By Amin Kef Sesay
The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited has etched its name in the sands of time as a very reliable and efficient petroleum marketing business entity that not only operates in this country but has presence in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia where it is diligently serving residents of those countries.
One thing that sets NP-SL aside from all other petroleum marketing companies is its mantra of placing high premium on customer care. As far as the Shareholders and Management of NP-SL are concerned their esteemed customers are priceless jewels who must be handled with respect and dignity. It is against such a backdrop that the company always ensures that their numerous customers are given the best in terms of effective service delivery.
Another remarkable quality that the company has is the tendency to match up with the latest technology and gadgets which in itself speaks volumes of how serious it is treating its business and more so to enhance customer satisfaction.
It is along this line that when it became obvious that the pumping machines it was using, years back, have become obsolete, Management decided to import the latest calibrated pumping machines which display the quantity of fuel that a customer is purchasing and at the same time the price. With the installation of these calibrated pumping machines the usual complaints of being cheated by pump attendants became a thing of the past as transactions became very transparent.
Recently, the company installed the latest Helix T-Media calibrated pumping machine at its Siaka Stevens Filling Station. This Helix T-Media calibrated pumping machine seemingly works as an advertisement gadget. Its difference with the former or normal calibrated pumping machine is that it has a television screen which displays all the products that NP has for sale.
It avails customers the opportunity to have a thorough knowledge of what the company is offering for sale. It therefore enables customers to tap into a much wider pool of the company’s products like NP-SL Gas, NP Smart, Castrol Oil etc among a host of others.
Speaking to this medium, one of the operators of the Helix T-Media calibrated pumping machine, Margret Daloma, disclosed that NP-SL is the first Petroleum Company operating in this country to have introduced it, adding that with this new machine, customers can now see a display of the various products available at NP-SL filing stations while purchasing their fuel at their convenience.
“There are certain customers we wouldn’t be able to reach out to with our products without leveraging a powerful aggregated source of customer behavior display like Helix T Media. We have seen dramatic improvement in purchasing of our products since the installation of this machine at our filling station and it has become an integral part of our audience targeting strategy,” she revealed.
Many have praised NP for making available NP Gas cookers which are safe for cooking purposes. These NP Gas cookers are sold at reasonable prices and could be procured in all their filling stations as well as from authorized dealers. At a time like this when it has been recognized that it is advisable, for health reasons, to avoid using firewood or charcoal for cooking purposes the best option could be NP Gas, which is hygienic, clean and quick.
Talking about effective implementation of Local Content Policy, NP-SL stands tall as it is truly the only 100% indigenous company that employs 100% Sierra Leoneans as workers. The company gives preference to employing Sierra Leoneans which is a clear indication that it adheres to the country’s Local Content Policy as utilizing local talents makes it possible for indigenes to acquire useful knowledge and skills through various training programs.
The company avails its customers the opportunity to procure fuel by using its NP Smart Card which a holder can use to buy fuel at Filling Stations. As long as the card is loaded with money, a customer can use it to buy petrol or diesel at a Filling Station without the exchange of physical cash and its greatest advantage is giving customers security. It also prevents rushing to the banks to withdraw money for the purpose of buying fuel.
It could be seen that NP-SL is a dynamic company that is striving towards giving the best of customer care as is evident in the installation of the Helix T Media Calibrated pumping machine.
