Do I need to wash my Fuel Stations?

During our work we sometimes get asked “should we wash our service stations?” In a competitive marketplace, a humble forecourt wash can seem like an easy place to start cutting costs. In this article we look at some of the reasons for maintaining your fuel sites to a high level and why this will pay back dividends.

Learn More: Nationwide Cleaning Services

Health & Safety is always #1

Fuel stations are one of the most frequented types of sites in the country, with NZTA specifying a safe range of up to 500 pedestrians on site per hour! With these figures, sites are under pressure not only to provide safe passage across the forecourts,

A primary risk to the public is that oil and contaminants on the forecourt can cause slip hazards. These sites are highly frequented with vehicles in varying conditions, and lot of poorly maintained or old cars will drop oil on forecourts. When there is a large chemical spill, there’s processes and spill-kits in place to react to this hazard, however cumulative oil build-up will cause a forecourt to gradually degrade into a hazard for both Staff and the General Public.

Regular cleaning of the forecourt surfaces prevents this from building up and keeps the public safe.

Do you want to attract more customers in?

Picture a sketchy looking retail site, with poor signage, faded, chipped paint work and cobwebs under the canopy. Across the road is a sparkling new station with crisp signage and shiny new paintwork sparkling in the sun. Which site will you go to?

The retail fuel industry has taken many twists and turns over the past 15 years, and in NZ at least, the unmanned Fuel-Stop sites by NPD, Allied Petroleum, Waitomo, and Gull are proving a popular consumer offering, while the traditional Kiwi favourite Owner-Operator model offered by GAS continues strongly throughout the country. The traditional larger chains of BP, Z, and Mobil continue to operate huge networks of larger, mostly manned, service stations and focus strongly on the retail food & beverage experience.

Customers care about fuel pricing, no two ways about it, but as evidenced in the annual CanStar Blue consumer awards in NZ & Australia, facilities, and Cleanliness & Appearance are major considerations in how people purchase, and choose their “regular servo”.

While each companies’ washing program takes its own shape and size, keeping the sites washed and branding consistent not only keeping regular customers impressed, but help drive new customers deciding to try a new site. Cleaning this signage, Canopy Fascia, and Street signage will install confidence in the brand and drive more custom in a competitive retail market. You’ll also discover that by maintaining your painted surfaces, you’ll extend the lifetime of your coatings and push out the repaint cycle.

Summing it up

An effectively cleaned fuel station will provide a safe site for your customers while improving the appearance and cleanliness to attract new visitors. Moreover, it will help maintain a strong brand image, and you’ll get the benefits of not only new customers, but you’ll save money on lower painting maintenance costs too!