Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: a1mfw
I had worked at a corporate gas station. We were to do a gas price survey of a couple stations nearby and had to call it in to see whether to raise or lower prices.
Now some just use gas buddy, or do the survey on the way into work.
I'm a grocery cashier, but for the last 6 months or so have been "filling in" at our gas station, as they've been chronically short handed.(basically as soon as they think they're hired up, the newbies quit within their first few weeks. and it seems to happen in 3's...)
we have to do a competitor price check twice daily, between 6-9a, and 1-3p. we have a defined list of 4 stations, none more than 4 miles away, but it's an 11 mi loop.(get paid mileage), takes 20-30 min to drive the loop.
we are allowed to match the lowest competitor UP to 5 cents. beyond 5 cents, decision is up to corporate. station 1 is 6 cents below us, and station 2 is 5 cents below us? up to corporate. we can only match the LOWEST, not the second lowest...
doing the check before work is highly frowned upon. that is "working off the clock", which puts the union in a tizzy.
we do use gasbuddy, but not to DO the price check,(Corp. insist we do the physical onsite reporting) I update/report prices at each station as i'm doing the price check.
it also has to do with the instability of the gas price in the market. we had 3 price changes in my 8 hr shift yesterday.
we started @$2.30, morning check had a couple stations @ $2.29, match that. 30 min later, Corp sends down another change, down to $2.27. go out for the afternoon check, one competitor is $2.25, match that.
if we tell you it's price a.bc, it could be different before you get there. we can give the price, but must strongly emphasize that that is the price NOW, and is subject to change.