ITV

Category: HPCL

  • HPCL announces new initiatives in LPG business

    MUMBAI: One of the public sector ‘Navratnas’, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), today, announced a range of new value added services designed to create a purposeful relationship with customers who avail of its LPG services.
     
     

    A press release says that the new services for HP Gas subscribers include HP Home Perk programme – first ever loyalty programme for LPG consumers in the country with medical insurance upto Rs 15 lakh. The programme also seeks to empower customers across the country by giving them the option of weighing the cylinder at their door steps. These services will enable more than 18 million customers serviced through a network of 1,900 distributors to enjoy a hassle free experience.

    The new initiatives are part of the ‘Ji Haan’ consumer campaign that was launched a year ago across the six metros, and extended to 690 markets covering 17 states. The release claims that the initiatives improved the HP Gas brand recall from 17th position to the fourth position (TOM Ad recall) and gained a strong association with reliability and quick service.

    India’s premier agency JWT will commence a multi platform communication campaign to publicise the effort and it was part of the earlier effort too.

    “The new value added services are tremendously beneficial and are among the many initiatives that we have lined up for our customers,” HPCL director marketing NK Purie was quoted as saying, “Our consumer research has shown that customers have vital concerns such as the correct weight of cylinders and safety which precedes amongst other key findings which are becoming predominantly significant. Through these new consumer initiatives and our enduring customer friendly approach, we endeavour to raise the level of service we offer our consumers.”

    The following are the salient features of the HPCL campaign:

    Weight campaign – 15,000 HP Gas delivery boys across the country will carry portable weighing scales (both electronic and mechanical), which gives the customer the option of cross checking the weight of the gas at their door step. Research has highlighted the fact that almost one third of the customers are apprehensive of the weight of gas in the cylinders and this initiative will reassure consumers of the exact weight of HP gas cylinders, thus empowering customers and ensuring they receive what they are entitled too.

    Loyalty programme – A customer can call the HP help line ‘1716’ and become a member of ‘HP Home Perks’ loyalty programme without any membership fee. Through this programme, members can purchase a range of household goods at attractive discounts ranging from 40 to 50 per cent at the HP Home Bazaar and accumulate loyalty points redeemable against products. Among various incentives offered is an opportunity to be eligible for a pyramid of prizes amounting to one crore through a mega draw on various regular promotions. The programme is being introduced in Mumbai and will be subsequently rolled out to other cities in a phased manner starting with Delhi.

    Medical Insurance – Reinforcing its focus on customers, HP Gas has broken away from the traditional insurance policy and has come out with an enhanced umbrella insurance policy covering all consumers and third parties. This includes compensation of Rs 100,000 in case of demise, Rs 25,000 towards loss of property and Rs 15 lakh towards individual medical expenses in case of injuries due to an accident with an LPG cylinder.

    HP Gas Rasoi Ghar – Making this environment friendly fuel available to the underprivileged section, who are unable to bear the high one time deposit, and recurring cost of refills, HP Gas introduced, Rasoi Ghar the concept of community kitchen. 350 Rasoi Ghars are currently operational and benefit’s more than 6,500 families by providing a common cooking platform in villages, where users pay on the basis of the time utilized for cooking. This initiative is a step towards improving the quality of life in this cross section of society.

    To understand consumer needs on a continuous basis, a consumer satisfaction research was undertaken which enabled the company to launch its latest offerings. The research covered 494 distributors spread across 21 states covering a sample size of more than 15,000.

    HPCL claims to be one of the first oil companies to computerise the entire distributor network to provide value-added services to consumers such as refill booking through IVRS and the Internet.

    A special training module termed as ‘Millennium Distributor’ has been rolled out and more than 1900 distributors are being re-oriented to bring about a change in their approach to meet challenges in a competitive scenario. With the successful launch of services like the HP Gas help line ‘1716’; 8 am to 8 pm service seven days of the week; and refill delivery within 24 hours; various other initiatives were also undertaken which included new dealer signage at 1200 distributors; and face-lift for all bulk LPG tank trucks, packed trucks and distributor vehicles.

  • HPCL in LPG marketing revamp through Jee Haan initiative

    Cooking gas users need not have to wait for days for their new LPG cylinders or cough up a tip to get one earlier. At least that is what Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL) is hoping it will achieve post its Jee Haan initiative. Under this campaign a specially designed mnemonic of an animated cylinder has been created proclaiming Jee Haan in a bid to reinforce a strong positive service orientation. The roll out is to take place in a phased manner, covering 258 distributorships in the cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Pune.

    Says HPCL director -marketing NK Puri: “The entire concept of Jee Haan has been launched post analysing the various options to build a stronger market share and greater mind recall for HP GAS. The main focus is on customer service, safety, branding and rural marketing. We are always looking to bring to our consumers the latest and the best in customer satisfaction and our latest offerings will make us uniquely positioned to bridge the gap between our consumers through cost effective and seamless initiatives.”

    Adds HPCL general manager & head LPG SBU SV Sahni: “Benchmarking of services and commitment by HPCL is a step towards total customer satisfaction. Adding these services with our current offerings will give us a much bigger canvas to play on since we will now be able to provide multiple services to the customer, I am confident this will give a strategic thrust and strengthens the LPG business.”

    The company has revamped its LPG service set up to deliver on its Jee Haan commitment. It has committed that delivery and installation of refills will take place within 24 hours, it has extended delivery timings (8 am to 8 pm all seven days a week), set up a single point contact and single number for refill booking, customer service enquiries, emergency services (a four digit single number 1716 across the country can be used for this purpose). The single number facility is being introduced in Mumbai first followed by the other cities.

    This apart, it has also computerised the entire distributor network to provide value added services to consumers such as refill booking through IVRS, internet etc. A special training module termed as Millennium Distributor has been rolled out and more than 1,000 distributors covered for re-orientation of their mindset to meet challenges of competitive scenario.

    In order to continuously improve its marketing, it has taken to benchmarking its initiatives nation wide and it is reaching out into rural market as the urban domestic market is nearing saturation at a rapid pace. It is operating two-skid mounted filling plants exclusively for rural areas and would be shortly introducing five kg. cylinders. It has also played a leading role in providing LPG connections under Deepam scheme in the state of Andhra Pradesh.