What to buy?
Of the auto products at the gas station must be present:
- engine oils
- coolants and brake fluids
- distilled water
- fuel additives
As for auto chemical goods in general, it is the appearance in the networks of gas stations that allows a particular brand to become popular among motorists, since almost 100% of the target audience are forced to call at gas stations to refuel a car, and given the limited shelf goods at any gas station, the buyer is forced to take only what's on the shelves
Income from the sale of goods at gas stations depends on the compilation and following of a strict product matrix, since a large number of demanded goods must be offered in a minimum space. Checked: the absence of 30% of the items on the rack reduces profits by 40%!
Where to place the goods?
What to buy was determined, but how to place it in the store with maximum benefit?
Merchandising for gas stations is one of the most important factors in a space constrained environment. Non-essential goods and impulse goods should be where the buyer can notice them: the checkout area,. The effectiveness of sales largely depends on the correct use of the listed territories.
Shell marketers suggest using the following store zoning at gas stations:
- The red or hot zone is between the entrance and the ticket office. Impulse purchases are located along the “road” from the entrance to the cashier or should be clearly visible from it.
- The yellow or warm zone is located in trading floor away from the "red zone", but must be viewed when entering the store. Here are the goods of "impulse-forced demand." The buyer should be able to easily find them and be sure that this product is in stock.
- The blue or cold zone is the farthest zone from the entrance and checkout. There may be essential items here. Buyers need them and are ready to look for them.
How to choose a supplier?
But it is not enough to determine where which product to place. Need more . Moreover, in addition to the assortment and terms of cooperation, it is necessary to carefully study such an important marketing element as the packaging of automotive products.
Bright packaging quickly attracts the attention of the buyer. In conditions of limited time (after all, people are going somewhere, in a hurry), the visibility factor on the shelves becomes decisive.
The second important factor in successful sales is brand awareness. Buying a device or accessory from an unknown company during a trip is always a risk. Conversely, if the buyer is familiar with one category of goods specific brand, then he is more likely to buy a product from a different product category, but with the same logo.
Finally, the supplier must be able to quickly deliver the right goods. Reliable logistics is a key factor in the success of any point of sale! The presence of a warehouse nearby is a big plus for a potential supplier.
All of these factors played a positive role in the course of negotiations between the Krasnoyarsk and trading house"AUTOPROFI" in 2016. Warehouse in Krasnoyarsk, over 2,000 SKUs in the catalog, well-established supply chains (Agressor, Smeshariki, Autoprofi, St. John's wort), bright informative packaging - all this positively influenced the decision to partner.
The efficiency of filling stations depends on a number of factors: the quality of fuel, its cost, location, list additional services and so on. In this article, the magazine "Modern gas station" will dwell on such an indicator of work efficiency petrol station, as the quality of service, its relationship with other factors, as well as its potential in improving 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 quality check of the service, and what specific steps will help correct service deficiencies if they are identified ...
During service quality checks 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 which criteria are most often used by domestic customers when choosing a gas station. As can be seen from fig. 1, the criteria that somehow relate to the quality of service - "Speed of service", "Politeness and friendliness", "Staff activity" - 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 feedback about your fuel is very dependent on what your employees think and say about it. Loyalty programs and the level of their demand, again, depend on what your employees say about your loyalty program. Selling additional services - the main marginal products - also depends on your staff. That is, the higher the quality of customer service, the more likely it is that customers will give preference to your network and will work for your reputation and bring more profit.
How to understand the state of the service at your gas station, objectively assess your strengths and weaknesses and start working on improving the quality?
Net Promoter Score
All clients are different, each with 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) - customer loyalty index. This indicator was invented in 2006 and today all the most popular ones use it, thanks to high quality services, companies of the world (Apple, Amazon, Zappos).
The essence of the method is that the respondent is asked only one question: “How likely is it that you will recommend this point/network to your friends and acquaintances?” The answer is given on a scale from 1 to 10, where "1" is equal to the answer "I will never recommend", and "10" - "I will definitely recommend".
According to the results of the survey, customers are divided into three categories:
Promoters are those who rated the likelihood of a recommendation at 9-10 points. Such customers are the main value of the company. They come to gas stations more often, buy more, participate in all promotions. In addition, they are "traffic generators" - they bring friends and acquaintances and create the image of your brand.
Passive/neutrals are people who gave you 7-8 points. They are not ardent admirers, and will leave for competitors as soon as prices creep down on the neighboring stele.
Detractors/critics - those who chose an answer 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, like to complain, make scandals and spoil the mood of the staff.
The idea behind NPS is that there are good and bad profits. The good ones are the profits received from the promoters in the long run. Tomorrow, these customers will come back to you and buy your product again.
Profit from detractors and neutrals does not guarantee you success in the future. There is a risk that when a new competitor appears, your performance will immediately fall.
Now in many companies, the NPS level is perceived as the second most important after financial indicators and is always considered by the board of directors.
Maintenance Diagnostics
What needs to be done to increase NPS? First of all, you need to diagnose your service.
There are two main tools that help you manage the service and make your customers happy - these are "mystery shopping" ("mystery shopping") and POS-audit.
At gas stations, many operators use a program to evaluate and motivate staff - a “mystery shopper”, when an agent arrives under the guise of an ordinary client and evaluates how he was served.
He evaluates the quality of service according to two criteria:
compliance with standards (checks the appropriate items 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 tanker, cashier;
assessment of operating standards - cleanliness at gas stations, the state of the bathroom.
A tanker is usually evaluated on the following points:
approached the client
did he offer to wipe the glass and headlights,
did you fill 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 a subjective assessment, experts note five criteria identified by the clients themselves.
These criteria are evaluated on a 10-point scale and include:
the courtesy of the staff
staff activity,
service speed,
staff competence,
location interior.
Comparison of objective and subjective indicators allows specialists or management to assess the situation at the gas station and encourage staff to comply with certain requirements in order to increase customer satisfaction.
The second project mentioned above is the Point-of-Sale Audit (POS). In this case, the check 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 go there. Now, as a rule, this happens very technologically - auditors come with tablets, take pictures, immediately attach the photo to the questionnaire and publish it on the Internet. The report on the gas station instantly appears with the management, which must respond to it.
Many Russian companies trying to combine these two projects. They want a mystery shopper to come and see if, for example, a fire extinguisher is hanging correctly. But, according to experts, this is a big loss both for fire safety standards and for customers. Firstly, because a “mystery shopper”, in order to remain secret, cannot always thoroughly check all the nuances of filling stations design. Secondly, instead of evaluating the quality of service, describing your perceptions and expectations, comparing with competitors, giving recommendations in the context of “what 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 that these projects be separated.
Feedback
In addition to the two main tools, experts recommend actively using feedback from real customers. Here, a technology such as an exit poll is used. At the exit from the gas station, customers are met by an auditor with a tablet and asked to evaluate the service in a playful way - move emoticons, put a certain number of stars. Such surveys tend to take little time for clients, are very fast, interesting for the interviewees themselves, and at the same time provide instant data.
Another option is phone surveys, when they call a customer who has just gasped up. Most networks have their own loyalty cards, 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 customers show more loyalty in conversation than in reality, and the indicators obtained in this way are often slightly overestimated.
You can also use feedback in the locations themselves. In some places, the traditional “book of complaints” still exists, but it is gradually dying out. Now there are “books of complaints” in electronic form - for example, there are two buttons at the exit, the client can press green or red and evaluate his impressions of the visit as positive or negative.
It is also impossible not to mention the ever-increasing role of monitoring feedback on the quality of service in in social networks- it is already widely practiced retail chains. In the reviews, customers mention both the quality of the fuel and the type of service provided. There are many 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 a responsible person who will take specific actions on this matter.
Work on mistakes"
After the company has conducted a comprehensive assessment of the quality of its service using the above tools and identified weaknesses, the time will come to eliminate 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 a high NPS goes cyclically and consists of several stages. The first thing to do is to bring the standards of employee behavior in line with the expectations of customers.
To date, most of the standards of behavior at gas stations are a serious document with many seals, approved by high level and very far from real life. At the same time, often, employees are not even familiar with this document. In addition, it does not include the wishes of customers about the service.
Then there is a period of training for the staff to new standards. Naturally, not a single network can afford to train all cashiers and refuellers in the format of trainings, moreover, it is often difficult to find an opportunity to seriously train the directors of filling stations. 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 a good service. They are the people who will implement the idea of good service locally.
Implementation of standards
After you have understood exactly how to serve customers, and have trained staff in this, there comes a period of control over the implementation of these standards in everyday practice.
Experts argue that control for the sake of control is of little use. The results of control should be inextricably linked with the system of employee motivation. It is important to follow two principles:
- the quality of service is not the responsibility of front-line staff (refuelers and cashiers), but managers,
- motivation must be positive.
When it comes to service, positive emotions, which must be presented to the client, the fear of being punished will only hinder the achievement of the result. Unfortunately, not everyone knows about it. Basically, a system of fines reigns at domestic gas stations: “Speak like that, 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 customers and NPS do not grow.
Therefore, specialists often use two indices: an objective assessment of standards and a subjective one - “like / dislike” in order to properly regulate the behavior of employees.
The idea of working with NPS is "closed loop". When you get different customers - happy, neutral and dissatisfied, your task is to make them all happy. They, in turn, will bring new clients with whom it will be necessary to carry out the same work.
For example, the 4Service company offers its clients such a software solution as an action-plan, when the operator receives data from any source and finds a detractor among the clients, the operator immediately begins to act.
Experts note that you need to learn not to wait for a “report by the end of the quarter” in order to distribute bonuses or fine someone. It is important to react quickly, without delay. As they say, "the road is a spoon for dinner" - when customers complain, they want solutions to problems "here and now." It is necessary to establish such a system that, as soon as a detractor is detected, information is immediately received responsible person- the head of the gas station itself, the region or the responsible person in the company, and he decides what to do. Sometimes it is enough to call a person, apologize and say that his problem will be solved. By doing so, you will transfer the detractor to the category of a promoter, because people whose problem has been reacted to tend to talk about it and write a lot 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 the solution needs to be sought either within a specific station, or a region, or the entire network - this is an organization plan (company level). The search for solutions to problems at the moment they arrive is the main distinguishing feature of a modern gas station.
It happens that a company is scared not even by money, but by 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 experience financial results.
With the 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, and not competitors, and bring new customers. There is an increase in the average check due to the offer to fill up a full tank, an increase in sales of premium fuel, where it is available, due to the fact that it is recommended by refuellers, and an increase in sales of additional goods - tea, coffee, sandwiches, etc.
As an example, let's take a case that was implemented by 4Service together with Shell. The objective was to increase sales of the winter windshield washer.
The essence of the project was as follows: the company pasted stickers on the washer tank to the “mystery shoppers”, which indicated the denomination of the cash prize that the tanker could win. The refueller who offered to buy and fill in the washer to the client received the specified prize.
Mystery shoppers had been checking Shell gas stations for two years prior to this project, and their questionnaires always included the question: "Have you been offered a winter washer?" The answer was not always positive. When such a seemingly simple motivational campaign was launched, word of mouth immediately spread throughout the network. The employees enjoyed the game, and during this time, not a single car left Shell without the offer of a winter washer. Everyone wins because Shell company increased profits through sales, employees received additional motivation, and customers received care. 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:
- 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 sales growth.
- how employees relate to the company-employer. If the staff does not like the employer, then the service at such points will be very low. achieve by force good service very difficult. By investing in staff motivation and loyalty, you invest in your customers.
- what staff think about your service standards, which standards they consider useful for the client, which ones they do not. Sometimes the staff themselves come up with something new, worthy of implementation. People who feel their involvement in something big and important are more laid out for a common cause.
Specialists working in the field of increasing the efficiency of filling stations are sure 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.
