The battle for consumer engagement is intensifying. Before, during or after purchases, we're constantly pressed with upgrading the consumer's experience -- more engagement, more conversation, more dialogue, more, more, more.
Still, there’s one industry in particular that seems to care less about any sort of consumer experience. As I pulled my lumbering, old, barley-passing-inspection SUV up to the pumps this morning, I started thinking about consumer experience of buying gas. Realizing that I was once again going to put $60 into this filthy machine, I broke it down step by step to analyze the process.
Step 1: Insert credit card into machine. Pull card out. Repeat the process. It didn’t work the first time due to some sort of strange chemical reaction that happens in my wallet, that causes that little black strip not to work.
Step 2: Credit or Debit. Seems like an unimportant step.
Step 3: I chose debit. Insert XXXX. Hit Enter. Continue.
Step 4: Do you want a car wash? No, I know my car is dirty, but you don’t have to remind me.
Step 5: Select gas type: 88 octane. Another reminder that I’m too cheap to put fancy gas in my car because I don’t care enough about it. Plus, I'm already paying $4/gallon.
Step 6: Pick up disgusting pump-handle (that 7000 people have touched that day) and put it into my car.
Step 7: Squeeze the trigger (is it called a "trigger") only to realize that the little thingy that you can click down to keep it pressed is broken, so I have to stand there and squeeze it the whole time.
Step 8: Fill’er up -- all the way -- at an extremely slow pace because there are a 25 other people filling up. [Actually, I'm making that up. I have no idea what the dynamics of that machine are.] After momentarily pondering that point, I put the pump thing back in its rightful place.
Step 9: The machine beeps at me: "Do you want a receipt?" No, I think I’m alright, I don’t see any need to involve a tiny piece of paper in this transaction. I've done enough damage to the environment today.
Step 10: I’m walking back around to the driver's seat when it beats at me again. I walk back around the car to look at the little screen (that I can hardly read because of the glare) and it just says, “Thank You.” Well, you’re welcome.
Is there are more painful $60 consumer experience? What else do I spend $60 on? Groceries? Clothes? Video games? Maybe, but with those products at least I get to enjoy them in an air-conditioned environment and actually get to interact with a human. (Which isn’t always the best idea.)
Even the little whole-in-the-wall I go to eat dumplings at lunch gives me free frozen yogurt if I spend over $7.50. Can gas stations do the same?
To top it off, at one station I fill up at occasionally, they've installed tiny monitors where a commercial blares at me. It's the old "trapped audience" move. After all, I'm stuck there holding the trigger. Here's a chance to hit me with a good old-fashioned ad. I usually leave there annoyed and $60 poorer...
Other auto-related businesses have begun upgrading their experiences. Car dealerships and oil-change shops come to mind.
As I wipe off the grimy film that covers my hands following my fill-up, I implore the gas station operators to do the same...
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