We visited a Costco gas station for the first time on our vacation last week. I noticed two things that were unique to this gas station:
- All cars queued up in line entering the station from the same direction
- The nozzle and hose of the pump stretched to reach the far side of the car
Increase Customer Throughput
The more customers you can serve in any given period of time, the more money you’ll make and the higher your margins will be. By forcing cars to enter the station a certain way, Costco could handle a higher volume of vehicles without disorder and chaos. Customers benefited by getting through the line faster.
Be Flexible
The pumps at this station allowed you to park with your gas cap on either side of your vehicle. Because the hose and nozzle would stretch, drivers weren’t shoehorned into always parking on a certain side of the pump. This allowed all pumps to be in use simultaneously and removed the need for creative vehicular maneuvering.
What are some ways you can increase your flexibility with customers? Can you change some of your standard procedures to increase your efficiency?
Streamline your business processes to increase your throughput, profits, and customer satisfaction.