New Survey Finds Customers Favor Faster Fuel Payments
BOSTON — Most drivers are overwhelmingly open to options that will save them time at the pump, according to a new survey published by PayByCar Inc.
Among 1,312 respondents surveyed, 54 percent said they have signed up for a loyalty program, but only half who have a loyalty app always use them, while other app users reported using loyalty apps sometimes or rarely.
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Additionally, one in five app users reported disliking having to find and open loyalty apps on the phone when making in-app purchases, while a similar number found apps too slow to load when at the pump.
Nearly half of the respondents had not signed up for a loyalty program but cite features that would make them more likely to enroll. Twenty percent of respondents expressed an interest in securely paying by text messaging, and nearly half would sign up if the app was easier to use.
The survey also indicated that despite years of major brands spending heavily to promote loyalty apps and e-wallets, three out of four still use a credit/debit card at the pump. Just six percent report using a loyalty app from fuel brands or convenience stores.
"The results point to a desire for [an] easier user experience, hassle-free signups and the ability to securely pay by text," said Kevin Condon, CEO and founder of PayByCar. "Brands need to improve the customer experience if they want to see growth in their programs."
Of the leading gas and c-stores surveyed, no single retailer showed significant dominance in the marketplace of loyalty rewards.
"While these findings show that two-thirds of those surveyed use and prefer loyalty apps … it was also interesting to see that a majority of loyalty app users surveyed expressed interest in streamlining purchases via pay-by-text transactions," said Anand Raman, president, co-founder and chief operating officer of PayByCar.
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The complete study can be accessed here.
PayByCar provides mobile payments technology to gas stations across Massachusetts, including platforms for pay-by-text payments. It has also partnered with organizations such as the 19-state E-ZPass Group and Alltown Mobil.