Survey Suggests Today's Motorists Prefer 'New' Over 'Old'

National Association of Convenience Stores
March 2, 2006

ROCKLIN, CA -- A new study suggest that the nostalgia and services behind old-fashioned service stations may be ”a thing of the past” with today's time-pressed motorists.

According to a survey by the National Shopping Service, a mystery shopping and market research company, "drivers now have other priorities when filling up at their local self-serve station," such as personal safety, properly functioning dispensers, well-lit exteriors and speed of service.

"The data we gather in these nation-wide and global surveys produce immediate, invaluable insight for our industry-leading, customer-centric clientele," Matt Wozniak, president and CEO of the National Shopping Service, explained in a press release.

"These customer perceptions, often only a few hours old, allow corporate leaders to understand and focus on real-time consumer perceptions and desires. In the hyper-competitive, super-efficient, tight-margin world we live in, understanding, measuring and focusing on the correct consumer needs is paramount," Wozniak added.

The nationwide survey asked 3,671 gasoline station customers to rate their priorities for employee interaction. The survey found that old-fashioned service station services, such as checking under the hood and washing windshields, ranked near the bottom of respondents' lists.

The survey also found that convenience store customers "placed a premium on fresh food and coffee," as well as well-lit exteriors, visible price tags and clean restrooms.

Survey respondents also ranked clean and properly functioning nozzles, quick-fueling dispensers, customer service and getting a receipt for their purchases as top service station priorities.