In this modern age of convenience, customer service can often be an afterthought.
So when the owners of BP West Wollongong were searching for a way to stand out in a crowded market, they decided to give their customers extra value for their money.
The service station, located on Crown Street, on Tuesday launched its driveway service, a throwback to the days when buying petrol meant more than simply searching for the cheapest price.
Service station manager Debbie Cornell said the feedback from customers had been overwhelmingly positive.
“Most customers have said, ‘Wow, this is weird’,” Ms Cornell said.
“It’s great for elderly people who have arthritis and can’t grip the bowser or people with babies who don’t want to leave their kids in the car.”
Ms Cornell said the independently owned BP was struggling against service stations controlled by the big supermarkets.
“We have a Coles petrol station next door and a Woolies [service station] down the street. We can’t compete,” Ms Cornell said.
“We thought if there was a demand [for driveway service], that could be our point of difference.”
The service station has added an extra staff member to man the bowsers, wash windows and check tyres, with the driveway service offered on Tuesdays and Wednesdays between 10am and 3pm.
Ms Cornell said the Crown Street BP, one of a shrinking number of petrol stations in the area to help customers fill up their cars, was proud to be offering “good, old fashioned service”.
“With a bit of community support, we aim to be open for many years to come.”
Extracted in full from Walcha News Online.
