PetrolWatch was invited to a media launch this morning for a presentation on Shell’s latest consumer research findings.
A quick summary of their findings (conducted by international research firm, StrategyOne) on interviews done in January 2009 concluded that:
- Three times as many Singaporeans are now conscious about their fuel efficiency compared to two years ago.
- Today, 83% of Singapore motorists are willing to change driving habits to save fuel.
- Over 9 in 10 Singapore drivers welcome more fuel-saving advice.
The stats do state the very obvious that we all already know. That with bleaker times ahead, all motorists would definitely welcome a smaller fuel bill at the end of every month.
In conjunction with these findings, Shell has launched a year-long drive to help motorists “get the most of every drop”. This programme will contain 3 elements:
After the press conference, I had an opportunity to speak with Mr Henry Chu, General Manager of Shell’s Sales and Operations in Singapore about some of the key issues that concern our members.
Here’s a summary of our exchange. (Do note that the words are not the exact dialogue.)
PW: How much more fuel-efficient is Shell’s fuel compared to the other 3 brands?
Mr Chu: Well we can’t comment on our competitors. However, over the years, we have done several tests and research to ensure that our fuel is up there in terms of efficiency.
PW: Some of our members comment that a particular fuel works best for a particular type of car model. Is that true?
Mr Chu: Well every car comes with an advisory on the recommended type of RON fuel to pump. If the motorists stick to that, there shouldn’t be any issues.
PW: Yes, RON aside. What about the brand of petrol?
Mr Chu: Contrary to what most people think, not all fuels are alike. With Shell, our fuel is different from our competitors. For e.g. in Formula I, Ferraris use V-Power and not any other fuel. So there’s your difference.
PW: Thanks for your time, Mr Chu.
Now, let me digress for a sec….
There are always 2 hotly debated issues on PetrolWatch:
- Which brand of fuel provides the best efficiency?
- Whether a particular type of brand works best for a particular type of car?
Why don’t we run an experiment to investigate them?
Let me start the ball rolling on how we can tackle issue 1.
- Select 3 drivers (1 small, 1 medium and 1 large car) from PW to use a particular brand of petrol for a month.
- After every month, they switch to another brand. (within the same RON)
- After 4 months, they compare and give their take on which provides better fuel economy.
- Throughout these 4 months, each driver posts a brief weekly report on his or her experiences.
As For issue 2..
- Create a new feature on PetrolWatch where you post your ride and the fuel which you use
- Besides the fuel, state the fuel efficiency which you normally achieve, and include details about your driving patterns, e.g. 40% city, 60% highway.
- Members can then compare which brand of petrol gives better fuel efficiency of their particular car model.
Do let us know what you think about the above and perhaps your ideas on how it could be done differently.
OK..back to the report….
As part of its 2nd element of “Collaborations and Promotions”, Shell will be offering the following:
- A grand prize of $10k worth of free fuel (in loyalty points) for one lucky customer every week.
- $100 worth of free fuel (in loyalty points) for 100 customers every week
- 10% bonus Escape points with any Shell fuel pumped
- 100 Escape point specials from 7-Eleven@Shell
Promotions are from 1 April to 4 July 2009. Visit http://www.shell.com.sg/10k for more details.
We say…BRING IT ON!!
Well well. This is all getting very interesting. Looks like Shell has upped the ante by providing more prizes and stuff for its customers. We’ve seen that they’ve been getting abit of flake recently from some of our members for a variety of issues. Looks like this latest move could be an effort to win back some goodwill.
What do you guys think of this latest move?
BTW, here are some (bad iPhone) pics taken at the event..
