Petrol station attendants
Discussion
Whilst filling the car up in the freezing cold the other day I wondered, is there scope to reintroduce petrol station attendants who pump petrol for you?
Maybe a £1 charge on top of your normal fuel bill. 25% of profits go to the station.
I think our lazy society would be willing to pay this. After all Costa drive thru is a runaway success. You can even buy pre chopped fruit and veg in the supermarket now.
Is there scope for a business model where a company could supply petrol stations with attendants and take payments for fuel? The only downside I can see is that the on-site shop might suffer but people could potentially pay for in shop goods and someone bring them to their car?
Maybe a £1 charge on top of your normal fuel bill. 25% of profits go to the station.
I think our lazy society would be willing to pay this. After all Costa drive thru is a runaway success. You can even buy pre chopped fruit and veg in the supermarket now.
Is there scope for a business model where a company could supply petrol stations with attendants and take payments for fuel? The only downside I can see is that the on-site shop might suffer but people could potentially pay for in shop goods and someone bring them to their car?
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Maybe they should introduce the Rotec robotic attendant as demoed in the Netherlands some years back?
https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
Edited by mmm-five on Monday 15th February 13:20
I think it's a good idea given that people are becoming increasingly lazy regarding car ownership, and the tasks involved with owning a car.
Just look at the evidence: How many people do you know who wash or clean their own cars anymore, or even perform basic checks such as oil level or tyre pressures?
Unless they are one of a dying breed of motoring enthusiasts, they do absolutely nothing. If they want their car washed, they use hand car washes. I used to live on a housing estate, and no word of a lie, I was the only person on the entire estate who ever washed and hoovered their car. People with driveways full of Mercedes, BMW's, Audi's etc and not one of them ever opened the bonnet of their cars or washed them. I lived there for years and didn't see any car cleaning or checks being carried out.
My brother is the total opposite of me, and never cleans the inside of his cars, or checks oil or tyres in-between services. He says that what a service is for. He occasionally gets the cars washed at a hand car wash.
I used to work with a girl who was 34, and admitted one day that she had never in her life filled a car up with fuel. She said it "sounded complicated" and was "too scared to try". He husband would take her Range Rover to the petrol station for her whenever it needed filling.
So yes, ordinary people are really, really lazy, and I think having someone come to your car, ask them how much they want put in the tank, and filling it for them would probably work quite well.
Just look at the evidence: How many people do you know who wash or clean their own cars anymore, or even perform basic checks such as oil level or tyre pressures?
Unless they are one of a dying breed of motoring enthusiasts, they do absolutely nothing. If they want their car washed, they use hand car washes. I used to live on a housing estate, and no word of a lie, I was the only person on the entire estate who ever washed and hoovered their car. People with driveways full of Mercedes, BMW's, Audi's etc and not one of them ever opened the bonnet of their cars or washed them. I lived there for years and didn't see any car cleaning or checks being carried out.
My brother is the total opposite of me, and never cleans the inside of his cars, or checks oil or tyres in-between services. He says that what a service is for. He occasionally gets the cars washed at a hand car wash.
I used to work with a girl who was 34, and admitted one day that she had never in her life filled a car up with fuel. She said it "sounded complicated" and was "too scared to try". He husband would take her Range Rover to the petrol station for her whenever it needed filling.
So yes, ordinary people are really, really lazy, and I think having someone come to your car, ask them how much they want put in the tank, and filling it for them would probably work quite well.
You'd have to collect payment first, because otherwsie you'd get a bunch of drive offs.
I just used an online calculator. If you pay minimum wage, 40 hour week cost of the employee is about £25k. That works out to an average of about £12 an hour, so your person needs to be doing 12 fills an hour, every hour to break even. Calculator https://www.outsec.co.uk/costcalculator/ - I stripped out all recruitment costs and just left in £300 for equipment (gloves, coat etc).
Might have some appeal in the current situation as pointed out above, but at those figures it wouldn't seem possible from a cost perspective ?
I just used an online calculator. If you pay minimum wage, 40 hour week cost of the employee is about £25k. That works out to an average of about £12 an hour, so your person needs to be doing 12 fills an hour, every hour to break even. Calculator https://www.outsec.co.uk/costcalculator/ - I stripped out all recruitment costs and just left in £300 for equipment (gloves, coat etc).
Might have some appeal in the current situation as pointed out above, but at those figures it wouldn't seem possible from a cost perspective ?
mmm-five said:
Maybe they should introduce the Rotec robotic attendant as demoed in the Netherlands some years back?
https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
I can see that going very wrong and lots of dents appearing near the fuel flap!https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
Edited by mmm-five on Monday 15th February 13:20
Tim330 said:
mmm-five said:
Maybe they should introduce the Rotec robotic attendant as demoed in the Netherlands some years back?
https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
I can see that going very wrong and lots of dents appearing near the fuel flap!https://rotec-engineering.nl/robotic-fuelling-syst...
Edited by mmm-five on Monday 15th February 13:20
In normal times, I spend quite a bit of time in North Cyprus. There, in all petrol stations, someone comes out, fills your car, gives the front windscreen and back window a wash and expect no more than the cost of the fuel in return - though I always give them a few Lira. It's quite nice! Whether there's scope for it here I'm not so sure.
It's a bit like pubs and bars - we're one of the few nations on earth where we're required to get our own drinks, something we seem to do quite willingly. Anywhere else, you sit down, tell someone what you want and they bring it over with a bowl of nuts - you settle up before you leave.
It's a bit like pubs and bars - we're one of the few nations on earth where we're required to get our own drinks, something we seem to do quite willingly. Anywhere else, you sit down, tell someone what you want and they bring it over with a bowl of nuts - you settle up before you leave.
Filling station round the corner from me employed an attendant for a few months. It was the most awkward transaction ever...I didn't want him to fill my car, as I am quite capable of doing so myself. But then it was his job, and I didn't want him to feel that he wasn't appreciated, or indeed put him out of employment. And if I did let him, was I supposed to tip him?
In the end I just avoided filling the car up there. I guess I wasn't the only one as they went back to fully self-service before too long.
In the end I just avoided filling the car up there. I guess I wasn't the only one as they went back to fully self-service before too long.
Lord Marylebone said:
Just look at the evidence: How many people do you know who wash or clean their own cars anymore, or even perform basic checks such as oil level or tyre pressures?
I wash the car at least once a month in Summer, and occasionally on the less freezing winter days to keep the worst of the salt off. We have 3 cars in our household, and I just serviced the runabout a few weekends ago.
Oil and tyre pressures once a month at least.
Only one other person within view on our road does similar. I remember back in the 80's / 90's cycling around with my mates everyone was out washing the car the at the weekend by comparison.
We don't own any special cars like some on here, for me a car is a white good to get me to work and back, however I like to keeps my white goods clean and servicable like anything else in life.
I haven't been there in the last eight years, but up to 2012 at least this garage in Essex was only doing attendant filled fuel. A chap would either be seated in the kiosk, or he'd come out of the workshop to fill up your tank and take your money. Not sure if it's still so, but it was always amusing to get a top up there...
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9917364,0.2854789,...
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.9917364,0.2854789,...
Shell station near me trialled it for a while and I would politely refuse their assistance, I think many other people did the same because they dropped the idea after a couple of months.
Now the Shell Fuel and Go app I do like because I can pre pay for my fuel on my phone and it puts in the exact amount I want and cuts off and I drive away again, never setting foot in the shop or interacting with anyone on the site, miserable I know but it works well for me.
Now the Shell Fuel and Go app I do like because I can pre pay for my fuel on my phone and it puts in the exact amount I want and cuts off and I drive away again, never setting foot in the shop or interacting with anyone on the site, miserable I know but it works well for me.
A similar thought occurred to me this morning as I filled up at BP.
I've discovered I can pay by app so that's why I drive there, past an Esso and a Texaco, to avoid having to put my mask on, queue to get into the shop etc.
All that's missing is someone filling it for me so I don't have to go anywhere near the pump either. I'd probably happily pay £1 for that privilege.
Though I suppose once (if) this is all over and the risk, however small, of mixing with others has disappeared, the novelty would wear off.
I've discovered I can pay by app so that's why I drive there, past an Esso and a Texaco, to avoid having to put my mask on, queue to get into the shop etc.
All that's missing is someone filling it for me so I don't have to go anywhere near the pump either. I'd probably happily pay £1 for that privilege.
Though I suppose once (if) this is all over and the risk, however small, of mixing with others has disappeared, the novelty would wear off.
Reminds me of petrol stations in Spain, where the attendant asks how much fuel is required, types it into the machine which dispenses that amount, then cleans the windscreen whilst you are invited into the shop to pay, where there is often a bar full of motorists enjoying a beer and a cigarette before continuing their journeys!
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