The Gascorp gala dinner and awards night gave special thanks to the man behind the NSW brand.
Arthur Petalotis launched the Budget Petrol brand 30 years ago. He was looking for a brand name and one of the major TV advertisers at the time was Budget Rent a Car, then owned by Bob Ansett, who was big on customer service.
So Mr Petalotis named his service station Budget Petrol, because he was offering value for money as well as service. The 30th anniversary of the first Budget Petrol was celebrated at the recent Gascorp gala dinner and awards night.
This milestone is testimony to persistence and proof that belief in a brand and level of service at the best price will deliver results. We can all dare to dream.
Independent fuel retailers, of which there are many disparate types, don’t have a supermarket division to fall back on, or a corporate or perhaps even a global office to back them up.
They simply sell fuel to motorists at great prices and try to make a living doing so. Mr Petalotis’ vision 30 years ago has resulted in a strong petrol brand that is trusted in many communities.
A special night
At the awards night, Mr Petalotis accepted the well-wishing and plaudits in a quiet and unassuming manner before joining fellow Director Steve Melas in handing out the awards.
The evening recognised a number of Budget Petrol retailers for their performance across key measures.
New for the year was the Customers’ Choice award, which, according to Gascorp General Manager Diann Melas, will reward sites for providing top-tier customer service and highlight any areas for improvement.
She said secret-shopper feedback was positive for most sites, but there was always room for improvement.
Feedback to each site will be used to accentuate the positives and address any areas that need fine-tuning.
Mr Petalotis welcomed attendees and gave his special, humble version of the Budget Petrol history, beginning with a single site in 1985 and culminating in the oldest independent chain of service stations in 2015.
Award categories and winners
30-Year Achievement Award – Jim Chalkiotis (Budget Kingsgrove and Kogarah) and Harry Mettas (Budget Newtown and South Hurstville).
Highest Elgas Refiller Volume – Richard Chau (Budget Telopea).
Site Manager for 2015 – Chris Yam and Thomas Thong (Budget Dulwich Hill).
Drivers’ Choice Award 2015 – Andrew Iconomou and George Rouggos (Budget Faulconbridge).
Customers’ Choice Award 2015 – Dimitri Petrou (Budget Erskineville).
Store Investment Award 2015 – Som Bhatia and Andrew Karahontzitis (Budget Chester Hill), Chris Yam (Prime Wardell) and Dimitri Petrou and Michael Melas (Budget Crystal Street, Petersham).
Store Volume Increase 2015 – Michael and Karl Elsayed (Budget Moorebank) and Richard Chau and Koon Khay-Lee (Budget Ashfield).
Retail Benchmark of the Year 2015 – Peter Karahontzitis and Thomas Argyrou (Budget North Strathfield).
Budget Petrol Site of the Year 2015 – Koon Khay-Lee (Budget Oatley).
During 2015, the Budget Petrol family swelled once again, as in previous years, welcoming a number of new sites throughout the Sydney metropolitan area.
