Gas Customers Prefer Functionality Over Frills

March 8, 2006

ROCKLIN, Calif. -- In a nationwide National Shopping Service survey of 3,671 gas station customers, both men and women indicated that perks like having an employee offer to check under the hood, wash the windows and wearing a company uniform rank near the bottom of their priority list for employee interaction.

Instead, personal safety and properly functioning pumps top the list of current concerns, as drivers expressed a preference for "getting in and getting out as soon as possible." They also indicated a preference for facilities with a "well-lit exterior," according to the survey. Other top priorities for those surveyed included having a clean gas nozzle that operates properly, pumps that deliver fuel quickly, friendly employees and getting a receipt.

"The data we gather in these nationwide and global surveys produce immediate, invaluable insight for our clientele," said Matt Wozniak, president and CEO of National Shopping Service. "These customer perceptions allow corporate leaders to understand and focus on real-time consumer perceptions and desires. In the hypercompetitive, super efficient, tight-margin world we live in, understanding, measuring and focusing on the correct consumer needs is paramount."

The survey also found that convenience store customers placed a premium on fresh food and coffee, a well-lit interior, price tags in clear view and clean restrooms.