To make customers happy: the gas station attendant set the fuel price at 1.99 euros

Created: 03/24/2022, 16:50

By: Helena Grillenberger

The prices of the tanken&mehr gas station on March 24th.

© private

Refueling for less than two euros is currently a utopian idea.

But Armin Kellner, operator of a gas station in the Fichtel Mountains, makes it possible.

Fichtelberg - It is a small country gas station in the Fichtelgebirge, which is operated by Armin Kellner.

Opened by his father in 1944, the company is celebrating 75 years of service stations this year.

That's something special, explains Kellner.

In 1969, the now 76-year-old and his wife Monika took over the business.

"We've both been doing this for 53 years now," says Kellner, but "we've never experienced anything like what we've seen in the past few days and weeks."

He speaks of the sharp rise in petrol and diesel prices.

All of this was triggered by the war in Ukraine, he explains.

But there is actually no meaning behind it: "It's the same as with flour and pasta.

Someone just shouted into the forest: 'Oil is running out!'

and that’s why prices have gone up.”

Fichtelgebirge: Fuel prices have gone up significantly - by a full 67 cents

The free gas stations were worried - "as were we," admits the 76-year-old, "and that's why they grabbed the price".

Worldwide, however, "not a liter of oil has been mined or refined less - we have a completely normal supply!"

Nevertheless, within four days the price rose by a full 67 cents.

The price also fluctuated in wholesale, which meant that Kellner and his wife bought twice at the wrong time.

The price changed 16 to 17 times in one day: "We can't afford a program that corrects and compares," says Kellner.

That's why he bought twice too expensive.

High fuel prices: Once bought, you have to get rid of it again - "It doesn't matter if it's at a profit"

But once bought, you have to get rid of the fuel quickly in order to be able to pay for it yourself.

"That doesn't matter then," explains Kellner.

"Win or lose." It was clear to Kellner and his wife that they would make a loss.

"We then thought, if we've already slipped, our customers should at least not suffer from it," says the 76-year-old on the phone and laughs: "My wife is already rolling her eyes, she has to repeat the story for the umpteenth time Have a listen."

No sooner said than done: To make customers happy, the Kellners fixed the price of petrol and diesel at their petrol station at 1.99 euros.

"And guess what happened," says Kellner: "Nothing happened." Because customers mistrusted the low fuel prices.

Armin Kellner in front of one of his petrol pumps.

© private

High fuel prices: Gas station attendant makes customers happy with a campaign - they thought it was a joke

The tanken&mehr gas station therefore turned to its customers via Facebook, "but also to all non-customers": In several Facebook posts, the Kellners assured that their prices were "not a joke or a joke", but " an action to your delight" - and that "as long as we 'pack' it", because: "They are really far below our purchase price and can only be held for a limited time and quantity."

Kellner explains the idea behind the low prices as follows: “Other companies donate somewhere.

We thought we'd make a donation to our customers." They then also wanted to "get straight to the point" and lowered the price to less than two euros per liter.

Fichtelgebirge: Gasoline prices not "frozen" - diesel is already rising again

However, the prices are not "frozen", but only so low for a few days.

The tanken&mehr filling station had to raise the price of diesel again twice, first to 2.09 euros and now to 2.19 euros.

Although the high petrol prices are annoying, the 76-year-old is a bit surprised at the distance some people are willing to take just to save a few cents: He explains that the price difference between two gas stations must be at least make up one cent per kilometer, otherwise a customer already pays extra.

Fuel price campaign: "I didn't dare to tell them that you made a loss"

And if a customer drives 10,000 kilometers a year with a consumption of six liters and regularly pays five cents more at Kellner's gas station than at others - "that can happen at free gas stations" - then you would come at the end of the year to 25 euros more.

"An incredible amount," comments Kellner.

"I couldn't even go out to eat with my wife for that."

The 76-year-old explains that he is pleased with how well the offer has been accepted.

That was also the point behind it, to make your customers happy.

However, he had also been called by people who wanted to thank him for the low prices.

“They live 35 kilometers away.

I didn't even dare to say to them, 'You just drove 70 kilometers to fill up.

You made a loss!'” Waiter laughs.

Fuel prices will remain as cheap for two more days: "First come, first served"

At the moment, fuel prices are stabilizing and even going down again.

As Kellner explains: The strong increase within a short period of time was "purely psychological".

Despite the loss-making business, his gas station made good sales, he reveals.

Thanks are due to his “greyhound campaign”.

And: “Super and E10 will remain at 1.99 euros today and tomorrow,” he assures.

Nevertheless, it remains a one-time action: "First come, first served."

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