27/05/2025
Catching Up With…
Ram Balaranjan, Bala, at Wateringbury Service Station
Having moved to JET from Shell 16 months ago, Ram Balaranjan (Bala) took some time out of his busy day to give us the inside track on the move. Wateringbury Service Station marks the first in our new ‘Catching Up With’ series…
What inspired the move to JET?
We have a strong, longstanding relationship with JET, and their competitive pricing has been a significant factor in our success. This advantage has allowed us to stay ahead of other local sites. Since switching to JET, we’ve increased our daily fuel volume sales by 46%, from 6,500 to 9,500 litres per day. Our Ultra Diesel customers are purchasing almost the same amount in litres per day as those buying regular grade Diesel and Unleaded. My sons, Myuran and Haran, who are directors of our company Aum Petroleum, helped broker the JET deal and are a driving force behind our growth. And clearly, it’s been a successful collaboration.
What’s new at Wateringbury?
Since the rebrand, we’ve introduced new hot drink and food-to-go options, which have been a hit with our customers. We’ve also added a Costa coffee machine, and a chiller stocked with a growing selection of sandwiches. These additions are encouraging more people to come in and grab food and drinks to fuel their journeys. We’ve invested around £150,000 in refurbishing the store, and I must say, it looks fantastic now with its state-of-the-art facilities and new sliding doors. It’s become a real draw for the local community and drivers.
How has retail footfall performed since last year?
As a result of our new fuel pricing and in-store changes, our retail non-fuel sales have increased by 10-15%, which is great to see. We noticed the impressive results pretty much from day one!
What has been the response from your customers?
They’re extremely happy, and they love the pricing! We’ve had lots of positive comments on the branding – it’s eye-catching and people trust it will deliver the excellent service it’s become known for.
Tell us about your relationship with JET.
It’s been a decade since we started working together and this marks the 4th site we’ve moved to JET. We have always had great communication and support from JET. Our account manager, Chris Murphy, is a big part of the reason we switched. He is always there when we need him and listens to our concerns and responds accordingly.
Are there plans for a 5th in the future?
Absolutely. We are always looking to buy new sites, and JET will be among the top considerations when we do!
Final thoughts…
We look forward to continuing our great relationship with JET, offering our customers the best possible service and growing our network of service stations in the UK.