Are All of These Pumps Prepay? (again, long)

[Halo_miles]

Not just one customer turns sucky when they hear the term, "prepay", at least 90% of them do. The other 9% are confused by it, and 1% of them actually understand it and have no issue with it. So, when I happen to announce that ALL of the pumps are prepay (including diesel), and I provide all methods of payment, do not come roaring in here with your sense of entitlement and get pissy with me.

I've had a long day, and it was filled with morons. We'll announce that all of the pumps are prepay, because, some clown can't read, pulls the pump off the cradle, and this really irritating beeping noise goes through the store. It wouldn't be so bad if it happened once or twice throughout the day, but it happens at least 50 times in an eight hour shift. And it eventually comes very close to driving someone absolutely bonkers.

Questions and statements I've heard so far today (after making said prepay announcement):

"Are all of these pumps prepay? *no, I have a hidden non prepay pump in the back, reserved for VIPs*

How do I know you're not going to take all my money? *because we wouldn't be a very smart, or successful multi billion dollar business if we did*

Well, I don't know how much fuel my truck/car/antelope etc is going to take! *if you've been driving for a long time, and you're still not sure how much fuel your vehicle takes, whether it be in liters or a dollar amount, your observational skills are sorely lacking*

What if I don't want to prepay? *did I say I was giving you a choice? Prepay, or get out*

I know "so and so" (manager, shift lead, etc) and they said I didn't have to prepay! *really? Guess what, moron? I met the President and CEO of the company, spoke with him at length about the prepay policies, and I have been told to enforce it at all times. Tough shit*

I'm going to another gas station! *hey, it's a free country. But, what I didn't tell you as your obnoxious ass flew out the door was, that all four of the stations here in this little town are...you guessed it: PREPAY*

You don't trust anyone anymore? *I don't know you from a goddamn hole in the ground. I make my father prepay, for God's sake. Because it's our policy, and I can lose my job if I don't enforce said policy*

Well, why can't you just hold my credit card/driver's license/SIN card etc? *I'll put it in layman's terms for you. IT'S FUCKING ILLEGAL. Secondly, why the hell would you want to leave your personal information with someone you don't even know? I consider myself an extremely trustworthy individual, who would never jeopardize my job for these morons, but what if someone wasn't so? I mean, seriously? I'm cautious about swiping my card at my bank, let alone leaving it with someone I don't know*

So, that's all the ranting for today. I apologize if it's long, but holy hell, fuckwits were crawling out of the woodwork today.

[wolfie]

What if I don't want to prepay? *did I say I was giving you a choice? Prepay, or get out*

They do have a choice - prepay, or run out of fuel, abandon their vehicle, and walk.

Well, why can't you just hold my credit card/driver's license/SIN card etc? *I'll put it in layman's terms for you. IT'S FUCKING ILLEGAL.

Also, except for the driver's license (which has a photo), how can you be sure it's THEIR credit card/SIN card, rather than one from the wallet they stole 5 minutes ago, and therefore no deterrent to them pulling a drive-off?

[AmbrosiaWriter]

Why is it so important that people be able to fill their tank to the tippity-top?

Oh no, you mis-judged by 3 gallons, you'll survive.

Also, in case someone must have it filled to the absolute top, over-judge how much you need. For debit/credit, any unused money goes right back to the card, for cash - come get yer damn change.

[Aethian]

Also, in case someone must have it filled to the absolute top, over-judge how much you need. For debit/credit, any unused money goes right back to the card, for cash - come get yer damn change.

That's what I do and it's not hard. Of course I don't demand it be at the maximum in fuel fullness...just that I have more then 3/4 of a tank.

[Flying Grype]

Knowing how big your gas tank is = very helpful in prepay situations. :P Ours holds 60L. Now that we're in the US and buying gas in gallons, I was initially a bit confused because I can never remember the conversion. But the price of gas has come out to around a dollar a litre in my neck of the woods, so if the tank is 1/4 full it'll take about $45 to fill it up the rest of the way.

(I looked it up, 60L is almost 16 USG. Hope I can remember that.)

[Halo_miles]

Knowing how big your gas tank is = very helpful in prepay situations. :P Ours holds 60L. Now that we're in the US and buying gas in gallons, I was initially a bit confused because I can never remember the conversion. But the price of gas has come out to around a dollar a litre in my neck of the woods, so if the tank is 1/4 full it'll take about $45 to fill it up the rest of the way.

(I looked it up, 60L is almost 16 USG. Hope I can remember that.)

Exactly. I prepay $100.00 on my car. I know it'll never take that much, but I've never been overcharged by a cent. The worst is when they try to tell me that they "know" my job. Uh, no you don't, ding dong, or otherwise you'd be doing it. Now get out of my store. Bah. I pride myself on excellent customer service, but if these people knew exactly what I was thinking, I'd be lynched. Makes me SO glad that this site exists.

[Halo_miles]

Why is it so important that people be able to fill their tank to the tippity-top? .

I have no idea. Most of our locals and regulars are pretty used to it, and as I said, the 1% really don't care either way, as long as they have fuel. It's the rest of these clowns that don't get it. Though, I did get quite a laugh when I had a guy bitching about prepay, then mentioned he was going to the States. My shift lead looked him dead in the eye and said, "Welp, you're going to hate the States." The look of confusion on his face was awesome. I wonder if he figured it out yet.

[BrenDAnn]

Not just one customer turns sucky when they hear the term, "prepay", at least 90% of them do. The other 9% are confused by it, and 1% of them actually understand it and have no issue with it.

This...this explains why C-Store head honchos are so piss in their pants afraid to let us convert to all prepay, even though it would save them thousands of dollars in drive-offs per year. Oh, our pumps have the prepay option...it's just not a forced thing, because apparently C-Store doesn't give a shit...well... they do, but only long enough to blame the clerk when some jackass decides paying for gas is optional. For the record, I, too, could give a rough guesstimate of what I'd need to fill my car. It's not that difficult... if you have half a brain, which god knows most SCs don't!

[fireheart]

Knowing how big your gas tank is = very helpful in prepay situations. :P

My tank takes around 45L, my boyfriend's car takes nearly double that (his car has a six-cylinder engine however, while mine's a 4-cylinder). I worked out that usually $20=around 15L for me, with more or less depending on the price (which in South Australia wavers between $1.30-$1.50/litre at the moment. one place decided to offer their petrol for 88c during the Clipsal (motor-race) and wound up with a GIGANTIC traffic jam)

[sms001]

this really irritating beeping noise goes through the store....but it happens at least 50 times in an eight hour shift.

Ack! Why? If there are signs about the pre-pay, let them figure it out and come inside without you coddling them. Just the deep fry buzzers at fast food places drive me crazy, and I'm only there for a few minutes. I can't imagine getting "alerted" to stupidity every ten minutes!

no, I have a hidden non prepay pump in the back, reserved for VIPs

I chortled.

How do I know you're not going to take all my money?

Same reason the restaurant, retail shop, dog groomer, Amazon, Porn-Palace-Plus, airline, hobby shop, etc., etc. don't; we're stationary, identifiable, businesses. Really Halo? I've see threads about pre-pay before, but I don't remember this being a SCs excuse for resisting change. You got some real winners on your hands.

not sure how much fuel your vehicle takes, whether it be in liters or a dollar amount, your observational skills are sorely lacking

$72.00 when it hits a quarter tank, off the top of my head. I'll go ahead and deal with not having the extra gallon or so that the recent drop in price leaves.

did I say I was giving you a YOUR choice? Prepay, or get out

FTFY.

I know "so and so" (manager, shift lead, etc) and they said...

"Yes, we have a booklet with the names and pictures of the people that are exempt from the policy right here, and you aren't in it. Remind Soandso to put you in it next time you see him."
Used to get this as a doorman at a club all the time. There really WAS a list. But guess what? When bossman cares enough about someone to exempt them, he, you know, TELLS ME.

I apologize if it's long, but holy hell, fuckwits were crawling out of the woodwork today.

No need to apologize, venting is priority one. I'm sure we'd all rather read an extra sentence or two here than read about you in the paper.....

[wolfie]

My tank takes around 45L, my boyfriend's car takes nearly double that (his car has a six-cylinder engine however, while mine's a 4-cylinder).

My 4-cylinder takes between 45 and 50 litres when the low-fuel light comes on. My 6-cylinder can take up to 1000 litres.

[pzychobitch]

My 4-cylinder takes between 45 and 50 litres when the low-fuel light comes on. My 6-cylinder can take up to 1000 litres.

Holy shit. Thats fucking nuts.

(My 4cyl's capacity is 50 liters, but i never let it drop below 1/4 tank because i am paranoid to all hell)

[Halo_miles]

I LOL'ed sms001, I seriously did. You should have seen the people coming through today. Because of it being Good Friday and all, they assumed that we would just let them pump before they paid. I didn't even do it on Christmas, why would I do it any differently? People are weird.

[Victory Sabre]

I wish we could do prepay only for gas. However, we're a small player in the market, and unless the big players do it, we can't afford to do it.

[Seshat]

Why is it so important that people be able to fill their tank to the tippity-top?

When I'm travelling in the more sparse areas of Australia, that last few litres is my safety margin. I've driven (back when I could drive) in areas where there's three or four hours of driving between refuelling opportunities. And I have never travelled in the truly empty areas of Australia. Not the real Outback.
I have heard that parts of Canada are as empty as parts of Australia, so I assume that there are places there where you want your fuel tank totally full.

In other circumstances - such as, in suburban Melbourne where there's a petrol station (gas station) every few blocks? I don't need it up to the tippy top.