By Amin Kef Sesay
The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is one of the most successful indigenous business entities in Sierra Leone that has really stood the test of time and weathered various storms along the way. It is an incontrovertible fact that the company has created a niche for itself as one business entity that puts premium on enhancing customer care for which it has gained the accolade: 1st for Customer Care.
Indeed, when cognisance is taken of the fact that Management of the company is very keen on availing its numerous customers qualitative petroleum products then it is but fitting to state that the company is consciously working towards giving optimal satisfaction to all and sundry.
NP-SL Ltd is exclusively marketing one of the most cherished lubricants, which is Castrol Motor Oil, proven to be very good for automobiles, bikes and is particularly a well-known lubricant in Sierra Leone amongst motorists and commercial users.
It is a well-recognized product amongst discernible consumers since the Castrol brand is about passion, excitement and performance.
Though it is a popular brand, however, Management of the company thought it timely to make more people gain awareness of the various categories of Castrol Oil that the company is marketing.
It is against such a backdrop that the NP-SL Management decided that starting this February, the company will activate a loyalty promotion as one of its yearly activities and to celebrate the holidays by offering its esteemed customers the chance to win different prizes.
From the starting of the month, every time a customer buys a 5L Castrol GTX, he or she, will have a chance to dip and draw from a container filled with hidden prizes in the form of a folded slip.
As far as the Management of NP-SL Ltd is concerned, brand awareness and product visibility are key drivers in any marketing institution and therefore as part of its 2020 marketing activity plan, activation of those drivers is paramount.
Again, it is in that regard that high street stores and NP forecourts will be sale materials to create brand awareness and visibility.
Indeed, it must be reiterated that each time customers buy 5L Castrol engine oil they will dip their hands in a container and then draw folded slips. The customers will open the slips and reveal prizes or a ‘sorry buy more GTX’ on the slip.
The categories of the draw are as follows: GTX 25W50 = 1 dip & draw, GTX 20W50 = 2 dips & draw, GTX DIESEL = 2 dips & draw.
After revealing the prizes the customers will leave their details and shall be contacted by the Lubricants Sales Supervisor of NP-SL Ltd.
The Lubricants Sales Supervisor will in turn notify the winners and they will pick up their prizes at the office.
Customers who do not win prizes will be compensated with Castrol GTX bumper stickers or keyrings. This is to keep the customers loyal and identify themselves with the premium brand.
The compensation is as follows: GTX 25W50 = 1 sticker, GTX 20W50 = 1 sticker & 1 keyring, GTX DIESEL = 2 stickers & 1 keyring.
It must be known that the promotion and offers will run for a three-week period in this year, 2021.
The promotional items are: Led Light, Normal cap, Funnels, Lip balm, Keyring, Sticker, Desk Clock, Flask, File and Mug.
In actual fact, one thing for which the company is highly respected for is its seriousness in deepening of the country’s Local Content Policy as vividly evident in giving exceptional preference to employing indigenes contrary to bringing in foreign expatriates to execute certain tasks.
This laid down policy that is strictly implemented has created room for the employment of Sierra Leoneans who have the requisite qualifications and skills giving them the opportunity to take care of personal responsibilities.
“I cannot find words to express how delighted I am as I can proudly say that NP-SL has changed my life completely since I was employed by the company,” one of the workers at NP Cotton Tree joyfully intimated The Calabash when this medium was out on its perception survey.
“As far as I have assessed in this country it is only NP-SL Ltd that has such a pragmatic stance of maintaining a policy that gives job preferential treatments to Sierra Leoneans and I have great respect for the indigenous company,” Mohamed Wai, a Social Commentator underscored.
With the introduction of NP Smart Card, which has gone viral, customers can now secure fuel at ease. The Card can be credited with money and the amount of money utilized to buy fuel is debited after every transaction. With the use of NP Smart Card, customers are saved the hassle of having to always move with physical cash in their possession in order to purchase fuel and indeed there are times when one may not have time to rush to the bank to make withdrawals. Customers, who are holders and users of NP Smart Card, are at the vantage position to properly budget, through the amount that is contained in the card to buy fuel, during a considerable period of time, say a week or a month. Indeed, NP Smart Card has become trending.
In order to ensure that their customers derive value for money, it was thought prudent on the part of Shareholders and Management to make use of state of the art and highly modernized calibrated pumping machines which were installed at the company’s different Filling Stations capable of pumping the exact quantity of fuel, be it petrol or diesel, that a particular customer requested for.
This fine move by the company has helped to instil confidence among customers that they are really dealing with a very transparent business entity and getting what they are paying for. This singular business strategy has got many glued to a petroleum company that is considered to be marketing the best of petroleum products which include petrol, diesel, gas and high grade lubricants.
The company also markets NP Gas which is a cooking device that is manufactured in different cylinder sizes and sold at the company’s Filling Stations across the country. It can be easily refilled with gas, is said to be non-hazardous to the health of individuals and easy to operate. Its performance has been rated high and many are indeed going for it.
One yardstick that could be used to assess the potency and vibrancy of a company is how well it is entrenched or established. With regards NP-SL Ltd, one can actually see that the company, over the years, has grown by leaps and bounds as seen in its opening of branches in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia. All these NP branches, within the sub-region, are functioning very efficiently and contributing immensely towards the socio-economic development of those host countries. Through their operations, the company is paying taxes to the various Governments and indirectly boosting the revenue bases of those countries to roll out different development programs.
From all that have been said so far, it could be argued with all amount of certainty that NP-SL Ltd is indeed a highly successful and very competitive petroleum company that continues to stand tall within the business landscape of this country. And from the look of things it is poised to do more.
