Service Stations – 2015 Ratings

Service station supremacy claimed by Challenger in 2015

Service stations and the fuel they supply keep our transport and economy running; cars, trucks and bikes are something we can’t do without as cities become bigger and commutes become longer, and service stations are a key piece of infrastructure when it comes to getting around. Whilst fuelling up on petrol (or diesel) isn’t a particularly memorable experience, there are multiple factors that go into making your stop as efficient and useful as possible.

So which petrol stations provide the most satisfying experience for everyday New Zealanders? Our most recent research into consumer satisfaction has found one brand which tops the ratings: Challenge service stations achieved our highest overall satisfaction rating of five stars, securing our Most Satisfied Customers award. Just behind them were four-star achievers Gull, Z Energy and Caltex, whilst four other brands – Shell, BP, Mobile and Pak ‘N Save – achieved three stars overall.

Value for money

Rating service stations on value includes all of the products and services they offer, and not just the fuel they sell. Most modern service stations double as convenience stores and some even have integrated garage for car maintenance and repairs. The cheapest services overall were offered by Gull, which scored five stars, with overall winner Challenge achieving four stars as did Pak ‘N Save. The remaining five brands each scored three stars for value satisfaction.

Service

Service was one of the most important contributors to how satisfied people were overall, and it’s hardly surprising – the services provided by petrol stations are pretty similar, but it’s the customer service that can make a big difference. Our overall winner Challenge was the top performer here, with a five star rating for how well they served their customers

Range of other items

Service stations usually offer a wide range of items usually offered by convenience stores, such as food, drinks, magazines and other disposable supplies. The convenience of buying something while you’re filling the tank is significant, which explains why we had an impressive four brands achieving the maximum five-star rating in this category – Z Energy, Caltex, BP and Shell. Mobil and overall winner Challenge did well to score four stars, followed by Gull on three stars and Pak ‘N Save on two.

Appearance and cleanliness

Accounting for over a third of overall satisfaction, it seems first impressions count for a lot when you pull into a service station – especially if you’re on a long road trip and you need to use the bathroom! The cleanest, nicest-looking service stations belonged to Challenge and Z Energy; behind them were four-star achievers Gull, Caltex, Shell and BP, with Mobil and Pak ‘N Save on three stars each.

Facilities

Servos can vary from a tiny roadside shop to massive complexes with multiple food and service outlets, depending on how busy their location is. Consistent features, on the other hand, are a product of the companies themselves, and go a long way towards an operator’s reputation. Z Energy

had the highest satisfaction ratings for their facilities with five stars, emerging from a widely-spaced field. Caltex, Shell and BP secured four-star ratings, and behind then came Challenge, Gull and Mobil on three stars – Pak ‘N Save finished with two.