Bharat Petroleum has ensured that LPG cylinders were delivered at the door of every customer in Assam despite the state grappling with the twin challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and the devastating floods. LPG cylinders were delivered to the people in far-flung flood-affected areas by carrying cylinders in boats and also ensuring social distancing to avoid the spread of the pandemic.
BPCL has become highly responsive by leveraging technology to overcome these emerging challenges. We have leveraged technology for transactions, communication, awareness and confidence building. We have embraced online platforms wholeheartedly and provided e- solutions at every level for speed, efficiency and convenience to our customers.
BPCL had launched WhatsApp Booking and Payments recently to make it convenient for the customers to book refills. No additional features have been provided through WhatsApp like Instant Price Information, LPG delivery tracking, creating safety awareness and taking feedback from customers. Now any customer can access the following through WhatsApp:
- Booking a cylinder
- Payment of booked cylinder
- Refill delivery status
- Rate your distributor
- Emergency
- Complaint or feedback
- Price of cylinder
- Safety videosApart from WhatsApp, a slew of digital initiatives have been provided to the Bharat Gas Customers like:
- PAY and BOOK options with all major apps like G Pay, Amazon, PayTM, Phone Pe, UPI etc.
- Bharatgas Mobile App booking and online payment
- Missed call at 77109-55555 which helps the customer to book refill and also get a link by SMS for payment online
- Web booking and online payment through ebharatgas.com
- IVRS booking 7718012345 / 7715012345LPG cylinders are supplied from Numaligarh Refinery Marketing Terminal Bottling plant which has been working continuously throughout the lockdown due to the pandemic.
The plant at NRL follows all SOP for preventing the pandemic in the plant. Our plant was operating during the entire period of total lockdown to ensure that there was no scarcity of cooking gas. Our truck crews are on continuous duty for carrying LPG cylinders to distributorship network. As soon as the lockdown was declared, the transport crew was given a brief on the SOP to be followed to ensure that there is no spread of the pandemic. They were served with a free meal, sanitizer and masks. Another challenge was to get food for them en – route where Dhaba and hotels were closed. BPC Retail Outlets came forward for providing a place to our drivers to cook food, take rest and have a bath. Our delivery boys continued their work as usual reaching to every customer, be it in urban areas or at remote villages. Wearing mask and gloves, maintaining social distancing and using sanitizers frequently all our delivery boys delivered cylinders at the doorstep of the customers. Bharat PetroleumprovidesBharatArogyaYojanaand Exgratiascheme for compensation incase of any eventualityduetoCovidpandemic toourCoronaWarriors.
The devastating flood in addition to the lockdown owing to pandemic posed a serious challenge to our delivery boys to reach cylinders at the doorstep. Our delivery boys continued to work reaching by boat to around 12000 customers in Kalgachia area, 2000 customer in Tengagaon area in Barpeta District, 13000 customers in Lakhipur area of Goalpara District, about 8500 customers in Dhansirikash & Kharupetia of Darrang District, around 3000 customers in Borguli area of Nagaon District.
Apartfromthiswealsosuccessfully delivered freerefillto6.27lacsofPMUYbeneficiaries (93% of total customer base ) under PMGKY despite all odds due to lockdown and devastating flood. There are many villages in Assam especially in Char areas where the distribution of refill in a timely manner is really difficult due to remoteness and difficult terrain. BPCL has tied up with 50 nos. VLE ( Village Level Entrepreneur ) of CSC ( Common Service Centre ) who deliver refills to those remote places. Itwillnowbeconvenienttothoseconsumersforbookingandgettinghomedeliveryof refill cylinders on time.
Bharat Petroleum is standing tall as one of the essential services provider playing a pivotal role in this hour of need and shall continue to serve our customers and the society with dedication and commitment, standing true to our core purpose of ‘Energising Lives’ of the nation.