[Service Station DX Survey] Less than 10% Feel Efficiency Gains. Report Published & Webinar to Overcome Labor Shortages Announced.

Nihon Boeki Printing Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yokohama, Kanagawa) today published a research report on 'Business Efficiency' based on a survey of 97 service station (SS) operators and 342 employees from various other industries.

The survey revealed that while over half of SS operators have begun efficiency initiatives, only 8.2% feel they are achieving tangible results, highlighting a slower pace of progress compared to other sectors.

In response, the company will host a webinar titled 'The Reality of DX in the SS Industry Based on a Survey of Approx. 100 Companies: The Current State and Future Outlook of Digital Utilization to Win in the Era of Labor Shortages.' It will be held over three sessions in June and July 2026.

Survey Summary Amidst chronic labor shortages, over half of SS operators have already begun improving productivity or introducing tools, mainly for on-site operations.

However, a significant gap exists: less than 10% of companies feel satisfied with their DX progress and believe they are 'ahead of others.'

Underlying the lack of tangible results are structural barriers, specifically a 'lack of knowledge/skills on the implementation side (18 companies)' and a 'lack of literacy on the user side (10 companies).'

However, with the evolution of no-code tools and AI, the essential factor for success is not the level of on-site staff, but the 'capability (structure) of the implementation team' to plan and execute improvements.

Going forward, the key will be whether companies can reinvest the time gained from efficiency improvements into long-term competitiveness, such as new business creation and personnel development.

Survey Details (1) Current State of DX in the SS Industry: Initiatives progress, but 'results' are felt by less than 10% While over half of the SS industry is working on productivity, in terms of self-assessment compared to other companies, a majority (52 companies) replied that they are 'behind others.' Only 8 companies (less than 10%) said they are 'ahead,' revealing a stark lag in progress.

(2) Reasons for Slow Efficiency Gains: The 'Two Major Obstacles' faced by implementers and users The most cited obstacle was 'lack of knowledge/skills on the implementation side (18 companies),' followed by 'lack of literacy on the user side (10 companies).' While the high average age of on-site staff is often cited as a challenge, digital analysis indicates that the 'capability (structure) of the implementation team' to plan and execute improvements is the true determinant of success.

(3) Future Outlook and Scenarios: Widening 'Invisible Gaps' through reinvestment of time Regarding how to utilize time gained through efficiency (expected effects), 'personnel recruitment/development' was the most common answer (31 companies), followed by 'improvement of on-site capability (27 companies).' Whether companies can reinvest this precious time into long-term competitiveness and sustain an improvement cycle will determine their future.

Webinar Overview This 45-minute seminar will not only dive into the survey results but also provide practical approaches for SS operators without in-house engineers to quickly achieve visible results using no-code tools and AI, illustrated with actual use cases.