June 14, 2009 Sunday
Updated

June 14, 2009
Groom dog at petrol kiosk
By Estelle Low
A schnauzer getting a bath at Pet's Zone, a pet grooming store at a Caltex station along East Coast Road. Petrol kiosks are offering more non-traditional services. -- ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN
WHAT will the folks at petrol stations think of next?

These days, it's not just pump and go. You can get your dog groomed, your laundry done, withdraw cash from an ATM - or deposit money round the clock.

This bonus service is now available at the new 24-hour Caltex station at Clementi Avenue 2. Last Friday, the station rolled out its first OCBC ATM Plus machine with cash deposit service.

Over the next few months, the 33 other Caltex stations will get such machines too.

In April, Caltex opened a pet grooming salon at an East Coast station and started express laundry services at an Upper Thomson station.

These services are handled by interested parties such as dog lover Christina Ang, 22, manager of grooming salon Pets' Zone.

Esso, which has the largest network - 67 stations - and which already ties up with NTUC FairPrice, is roping in Citibank too.

By the end of this year, it will have drive-through Citibank ATMs at at least 10 of its stations, with five more in the pipeline next year.

Singapore Petroleum Company was the first to introduce a drive-through ATM at its Upper East Coast station in January last year.

At present, Esso customers can shop for fresh groceries while refuelling their cars at the Lorong Chuan outlet, which has expanded its offering of fresh fruit, vegetables and ready-to-cook meals. Esso comes under ExxonMobil Singapore.

ExxonMobil's retail manager for Singapore, Mr Loh Chee Seng, said: 'With the special drive-through set-up, our customers would not even have to step out of their cars to carry out their necessary banking transactions.'

Read the full story in today's edition of The Straits Times.

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