Total has become the first petrol retailer in the UK to trial new technology designed to enable a swift and rapid response to customer feedback.

The Customer Feedback System (CFS) units are being trialled in 12 Total stores in the Home Counties, but the scheme could be expanded to the entire network of more than 900 sites if the three-month trial is successful.

The CFS unit is a touch pad that sits at the point of sale and is connected to an internal computer server. While the customer completes their transaction, they can answer a series of questions by punching in their answers – taking about thirty seconds.

The data is then sent to the CFS hub where it is analysed and reported to Total on a weekly basis.

Total UK marketing executive Michael Crane, said: “The feedback system has so far proved to be a great success. Our customer’s feedback is very important to us and CFS is a great tool that enables us to make our customers experience that little bit better, every time.”

Richard Pickering, operations director of CFS Europe, said: “CFS is an independent way for companies to collate and process market research data. Our own research has shown that customers are much more likely to respond to a CFS unit than a traditional paper form because it can be completed as you wait for the sales assistant to complete your transaction.”