Customer satisfaction levels at fuel stations are systematically increasing, while differences in the evaluation of individual chains are decreasing. Drivers rate the following chains highest: Lotos, Statoil (Circle K), and Orlen. As many as 40% of BP chain customers admit that the station’s loyalty program has a significant or decisive influence on their choice. The most important factor influencing driver satisfaction is fuel quality, according to a study conducted by ARC Rynek i Opinia.
Fuel stations present a very even level when it comes to customer satisfaction – there is only a 3-point difference on a 100-point scale between the leader and the lowest-rated chain. It can therefore be concluded that the chains are becoming increasingly competitive with one another.
Source: Fuel station customer satisfaction survey, ARC Rynek i Opinia, May 2017.
Despite the increase in customer satisfaction across all fuel stations over the last year, a decline in their loyalty is noticeable.
Source: Fuel station customer satisfaction survey, ARC Rynek i Opinia, May 2017.
Drivers confirm that the factors with the greatest impact on their satisfaction with a given station chain are: fuel quality, service quality, station signage, cleanliness, and network density.
Regarding the use of additional services, some differences can be seen depending on the chain. Orlen and Statoil (Circle K) are the stations where hot drinks – coffee and tea – are most often purchased; in the case of Lotos and Shell, customers most often use window cleaning services, while at BP, drivers most often use the assortment offered by the station shop.
Leaders in individual categories:
Perceived network density – Orlen
Service – Lotos
Station cleanliness – Lotos
Perceived prices – Lotos
Perceived fuel quality – Lotos
Signage – Lotos
Food offer – Orlen
Shop and additional services – BP
Station decor – BP
Loyalty programs can also have a significant influence on the choice of station. The clear leader in this category is BP – the chain’s loyalty program attracts as many as 40% of customers.
Source: Fuel station customer satisfaction survey, ARC Rynek i Opinia, May 2017.
– Small differences in the evaluation of fuel station satisfaction directly affect loyalty towards them. If all chains guarantee similar quality and offerings, the customer knows they can expect an appropriate standard, regardless of which one they choose. Due to the lack of features that significantly distinguish a given chain, the brand ceases to be of great importance. A distinguishing feature of a given brand can be, for example, an attractive loyalty program, as is the case with the BP chain, which then serves as an additional incentive to use the station. Perhaps this is a signal to station owners that to stand out, they must look for new solutions, perhaps in the area of additional services, which will cause drivers to choose their chain more often – comments Grzegorz Sygnowski, Senior Project Manager at ARC Rynek i Opinia.
Information about the study
The study was conducted using the CAWI method (online surveys) on the epanel.pl consumer panel between February and May 2017 on a sample of N=1724 respondents. The respondents were drivers who regularly refuel at the following stations: BP, Lotos, Orlen, Shell, and Statoil (the study was carried out before the rebranding of the Statoil chain to Circle K).
ARC Rynek i Opinia has been conducting marketing research and public opinion polls for 25 years and holds a permanent place among the best research institutes in Poland. Thanks to its membership in the largest international network of independent research agencies – IriS – it carries out research projects in Europe and worldwide. The ARC Rynek i Opinia institute holds the PKJPA interviewer quality certificate, and all studies are carried out in accordance with ESOMAR standards.