Though bathrooms are usually the least pleasant to think about when it comes to managing a gas station, they are just as important to your business’ image as your fuel, sundry products, and customer service.
Customer retention is a result of customer satisfaction. That’s why it’s incredibly important for businesses to have all the amenities their customers need. Having clean bathrooms at your gas station is the bare minimum when it comes to providing exceptional customer experiences. Regularly cleaning and maintaining your facilities is the most important offering you can give your customers. You have to implement a good cleaning schedule and follow it diligently. A checklist of the cleaning duties performed every couple of hours posted on the wall or door of your bathroom can give your customers a better sense of cleanliness when they use the restroom.
Why should I worry about the bathrooms in my gas station?
Take the McDonald’s for example; when former CEO Jim Cantalupo pushed for cleaner restaurants, he emphasized the importance of keeping the bathrooms just as clean as the food-handling areas. Why? Because according to a study done by Harris Interactive, 50% of people that see a dirty bathroom will tell their friends and family. About 30% of them say they would never return to the location. With social media, the chances of getting a bad review because of a dirty bathroom in your gas station are very high. These reviews can hurt your business since more and more people check them before patronizing any business.
While gas stations in big cities and metropolitan areas can get away with having no bathrooms, rural stations can’t. Service stations in rural areas should have comfortable restrooms for customers that stop in on road trips or long hauls. Having a clean, comfortable, and inviting bathroom can create a great image for your business. This will result in great word of mouth advertising. This can be achieved through even the smallest of renovations such as replacing old and stained toilets and repainting walls.
Is there anything else I can do?
Another factor to consider is the safety of your guests when they use your facilities. Implementing a system for privacy and security when your guests are using your bathrooms is another great way to build a good reputation for your gas station. This can be as easy as installing a keypad entry or an alert system when a customer enters the restroom. Feeling safe when outside of their comfort zone is invaluable to your guests. They will appreciate the added security when using your facilities after dark.
Keeping the bathrooms of your gas station is incredibly important. However, you should never neglect any aspect of your business. Having a great point of sale system can speed up transactions and make managing your day easier. Check out Wiz-Tec’s iPOS for one of the most comprehensive and multi-featured point of sale systems in the gas retail market.