The Challenge

Due to communication issues between forecourt staff and BP distribution hubs, the replenishment of fuel stocks was taking up to an hour to complete. During this time forecourts were closed to business. BP needed an improved method of communication, to provide quicker turn-around of fuel replenishment.

The Solution

BP petrol tankers are fitted with GPS navigation systems and each forecourt location was geo- fenced creating a five mile 'satellite ring'. This is an invisible wall that is only 'broken' once the fuel tanker crosses its boundary. Once the wall is broken, the GPS sends a signal which is translated in an automated Text-to-Voice message via Wirefast Messaging Cloud that in turn calls the landline of forecourt. This informs staff that the fuel tanker is close by and enables enough preparation time for its arrival while minimising customer disruption. The role out of the service has meant that closure time of forecourts has been reduced by over 50%.

Core Services: BP currently uses Wirefast’s services in the following areas:

Fax

• Trade confirmations
• Pricing – updating BP forecout staff on pricing
• Orders — providing business and time critical information utilised by BP globally

SMS

• Alerts/warnings sent to allocated engineering staff and managers to notify of server problems/issues.
• Weather alerts to oil rigs for evacuation purposes

Text-to-Voice

• Geo-fencing information provisions to fuelling stations

Telex

• Contact to third world countries where telex remains the main form of receipted communication
• Weather warnings to oil rigs and ships

About BP

BP is one of the largest energy companies in the world, providing its customers with fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services and petrochemicals products for everyday items. BP employs 80,300 people in 30 countries and has around 17,800 service stations.