Operating around 800 forecourts across the UK, Asda needs its air and vacuum machines, jet washes and rollover car washes to always be available – not just to support customer experience, but to protect an important revenue stream.
They are not alone. For many operators, maintaining and managing forecourt services at scale remains a persistent operational headache – balancing uptime, safety, cash handling and maintenance across hundreds of sites can be a complex task.
But not for Asda. They are achieving up to 98% uptime (and therefore revenue potential), and have also significantly reduced the day-to-day burden on forecourt staff and head office teams.
How? By moving away from traditional equipment ownership and operation models to a shared revenue approach with their chosen partner, AIR-serv. The results they are seeing indicate many operators may follow suit.
A model built on aligned incentives
Rather than requiring upfront capital investment or fixed rental fees, the revenue share model sees AIR-serv install, operate and maintain forecourt equipment for Asda, at no cost to the retailer. Revenue generated from the machines is then shared between both parties.
“Put simply, this creates exactly the right incentives,” Stuart explains. “It’s in AIR-serv’s interest to make sure the machines are running at their best because uptime benefits both sides.”
Proactive monitoring and maintenance
Smart tech enables a more proactive maintenance model. Telemetry built into the equipment allows AIR-serv to monitor machines remotely. Issues can be identified in real time and resolved quickly – often before site teams are even aware of them.
“If a machine hasn’t recorded any sales, it’s flagged straight away,” Stuart explains. “They’ll contact the site, investigate and, if needed, send an engineer.”
Reducing operational pressure on store teams
The fully managed approach is designed to reduce the administrative load on both site teams and head office.
Maintenance, servicing, secure cash collection and chemical top-ups are all handled by AIR-serv, meaning store teams don’t need to access the equipment or manage cash handling processes – a known risk area for forecourt retailers.
“Colleagues aren’t going to the far end of a car park to collect cash and potentially putting themselves at risk,” Stuart says. “Removing the security vulnerability is a big weight off our minds. And it also allows Asda colleagues to focus on delivering a great in-store experience.”
Further to this, the use of dedicated personnel for cash collection reduces the risk of discrepancies and supports accurate revenue reporting.
AIR-serv also manages any customer queries, damage claims or refunds directly, further reducing operational complexity for retailers. “Things happen on busy forecourts,” Stuart explains. “Vehicles can clip equipment or machines can be damaged. AIR-serv takes care of all of that, which removes a lot of pressure from our teams.”
For high-traffic forecourts, where minor incidents are common, this can represent a significant hidden cost saving.
Security, compliance and transparency
Financial transparency and compliance are built into the model. Machine data, transaction records and audit processes ensure revenues are accurately tracked and shared. “It’s really straight forward – just one payment. And revenue is fully auditable,” Stuart says.
Equipment is also maintained to strict safety standards. For example, air machines are fitted with calibrated pressure control systems that engineers test and certify during servicing visits.
A collaborative partnership
The partnership extends beyond maintenance into ongoing development of the forecourt offer.
In 2025, Asda and AIR-serv rolled out Aquarama rollover car washes across multiple sites, modernising the estate and enhancing customer appeal. “We’re always looking at how we can improve the customer experience,” Stuart says. “There’s a collaborative approach to everything from equipment to promotion and signage.”
Supporting modern forecourt operations
For retailers operating at scale, the challenge is no longer simply keeping equipment running; it’s doing so in a way that minimises complexity while protecting revenue.
As fully managed, performance-based models gain more traction, partnerships like ASDA and AIR-serv highlight how operations are evolving – from asset-heavy responsibilities to service-led solutions.
“Aligning incentives through a revenue share model has been a win-win”, says Richard Sweet, managing director at AIR-serv. “Our offering has evolved with Asda and we’re continuing to enhance their forecourt operation.”
