My hope is that it takes you less time to read this article than it does to fill a gas tank at the pump.
Coming off a 1500+ mile road trip, from Pennsylvania to North Carolina and back, gas pumps and gas stations are top of mind.
I picked stations on pure convenience—the closest exit.
Here's why you don't want your service to be like a gas station: gas stations aren't memorable.
I stopped at roughly 6 stations along the way and couldn't tell you a single one without checking a receipt.
That's textbook "going through the motions."
I don't have an EV (yet), so gas was non-negotiable. But once it made sense to fill up, I picked stations on pure convenience—the closest exit.
The brand names didn't even play a factor for me.
Unless You're Buc-ee's
If you've never been, Buc-ee's is a Texas-born chain that turned the gas station into a destination.
People plan road trips around Buc-ee's stops; nobody plans a road trip around a Shell.
We're talking 100+ pumps, bathrooms clean enough to write home about, fresh brisket sandwiches carved to order, and a cartoon beaver mascot people drive out of their way to take photos with.
People plan road trips around Buc-ee's stops; nobody plans a road trip around a Shell.
The same category and same product, yet wildly different experiences.
What This Means for Your Business
Just because your service is plentiful doesn't mean it has to be a commodity.
Most service providers compete on convenience and price like gas stations do—never realizing they could genuinely distinguish themselves from the pack.
Ask yourself:
- When a prospect describes you to a friend, do they remember anything specific—or just that you "do [your service]"?
- Is there one thing about working with you that's so distinctive it's worth a detour?
- If your logo disappeared from your website tomorrow, would your clients still know it was you?
If the answers feel soft, that's not a death sentence. It's a starting point.