Why monetize?

Over the years, gas stations have become excellent business opportunities for those who want to undertake. Despite the high investment required to start the business, the number of potential customers has been increasing over the years, as more people are purchasing cars and trucks are becoming increasingly necessary. Data released by the Traffic Engineering Company (CET) earlier this year (2021) states that for every 10 inhabitants in the state of São Paulo, 7 have some type of utility vehicle.

From this, the question “Why monetize?” can be answered with “Why not monetize?”, after all, if there is a possibility of increasing the profits of the gas station, it is certainly worth investing.

Nowadays, the minimum square footage for a gas station is 900 m². However, if the station has more space, it is possible to monetize every square meter, or at least offer services that make customers return to the station.

What does it mean to monetize each space?

When we talk about “increasing the profits” of the gas station, the expression does not relate to the price of the fuel itself, but to additional activities and functions that the station can offer so that the profits at the end of the month are increasingly greater.

Monetizing each space of a gas station means, therefore, providing additional activities for customers, so that the business can be useful and at the same time generate more profits. This is done either through activities where customers can spend money on something that benefits them, or by offering free services that make customers prefer your gas station.

Of course, with more activities and functions, organization and management become much more complex, in addition to requiring more manpower and technology to meet demand. All of these points must be carefully taken into consideration before implementing the changes, but we can say that if they are implemented correctly, the tendency is for profits and customer traffic to increase considerably at the gas station.

Not using a suitable space to offer more services is a waste of money, as each extra space is worth much more than you might imagine. If the gas station management does not take advantage of it, the environment will hardly retain a clientele, and it runs the risk of becoming static, where even customers do not see potential for growth.

How to increase the profits of a gas station

First of all, it is important to emphasize that you cannot start a project from the ground up. That is, for the changes to generate interesting results, it is necessary that each process is properly organized in an effective manner, so that there is no waste of time or money. From there, with a well-structured organization, it is time to start putting into practice some tips that can increase your gas station’s profits.

Convenience Store

Almost every self-respecting gas station has a convenience store on its premises. However, a gas station that wants to stand out from the crowd and significantly increase its profits must offer unique features that attract the attention of potential customers and keep current customers coming back.

A well-structured convenience store can have all kinds of different merchandise that meets the needs of the public, which also varies according to the location of the store.

In general, essential items range from snacks of different sizes and brands, drinks of all types, sweets, car accessories (such as air fresheners, for example) and others of that nature.

If there is no supermarket nearby the gas station, this is an additional opportunity for the convenience store, which can serve neighboring residents with basic hygiene items and non-perishable food, for example.

Vending Machines

Another opportunity, which is less essential than a convenience store, but can come in handy depending on the situation, is an easily accessible vending machine. The machine can contain different types of drinks, or be filled with treats, but the most important thing is that it is arranged in a way that is easy and practical to access.

This way, even customers in a hurry can buy from the machine, increasing the gas station’s profits.

Mechanical Workshop

If the gas station has sufficient infrastructure, an auto repair shop is also essential. Hundreds of cars circulate, if not on the gas station’s premises, then near it. Of these, some certainly need mechanical assistance, no matter how minor.

The gas station’s responsibility is to advertise its mechanical services, and this advertising can be done through banners, asking attendants to advertise to vehicles at the pumps, and other marketing strategies.

The garage does not necessarily need to be very complex, but it must be equipped to deal with everyday mechanical problems, meeting the needs of the clientele.

Tire repair shop

Every day, countless vehicles get flat tires while driving. A gas station equipped with a tire repair shop to perform repairs, from simple to more complex, will not only be extremely useful for those in a tight spot (which can guarantee new customers), but will also increase your profits, all without major expenses.

Car wash

In the rush of the week, very few people have time to wash their cars themselves, but many want to drive a clean car. Thus, an efficient car wash service can attract new customers to the station, who can spend more money on other things, such as filling up or even going to the convenience store.

The opposite also occurs; often a consumer who stops to fill up and has a few extra minutes decides to stop at the car wash to take a shower, for example, which would not happen if the station did not have a car wash attached to its premises.

In general, there are many possibilities for increasing the profits of a gas station. However, the success of these various opportunities depends on well-defined strategies by the gas station management, as well as technology and organization applied with caution in each new process that the gas station decides to adopt.

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