ACAPMA has released a public facing resource to assist members in communicating Fuel Price Facts to customers at a time of increased financial pressure on businesses and customers generally and a marked increase in fuel price volatility due to local and international factors.
Fuel pricing is something that customers are aware of at all times. The almost constant coverage of the current fuel prices on the news and on the roads themselves via price boards, means that customers are constantly hearing about fuel prices.
In the midst of a continuing cost of living crunch that is already putting customers under pressure, local and international factors are adding a new period of volatility into fuel pricing that is adding to aggression-based incidents on site.
To assist ACAPMA Members in clearly communicating the zero-tolerance approach to customer aggression the association has developed and circulated the Customer Aggression Poster.
In addition to clearly communicating to customers that aggression will not be tolerated, businesses may also consider providing customers with information about fuel pricing, particularly in the context of staff involvement.
“The reality is that 85% of the fuel price at the bowser is the cost of the refined product and the government taxes. The remaining 15% includes the costs to get the product from the terminal gate to the customers car and includes equipment, staff and compliance, costs of the transport company to move the fuel to the retail outlet, as well as the branding, rent, electricity, staff and business costs of the retail business to make the fuel available to customers”, explains ACAPMA’s Elisha Radwanowski.
“What most customers understand, but forget in the heat of their interactions onsite, is that the staff are not the ones that set the fuel prices and that yelling at the staff about prices serves only to hurt an essential worker who is just doing their job”, continues Elisha.
Reminding customers of this reality onsite can be a delicate matter. To assist ACAPMA Members the association has developed a Fuel Price Facts Poster for display on site, a simple counter talker to act as an interrupter to customer behaviour without putting the onus on staff to ‘talk’ about fuel prices.
The Fuel Price Facts Poster is available for members to download from the Member Resources Section of www.acapma.com.au, alternatively this resource can be requested by ACAPMA Members by emailing employment@acapma.com.au.
ACAPMA Members also have access to resources and guidance to operators to assist staff in preparing for and addressing aggressive customers, as well as access to a free online training module to equip staff to recognise and deescalate situations the Aggression Mini Module, see acapmag.com.au/2023/08/free-customer-aggression-training-for-all-acapma-members.
Here to help
This article is general in nature and covers things to consider, implement and watch out for in your business. It is provided as general advice and you should seek further advice on your situation.
ACAPMA Employment Professionals are available to assist ACAPMA Members via employment@acapma.com.au. ACAPMA membership is affordable at only $860 inc GST per year for a single site and valuable with sites gaining access to ACAPMA Guides, Templates, Resources, HR advice support and representation as well as a raft of other benefits and discounts. Visit: acapma.com.au/membership to learn more or to apply for ACAPMA membership.
Elisha Radwanowski BCom (HRM & IR)
Executive Manager for Employment and Compliance
ACAPMA
Source: ACAPMA releases customer facing Fuel Price Facts Poster – ACAPMAg.
