Increase Customer Experience With Self-Service Portals

By Field Service Team at Microsoft

The first gas stations began appearing in the United States around 1909. By 1929, there were about 143,000 across the country -- and in virtually every one an attendant would fill up the tank for the driver. It wasn’t until 1947, 39 years after the first gas stations, when the first self-service option opened in Los Angeles, courtesy of a man named Frank Urich. The benefits were obvious immediately: the gas retailers were saving money because now they needed far fewer people to service the incoming drivers. Self-service stations also provided an incentive for people to fill their own tanks. In most cases, it was cheaper to pump your own gas than ask an attendent for help. This saved time and money for the customer, enhancing their experience at the gas station.

Similarly, Piggly Wiggly is credited with inventing self-service grocery store options just after World War I. But self-checkout didn’t begin to ramp up as an option until 1992 -- today they are an expected feature in major stores.