Do I Really Need Gum with My Fuel?

Every time I stop at a BP petrol station, I know it will not be a simple refuel. It becomes a barrage of sales questions: “Premium fuel?”, “Do you have the BP card?”, “Would you like gum for €1?” No matter how rushed I am, the script repeats itself, turning a quick errand into a frustrating experience. Aggressive selling does more than wear customers down; it overlooks a fundamental hospitality principle: selling more is not about asking more often, but about understanding the customer better. In hotels, as in any service business, the focus should be on personalisation, speed and relevant value—not overwhelming people. When selling becomes an obstacle rather than a solution, customers will eventually look elsewhere.