For Canadian First Nations customers, fuel tax exemptions are a fundamental entitlement provided by the government and facilitated by businesses. However, requiring in-store visits to process these exemptions can create bottlenecks that slow down operations at First Nations gas stations. As Canada’s leading processor of First Nations tax exemptions, Wiz-Tec recognizes that high-volume gas stations rely on strong throughput—the number of transactions a system can handle in a given time frame. Higher throughput allows for more customer transactions, while low throughput can lead to costly downtime, frustrate customers, and risk lost revenue.
Pay at pump is one of the best ways to increase throughput and bring in more customers. It’s not surprising that tax-exemption-at-the-pump is one of the most common questions we get. While tax-exemption-at-the-pump isn’t available due to provincial regulations, adding pay at pump to your gas station can still offer tremendous value. Here’s why pay at pump is worth considering—and how it can enhance your operations and customer satisfaction, even without exemption capabilities.
1. Why Tax Exemptions Aren’t Available at the Pump
Each province in Canada has its own rules governing tax exemptions, and right now, these regulations require validation by a cashier. Although the latest dispensers have technologies that could validate status cards and make exemption processing easier, provincial rules haven’t been updated to allow it. For now, in-store transactions remain the only way for tax-exempt sales, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider pay at pump.
2. The Benefits of Pay at Pump for First Nations Stations
Many First Nations gas stations don’t see the value of pay at pump, as their business focuses on status customers. But as modern fueling technology advances, more stations are finding that pay at pump can improve operations and service for all customers, making it a worthwhile investment. We’ve worked with multiple First Nations sites that have put in pay at pump, and we’ve seen firsthand how pay at pump technology can transform a gas station’s performance and customer experience. Here are some common benefits we see:
Reduced Wait Time: Even without tax exemptions at the pump, pay at pump technology allows non-exempt customers to complete transactions quickly, significantly cutting down on wait times inside the store and at the pump. This means smoother operations and higher throughput for your station.
Attracting a Broader Customer Base: Pay at pump has proven to be a draw for non-status customers who appreciate the convenience of quick, self-service fueling. This added revenue can help fund more services for Nation members, such as creating jobs and contributing to community infrastructure.
Efficient, High-Volume Operations: Tsuut’ina Gas Bar, one of the busiest and most profitable gas stations in Canada, serves both First Nations and non-status customers near Calgary. For their second location, they opted for six double-sided DFS Anthem UX dispensers, three checkout tills integrated with Wiz-Tec’s Back Office software, and one Wayne Ovation 2 dispenser for large commercial vehicles. This site maximizes throughput while maintaining a smooth flow of traffic. Advanced advertising capabilities on the Anthem dispensers allow them to promote in-store items and local services, further increasing sales.
Flexibility to Scale and Adapt: Many First Nations gas station owners are expanding their offerings, whether through additional service points, new products, or even additional locations. Pay at pump can be a scalable technology that grows with your business, allowing you to maintain efficiency even as you expand.
Read more about Tsuut’ina Gas here and how they’ve used pay at pump to successfully boost their business by appealing to non-status customers. This additional revenue allows them to offer more services to their Nation, like expanding fuel services and creating jobs. It’s a strategy that turns pay at pump into a valuable tool for community investment.
3. Looking Ahead: The Future of First Nations Fueling Technology
While the technology to support tax-exemption-at-the-pump isn’t available today, advancements in the industry are ongoing. As more First Nations gas stations explore pay at pump, the demand for exemption capabilities may grow, potentially leading to changes in how these transactions are regulated. And in the meantime, make sure your tax exemption processing isn’t slowing down your business.
What are you looking forward to in the future of fueling technology? We’d love to hear from you. Drop your insights in the comments or reach out to us directly at admin@wiz-tec.com. We’re here to make fueling easy and efficient for everyone—whether they’re taking advantage of tax exemptions or simply enjoying the convenience of pay at pump.
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