Darren Schulte, NATSO’s vice president, membership, said he is excited to see more of a focus industry-wide on how professional drivers enter into a travel center. “NATSO members are thinking more about the importance of entry and exit into the travel centers,” he said.
The backcourt experience at truck stops and travel centers historically had been ignored, but Schulte believes backcourts should look exactly like forecourts. “I would ask any of us to go to our forecourt and see how we speak to customers to try and capture their attention, then go to the backcourt,” he said.
Schulte encourages operators to add the same marketing materials on the building and on the pumps in the backcourt that are on the forecourt. “If you’re doing pump toppers in the front, do pump toppers in the back. If you’re doing fuel nozzle collateral, do that,” he said.