Why renovate your forecourt

There’s more to a forecourt facelift than simply keeping up appearances. IF&CR examines the benefits of renovating your forecourt.

Increase revenue

You don’t have to make big drastic changes to boost revenue, even minor adjustments can help, and they’ll certainly prove worthwhile. According to a study by Monash University, sales increase by 50 percent when stores are upgraded. In particular, sales to new customers increased by 43 to 44 per cent after remodelling, and researchers noted that shoppers also spent longer at a store or forecourt after it had been remodelled. “Retailers must keep their appearance modern, fresh and in line with that of competitors,” said one researcher. “The look, feel, and mood of a firm’s retail or service environment are unique and crafted purposefully to contribute to the brand and ultimately, its profitability.”

Attract a wider demographic

There’s a simple rule of thumb: the wider the range of products and services you offer, the greater the demographic of people who will visit your forecourt. Have a deli or hot food counter? Expect to see busy business folk dropping in on their lunch break for a quick bite to eat. Offer WIFI? You’ll prove popular with younger folk. Got a baby changing unit? You’ll be first choice for families. It’s all about customer experience, and the more you have to offer at your forecourt, the bigger the business you’ll see. Add on services such as AdBlue, car washes, vacuums, type, air and water checks are all routinely expected by customers – so make sure they’re up to scratch, clean and fully functional.

Beat out the competition

With a futuristic, well kept forecourt your customers won’t want to drive on by to fuel up down the road. In a 2019 report compiled by ServiceChannel, 64 percent of the people surveyed said they failed to visit a store because of its poor physical appearance, while 95 percent said they considered a store’s appearance an important factor when deciding on a place to shop or fuel up. More than half admitted they would avoid a store if its exterior was badly maintained.

Boost your profile

What do award-winning forecourts all have in common? Answer: they all offer a broad range of products and services and an attractive and well kept place for customers to fuel up. Whether it’s a well lit forecourt that helps drivers feel safe fuelling up In the dark, a stylish curved canape that gives your forecourt a modern touch, or fast fill pumps, a well-maintained forecourt will only mean good things for your reputation. Expect to attract new customers from far and wide; 80% of people surveyed by Monash University said they would be willing to try a new store if the exterior was clean and inviting.

Safety first

If not properly maintained, forecourts can be a hazardous place for staff and customers alike, and renovations are a prime opportunity to ensure that in terms of health and safety yours is up to scratch. Not only will you be assured that your forecourt is a safe place to be, it will look slick, modern and inviting too.

Offer efficiency

With a forecourt renovation, your customers can be guaranteed to fuel up efficiently. Whether it’s offering more physical space on the forecourt which in turn allows space for more cars to fuel up, fitting fast-fill pumps to speed up the fuelling process, or pay-at-the-pump facilities that allow drivers to tap and go, your forecourt will become known for its efficiency. In turn, expect to see a greater number of fuel transactions processed each day.