What does the future hold for convenience stores and gas stations?
A lot has changed in a year. Before 2020 and the global pandemic, the convenience space was either the place where you filled up your tank, got a quick bite and some snacks, or a combination of the two. Today, convenience takes on a whole new meaning for customers.
COVID-19 completely changed the way that customers engage with convenience stores and gas stations. There were fears about touching pump handles and an increased desire for curbside pickup for food and retail items, to name a few of the changes we witnessed. Some stores took this seriously, implementing new digital solutions to reduce friction for their customers. This kind of digital transformation was no small feat, but the payoff has been great. In one case, we saw a 4-digit uptick in orders simply because the convenience store offered its own mobile app!
All of this proves that leading convenience retailers will help shape and define the new normal, especially as more consumers flock to stores that offer a truly convenient experience. As the definition of convenience changes, cstores that pay attention to their customers and offer these truly convenient experiences (as defined by their customers) are the ones that will prevail.
But some remain unconvinced, questioning the lifespan of gas stations and whether they will survive post-pandemic. Let’s address this.
Will gas stations become obsolete or evolve?
A common question that many c-stores and gas stations are grappling with is “will we become obsolete?” As the work from home lifestyle becomes more permanent and consumers don’t need to fuel up as often as they did pre-pandemic, this becomes a more pressing question. Considering consumer affinity for convenience, however, I don’t think obsolescence is a foregone conclusion.
Gas stations have been reaching out to Mobiquity to inquire about how to get customers into their retail stores (moving from the forecourt to the backcourt) and how they should elevate their foodservice offerings to capitalize on the quick, convenient experiences that customers now demand. All of this, while also transforming their brand from simply a place where you only fuel up to one that offers arguably more value than a grocery store or restaurant, in some cases. This shift has led us to work with convenience stores on evolving their digital customer experiences and digital products to match customer expectations.
It’s important to note that, another reason this question comes up is due to the growing interest in hybrid and electric vehicles that require far less gas to get from point A to point B. If we think about whether this means the gas station will become obsolete or evolve, I refer back to the struggle that all businesses face: change.
When I approach a business that is considering the risks and opportunities for change, I often find them reverting back to what they know and becoming protective of their core business. They will be cautious about transformation due to the plain fact that their intrinsic value no longer matches up to the extrinsic reality. COVID was a good example of this. Not everyone was ready or willing to change.
But when a business does accept change and begins to transform, process improvements occur, inertia ensues, and then new normals are unearthed. Just look at companies like Uber, Netflix, and Airbnb. The consumer is interested in hyper convenience, silent utility, and a soaring degree of personalization. Consider experiences over things - self service, and ultimately smooth, satisfying workflows that fit their expectations every time, via every channel, on any device.
Is this the end for 'gas' cars? Will electric cars replace gas cars in twenty years?
While cars powered exclusively by an internal combustion engine and gasoline still make up the majority of vehicles on the road, hybrid and electric cars have been growing in popularity. It’s impossible to know for certain whether battery packs will replace gas in twenty years, but convenience stores and gas stations should start thinking about how this may impact their business and what they can do to support customers with electric vehicles. Some public spaces already offer charging stations for customers, but the bigger question is – will fuel pumps be defunct at some point in the future? And what will this mean for the design of the typical convenience store?
Will gasoline filling stations eventually be phased-out? What should convenience stores do to prepare for hybrid and electric vehicles?
Without a crystal ball, it’s hard to know if fuel pumps will ever fully go away. However, we should start thinking about what the future holds and how we can prepare for a world that’s more environmentally conscious. Here are some ways that c-stores and gas stations can get ready for more hybrid and electric cars:
Make sure that the programs you have are working for you and providing a fair exchange of value in order for customers to share their data and fully embrace your offering. That’s how you build a great loyalty program.
If you’d like to learn more about how digital technologies transform your convenience store or gas station, contact us.
Mike Welsh is the Chief Creative Officer at Mobiquity, leading a team of experience architects, experience designers, and conversational designers to deliver engaging and compelling solutions in collaboration with engineers who bring these solutions to life. He has been doing this for over 27 years, having joined Mobiquity near it’s beginning. Mike notes that what originally drew him to his role is the ability to transform experiences for companies and their customers. What keeps him and the team engaged is the opportunity to find out what truly transforms human experience and then bring it to life. He’s a firm believer in the power of a team and its ability to create impact derived from insights. Mike makes no special claim of expertise or experience because every engagement is a team effort. Each time he and the team engage with a client’s challenges and opportunities, good things can happen. Curiosity and a core belief that some of the best work comes when a team understands the humans behind their work is central to understanding the role that technology can play. Mike’s time spent with clients and teams includes work within creative, business, and technology fields, bringing many skills to the table including: experience strategy, experience design, product strategy, and product design. His industry knowledge within these functions spans healthcare, retail, ecommerce, and financial services and he has lectured on these topics at University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, Moore College of Art and Design and various conferences. In addition, Mike holds a Nielsen Norman Group UXC certificate working toward master certification. While no one is a bigger Mobiquity champion than Mike, much of what fuels his passion comes from the time he spends away from work. He is a father of three, an avid runner, traveler, cook, and outdoorsman. A voracious consumer of audiobooks, Mike is always learning and drawing connections about how we can make a difference today for our future selves. When thinking about what’s to come, Mike believes that artificial intelligence, immersive storytelling, and machine learning will play a significant role in defining experiences humans have with technology.
Give us your information below to start the conversation.
.png?width=1110&name=Future%20of%20Gas%20Stations%20and%20Convenience%20Stores%20Insights%20Header%20(1).png "Future of Gas Stations and Convenience Stores Insights Header (1)")
