final report branded petroleum.......... revised and edited

7/30/2019 Final Report Branded Petroleum.......... Revised and Edited

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DISSERTATION REPORT

ON

Branded petroleum and diesel: A study of consumer

preference in South Delhi market

In Partial Fulfillment of Masters of Business

Administration

Under Guided to: Submitted by:Ms. Syeedun nisa Modassar Nezam

FMIT, JAMIA HAMDARD MBA 4TH

SEM

NEW DELHI FINAL YEAR

Session: (2011-13)

JAMIA HAMDARD

HAMDARD NAGAR,NEW DELHI 11006
http://www.bharatpetroleum.in/Index.aspxhttp://www.bharatpetroleum.in/Index.aspxhttp://www.bharatpetroleum.in/Index.aspxhttp://www.bharatpetroleum.in/Index.aspxhttp://www.bharatpetroleum.in/Index.aspx


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TABLE OF CONTENT

NAME PAGE

Title page 1

Table of Content 2

Certificate 3

Acknowledgement 4

Declaration 5

Preface 6

Chapter 1

Introduction 7-21

Chapter 2

Literature Review 22-29

Chapter 3

Research Methodology 30-35

Chapter 4

Findings and Analysis 36-56

Chapter 5

Conclusion 58-59Suggestion 60

Bibliography 61

Annexure 62-66


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Faculty of Management and Information Technology

Jamia Hamdard University,

CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that this dissertation report entitled

Branded petroleum and diesel: A study of consumer

preference in South Delhi market

Embodies the original work done by MODASSAR NEZAM,

in partial fulfillment of her Master degree program

in Business Administration with specialization in

Marketing at Faculty of Management

and information technology, Jamia Hamdard University,

Class of 201113

This work has not been submitted anywhere else

for any other degree/diploma. The original work

was carried during the last semester

of the MBA program, January- April 2013

Head, FMSR

University


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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

My utmost gratitude goes to the Almighty God who gave me the wisdom and

strength to undertake this study. I am deeply touched by the concern and specialcare given to me by my family right from the onset until the end of this

dissertation.I undertook this training in partial fulfillment of my MBA Curriculum. I am glad

that I got wonderful opportunity do my Research Report at branded Petroleum &diesel Company in south Delhi.

I gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to Ms. Syeedunnisa for her kind

support my project guide who was not only supportive and co-operative but alsomanaged to keep my work focused and on schedule in spite of her busy schedule

was ready to help me with her valuable guidance and support which made this of

high worth.

Modassar nezam


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DECLARATION

I, Modassar Nezam, hereby declare that the project entitled Branded petroleum

and diesel: A study of consumer preference in South Delhi market under theguidance of Ms. Syeedunnisasubmitted in partial fulfillment of the requirementfor the award of the degree of Masters of Business Administration of Jamia

Hamdard, New Delhi is my workcarried out during 2nd January, 2013 to 20th,April 2013, and not submitted for the award of any other degree, diploma,

fellowship or other similar or prize to any other institute, organization or universityby any other person.

Place: - New Delhi Modassar Nezam


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PREFACE

It is said that without theory, practice is blind and without practice theory ismeaningless. Hence practical training has been made integral part of the

management education in India. Training is useful and important device of solvingthe problem.

Training is the corner stone of sound education program, it make trainees (future

employees) more effective and product-vice. The training gives, as excellentopportunity to a student to apply and prove his ability, intellect, knowledge,

reasoning by giving a solution to the assigned problem that reflect caliber. Apartfrom theoretical knowledge, training provides students an expose to market. It

provides an all-round knowledge about the organization, the problem it faces, thedecision making, risks and uncertainties etc.

On the other hand it gives an opportunity to work with highly experienced people

of their field. Training changes the behavior of trainee. This project report in a wayrepresents Branded petroleum and diesel: A study of consumer preference in

South Delhi market has enabled me to have a broader knowledge about thisprocedure of petroleum company. I have tried to summarize all my observations,

experience and the knowledge acquired in this project report.

Modassar Nezam


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CHAPETER 1

INRODUCTION


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INTRODUCTION Branded petroleum and diesel: A study of

consumer preference in South Delhi market

INDIAN PETROLEUM INDUSTRY

Primarily, the Indian oil sector has been a regulated sector dominated by

Government undertakings. However, with the Government loosening its control,

new private sector players are now gaining presence. Unlike the international oilmajors; the Indian oil sector has companies operating in three distinct sub-

segments: Oil & Gas Exploration and Production (E&P), Crude Refining,marketing of petroleum & petroleum products (R&M) and, their Distribution. The

various players in each of these sub-sectors are listed in the figure below.

GOVERNMENT CONTROLLED COMPANIES:

OIL, ONGC, IOC, BPCL, HPCL, and GAIL, CPCL, BRPL and IBP are now the

subsidiaries of Indian Oil Corporation whereas; KRL and NRL have becomesubsidiaries of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd.

JOINT SECTOR COMPANIES:

MRPL was the joint venture of Aditya Birla Group and Hindustan Petroleum.

However, ONGC has bought the stake of the Aditya Birla Group making it a

completely public sector company.


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PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES: Reliance Petroleum Ltd. (RPL), Gujarat

Gas, Essar Oil Ltd., etc.

It is evident that Government companies have subjugated all the sectors of the

Indian Petroleum industry: However, on a futuristic note, Government is relaxing

its control over pricing & distribution, giving an opportunity for the private playersto enter the industry.

BRANDED FUELS IN INDIA

The oil and energy sector in India can be differentiated into upstream (exploration)

and downstream (refining and marketing). The demand of Oil and Energy isincreasing at the rate of 7% per annum. The market for petroleum products is

expected to increase from current 96 MMTPA to 368 MMTPA (4 times) in 2025,for refining it is expected to increase from current 112 MMTPA to 358 MMTPA in

2025.

MAJOR PLAYERS:

Exploration Refining Marketing

ONGC, Reliance IOC, BPCL, HPCL,

ONGC, Reliance, Essar

etc.

IBP, BPCL, HPCL, Reliance,

Essar , Assam Oil etc.

Refining margins are very low i.e. Companies earn very less if they exist only in

refining sector and do not retail petro products. They can earn more by way of

Retail Marketing of petrol products, as margins are very high in this segment.

Reliance and Essar have already started their retail outlets; Shell and some others

are expected to start operations in near future.

DOMESTIC BRANDED FUELS

Since the early 1990s after the market was deregulated, various factors led

petroleum companies to focus on marketing initiatives like never before. The case

examines these marketing initiatives focusing particularly on the introduction of

branded fuels in the early 21st century. The concept of value-added fuels, their


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efficacy and the marketing support on part of the companies (in terms of product

development, promotion and distribution) have been explored in detail. The case

also examines the future prospects of these new brands with reference to the

problems related to product usage, pricing and the intensifying competition.

Understand the changing dynamics of the Indian petroleum industry after thederegulation process that began in the early 1990s.

THE LAUNCH OF BRANDED FUELS

In July 2002, Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), one of the leading players in

the Indian petroleum industry, launched premium grade petrol under the brandname, 'Speed'. This was the first instance of an oil company launching branded fuel

in the market. Two other leading oil companies Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) andHindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd HPCL also launched own 'new generation'

fuels.

While IOC's branded petrol was called 'Premium,' HPCL called it 'Power.' IOCand HPCL also launched branded diesel called 'Diesel Super' and 'Turbo Jet'

respectively. In December 2002, another company, IBP, launched a new brand ofpremium grade petrol 'Josh' and a premium grade high speed diesel, 'Shakti'.

Within a short span of time, the country had seen the emergence of an entirely newmarket category.

According to industry observers, this trend was in line with the global trendswherein petroleum companies tried to build a loyal customer base by branding

petroleum products. As petrol and diesel had traditionally not been seen as

categories with much scope for product differentiation, branding of these products

came as a welcome change. It was a conscious and proactive effort of the

companies towards brand building, in the wake of the radical changes taking place

in the industry since the beginning of the country's economic liberalization in the

early 1990s.


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As the industry became more competitive and customer-driven, companies needed

to focus like never before on marketing strategies. The first significant

development in this direction was the 'conversion' of petrol pumps (gas stations)

into retailing outlets. The launch of branded fuel seemed to be the next logical step

for the companies.

The new brands were being extensively promoted through the print, electronic and

outdoor media. Since these new fuels were priced higher than the conventionally

sold petrol/diesel, BPCL, IOC, HPCL and IBP were working hard to communicate

the benefits of using their products and justify the higher prices. However, analysts

expressed their reservations as to whether the extremely price-conscious Indian

customer would be willing to pay more even though these brands were supposed to

be technically superior

Retailing of motor fuels worldwide has risen to dizzy heights with all the global oil

majors adopting the latest retailing techniques, innovative customer management

tools combined with superior infrastructure and technology in order to make the

consumers visit to the petroleum retail outlet an experience in it. Keeping step

with the fast developing automobile sector and changing consumer lifestyles,

global oil majors have brought in latest technology to support multiple fuel

dispensing options, multiple payment tools, convenience shopping options and

very importantly, multiple fuel options.

The global consumer today has multiple choices of fuel for his vehicle.

Environmental concerns and constant need to enhance engine performance have

driven oil majors to offer a range of branded fuels that go the last mile in

optimizing efficiency Back home, Bharat Petroleum has been pioneering the

activity of bringing worldwide best practices in fuel retailing to the country.

"Speed" is a blend of petrol and world-class multi-functional additives, sourced

from Chevron Oronite Company LLC, a ChevronTexaco company, which

complies with EPA 97 (Environment Protection Agency, USA) requirements.

"Speed" contains unique deposit control additives that effectively remove harmful

deposits from all fuel metering systems and components resulting in enhanced

overall engine performance - easy starting / smooth idling, maximum power and


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acceleration, reduced emission, and no engine knocking - improved mileage and

reduced maintenance costs.

The "new generation" petrol is being launched in a phased manner. The first phase

includes retail outlets in Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Bangalore, Hyderabadand Ahmadabad. The next phase would cover Bharat Petroleum retail outlets in

Chandigarh, Jaipur, Baroda and Pune. An extremely competitive pricing strategy

has been adopted for the marketing of "Speed". It has been priced at a nominal

difference of Re.1.25 per litre more than the "normal" petrol. Today, customers

using packaged additives incur cost of around Rs 1.25 per litre of petrol, but when

compared to 'Speed' TM, packaged additives have a certain disadvantage, in terms

of inconveniences of having to carry the container and remembering to pour it in

the tank while fuelling.

With the progress of the automobile sector and change in consumer lifestyles in the

country assuming global trends, Bharat Petroleum, in June 2002, introduced

Speed as the first branded fuel in the country. Meant for motor gasoline

vehicles, Speed contains multi-functional fuel additives, which remove, prevent

formation of harmful deposits thereby improving vehicle performance.

Independent surveys have endorsed Speeds brand promise and with a 64%

market share, consumers have unequivocally put Speed at the pinnacle of

performance.

Speed today epitomizes a unique blend of youth and performance. Transcending

barriers of class and vehicle category, Speed users comprise of two-wheelers,

four-wheelers across segments, SUVs and across consumer types price-sensitive

and performance-sensitive. A common factor, however, has been the burgeoning

middle class powered by the youthful exuberance that is so visible today in the

country. The brand personality of Speed, therefore, has been shaped through

association with such performance leaders as Grand Prix F1 Races 2003; these

brand associations form the Speed personalitystylish, exciting, contemporary,

cool and above all highly consistent and reliable.

Speed and Narain karthikeyan will synergies passion and performance the

winning formula that has aided and abetted all success stories. Both have firsts to

their creditthe first performance enhancing motor fuel in the country and the first


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Indian in the world of motorsport. An imbiber of intense concentration and

supreme fitness, Narain role models the future of the countrys youth today

driven by passion and powered by performance. And at Bharat Petroleum, we

believe in nurturing that passion for excellence through our products and services.

Speedand Speed-93 the Hi-Octane Hi-Performance Petrol are driven by

that very passion for excellence in performance. Speed is privileged to fuel the

passion of the worlds fastest Indian in the grueling and extremely taxing world of

motorsport and Narain Karthikeyan, as the Brand Ambassador will symbolize the

hunger for performance that captures the philosophy of Speed - the Hi-

Performance Petrol from Bharat Petroleum.

However, all this is not as simple as it sounds and is not about bringing just another

"new product" into the market. The sequence of events, in the last year, reveals a

well conceived and thought through marketing strategy adopted by Bharat

Petroleum. While the entire Oil Industry was struggling to come to terms with the

malaise of adulteration, it was Bharat Petroleum that showed the way with its

"Pure for Sure" program. The Company believed that before getting into the

business of providing value add-ons, the customer deserved the right quality and

quantity of product and therefore, threshold prerequisites needed to precede value-

addition. Today, the "Pure for Sure" promise is executed across more than 1000

Bharat Petroleum retail outlets.

Bharat Petroleum has consciously taken a strategic decision to market "Speed"

only from its "Pure for Sure" certified retail outlets. Although competition may

soon come up with a similar product with more or less similar benefits, it will be

the "Pure for Sure" assurance that would provide the "real" differentiation." Looks

like the competition has a lot of catching up to do . In the meanwhile, indulge

yourself on "Speed" with the "Pure for Sure" assurance.

INDIAN OILS XTRA PREMIUM AND XTRAMILE

Indian Oils branded fuels XtraMile and Xtra Premium have made a significant

impact in the petroleum retail market. XtraMile, Indian Oils new generation High

Speed Diesel with world-class additives has taken a leadership position in the

market.


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The launch of premium fuels Xtra Premium and XtraMile (originally IOC

Premium and Diesel Super respectively), make a new beginning for Indian Oil and

customers. Xtra Premium is, in fact, the only petrol in India with 91 Octane and

doped with Multifunctional Additives. The maiden launch of these branded fuels

took place in Delhi on Sept. 24, 2002. Subsequently, Xtra Premium sales havebeen extended to 200 cities and 750 petrol & diesel stations, and XtraMile to 850

cities and 1750 petrol and diesel stations by the end of the financial year 2003

2004.

INDIANOIL'S XTRA POWER

Indian Oil's XtraPower Fleet Card Program is a complete fleet management

solution for Fleet Owners / Operators and Corporate. XtraPower is a Smart Card

based Fleet Card Program, which facilitates cashless purchase of fuel & lubes from

designated retail outlets of Indian Oil through flexible prepaid and credit facilities.

The fleet card program also offers an exciting Rewards Program and unique

benefits like personal accident insurance cover and vehicle tracking facilities.

Every time you fill your fleet with fuel & lubes using your XtraPower fleet cards at

designated retail outlets of Indian Oil, you earn XTRA Points. You can exchange

your accumulated XTRA Points for attractive gifts from XtraPower RewardsCatalogue including free fuel & lubes. In short, the XtraPower Fleet Card Program

offers you, not just amazing convenience & security but also an opportunity to

translate all your dreams into a reality.

BENEFITS OF USING BRANDED FUELS

Branded petrol, such as Bharat Petroleum's Speed and Indian Oil's XtraPremium,

are either (as in the case of the former brand) regular unleaded petrol that havebeen treated with multifunctional additives or high-octane petrol (as is the case

with the latter) that has been treated with additives to boost the performance and

power characteristics of engines.


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Most new generation cars launched in the country after 1990s need better quality

fuel to be able to offer their best in terms of smooth, knock-free performance and

peak power output. The cost of maintaining the car and the cost of spares that need

frequent replacement will also be reduced with the use of better quality fuel.

Further, the important point that tends to be always ignored is the longevity ofequipment and components in the car that go on to reduce exhaust emissions such

as the catalytic converter.

Over the first two years of the car's usage, components, such as the fuel injectors,

fuel intake valves and ports, carburetor and the combustion chamber, tend to

slowly accumulate carbon deposits that affect the engine's performance. This

accumulation of deposits and their effect on performance is even more pronounced

in the new generation, Euro II compliant passenger car gasoline engines that

feature multi-point fuel injection; the effect of deposit accumulation and its effect

on optimum fuel injection will be felt even in carbureted engines.

Bharat Petroleum's Speed is a blend of petrol and multi-functional additives,

sourced from Chevron Oronite Company LLC, a ChevronTexaco company. The

additives comply with EPA 97 (Environment Protection Agency, US)

requirements.

Speed is said to contain unique deposit control additives that effectively removeharmful deposits from all fuel metering systems and components resulting in a

better overall engine performance, including easy starting and smooth idling,

maximizes power and acceleration, reduced emission and elimination of engine

knocking.

Overall, the benefits of using Speed are said to be improved mileage and reduced

maintenance costs in the long run for all petrol engines, including those of two

wheelers. Indian Oil's XtraPremium is also unleaded petrol that comes pre-mixed

with additives.

However, only in this case, the base fuel, in addition, comes with a higher 91

Octane content. Indian Oil XtraPremium's high-octane level and additives are said

to give the engine better anti-knocking and engine-cleansing qualities. Similar to

Speed, XtraPremium will also improve mileage and reduce emissions in the long


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run. Complete combustion of the high-octane petrol will of course improve the

engine's responsiveness, acceleration and build up mileage in the long run.

Both these fuel brands are priced about Rs 1.4 to Rs 2 per litre more than regular

unleaded petrol. Regular use of either of these brands of petrol right from when thevehicle was brand new would have given you better results. It is never too late to

start out using these branded fuels. We will recommend using XtraPremium high-

octane fuel for quicker results as your car is already two years old. Of course, the

risk of a mild loss of power and performance exists, if you revert back to regular

unleaded fuel.


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NON FUEL RETAILING INITIATIVES

India had deregulated the petroleum retail sector in 2002 by dismantling APM and

enabling new players to enter the market. The entry of private players like

Reliance, Essar, Shell, NRL, and many more have increased the number of retailoutlets as well as the competition. On one hand it would foster competition but on

the other hand it will also reduce the average throughput per station and total fuel

volumes per player.

With a market determined pricing mechanism in place, prices will have to be

lowered, which would further reduce the margins from fuel products. With

insufficient growth in the number of vehicles, the fuel volumes are expected to

remain stagnant, offering little scope for further improvement of the overall

revenues and margins.In such a scenario, the petroleum retailers will need to develop differentiated value

propositions to improve revenues. It will require customer centric approach and

building of a strong brand equity and identity. To impel revenues and margins, the

retailers will have to attract new customers or increase share of their existing

customers wallet. The second option of increasing share of customers wallet can

be achieved by means of non-fuel products and services.

Non-fuel products tender higher margins as compared to petroleum products and

enable companies to sustain themselves, especially during times when oil prices

are high. However, it is to be kept in mind that petroleum retailing is a retailing of

petroleum product and service, with differentiation possible in either or both areas.

The retail sector is destined to witness intense competition in future due to entry of

the private players. In the competitive scenario, whosoever will have adequate

infrastructure for transportation, storage and distribution will emerge as winner.

With this game plan, the existing as well as private oil companies are strengthening

their retail network continuously.

With increasing competition in the retailing sector, todays consumers are

becoming more and more demanding. The emergence of new psychographic

segments in petro-retail market bears the testimony to this fact. A closer look at

these segments tells us what exactly a consumer is looking for whenever he goes to

a fuel station to purchase fuel.


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A consumer tries to find-

Quality & Quantity assuranceQuick filling and efficient forecourt serviceRewards for loyaltyPremium fuelsCashless transactionsNon-fuel services

One major challenge that the oil marketing companies are facing today is the need

for the alternate revenue sources. Many factors have prompted this new affair in

todays petro retailing environment.

These factors are-

Increased pressures on marginsDesire to leverage real estate and increase revenuesEvolving customer segments like Value time saving propositions, Quality

and Environment consciousness, Prestige seeker etc.

Need to differentiate offeringsEver since the market was deregulated, the oil companies have been actively

bringing in the branding concept in petro-retailing which was a commodity market

for years with no differentiation. However, consistent efforts make them taste

success with the advent of branded fuels such as Speed, XtraPremium etc.

Also, at the same time outlet branding was initiated and PFS (Pure For Sure), Club

HP and Q&Q outlets came into existence. But still the oil companies have not

found the way to make a customer point towards an outlet and say that as this

outlet belongs to a particular company, it will be the best in Q&Q and othersconcerns. In other words, corporate branding is on the cards in the future of petro-

retailing.

The dismantling of APM has removed the privilege of assured returns for the PSUs

thereby increasing the pressure on their margins. To compete with the private

players, who are with deep pockets, it is an imperative to make huge investment in


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the services being offered at the outlets. Since the base product is same, the

differentiating element would be the non-fuel services.

Let us find the contrast of Indian petro retail sector to the U.S. petro retail.

Indian market US market

Quality interpreted as noadulteration

Quantity interpreted as gettingthe right amount of fuel, i.e.

integrity

Price is not a differentiatingfactor

Quality interpreted as impact onfuel efficiency and engine

performance

Quantity is not a parameter forconsideration

Price is a very important factor

However, as the Indian market evolves,

Parameters such as integrity of fuel quantity and purity would becomehygiene factors

Consumer needs will change and require changes to the value propositionbeing offered

Given the opportunities and changing consumer needs, there are three key

imperatives for retailers. Lets first have a look at the two important or key issues.

Key Issues

How to build a unique and sustainable competitive advantage?How to attract new customers and capture a share of their wallet?

Let us discuss each of the issues one by one:

Building a unique and sustainable competitive advantage: Sustainable

competitive advantage is the prolonged benefit of implementing some unique

value-creating strategy based on unique combination of internal organizational

resources and capabilities that cannot be replicated by competitors.


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A sustainable advantage can be build up by following 5 strategies:

Attracting New Customers and Capturing Share of Their Wallet

1. An open evening: Providing refreshments and a free vehicle cleaning wouldattract customers. A local paper can be used to promote the event (such as free

check up camps, etc). Both retailer and customer stand to gain, especially if a

prize is there from supplier. Invite the paper people to participate in publicity.Liaison with the paper to measure response, and ensure they are in attendance

with photographer for follow-up publicity.

2. Make outlet look inviting: Inviting outlet does not mean a total makeover - justrearranging furniture and creating an interesting shop window will make a

difference. Few new posters or branded displays will also help.

3. Community Spirit: Local charities or community organizations such as the localChamber of Commerce, Lions Club, and Round Table, Women's Institute,

school fetes or fairs - all will bring potential new customers. A shop or countercan be set. Setting up shop does not have to be expensive - it may be just a table

with brochures and latest offers. A sponsorship to any of these events can do

wonders.

4. Use of Local Media: One should not forget local media - it can provide manyPR opportunities. Local press generally support businesses in the area, and its


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surprising what can develop from a small advertisement. The trick is to not only

consider the implications for the business, but also remember to find and

highlight the benefits for the third party.

5. Partnerships: All options should be kept open for potential partners, as they arealso seeking to attract new customers. This may be a local retail outlet,

restaurant or supermarket. All of these are excellent shop windows for joint

promotion of events. Offer to provide a placement/staff member in their

environment on a trial basis to see if this attracts new customers and

simultaneously demonstrate that new customers can be attracted into their store

in return.

6. Motivate the staff: Engage staff in new approach so they are motivated to selland understand the importance of acquiring new customers. Inform them of

what is being done, why it's important, and encourage ideas and suggestions -

some of them may surprise. Their support is paramount for success.


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CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW


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LITERATURE REVIEW

CONSUMER LOYALTY THEORY

Leon G. Schiffman & Leslie lazar kanuf (Ninth Edition) : Brand Loyalty exists

when customers feel some loyalty to the brand behind the products they are

buying. Brand loyalty can be enforced perhaps by a carefully constructed lock in

device in the products sold which serves to make it harder for customers to leave a

brand ideally though customers would feel loyalty to a brand because the products

of services have been good in providing solutions to their needs.

The expectations-disconfirmation paradigm provides the most popular explanation

of consumer satisfaction. However, and as is occasionally noted, if a customer

experiences disconfirmation after consuming a product, future expectations

regarding the product should be revised toward the performance perceived by the

customer. If expectations do not change in the face of disconfirmation, the

implication would be that the customer did not learn from their consumption

experience.

Literature related to consumer satisfaction, repurchase behavior, switching barriers,

and consumer information updating is reviewed in order to fashion a model thatintegrates these concepts. A longitudinal study of the antecedents of satisfaction

and their consequence over time could not be found, although several articles study

satisfaction in a dynamic setting.

The review also reveals the following three important conceptual relationships:

1) Satisfaction is a function of expectations, perceived performance, anddisconfirmation;

2)Intention to repurchase is a function of consumer satisfaction and switchingbarriers; and

3) Choice is a function of expectations and intention to repurchase.These relationships are integrated in a conceptual model called the Satisfaction-

Based Repeat Purchase Behavior model. The model is dynamic and emphasizes


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satisfaction as a primary determinant of repurchase behavior. It also incorporates

the antecedents of satisfaction, and allows their effect to vary with time.

BRAND SWITCHING:

Kevin lane keller (Third Edition): Brand switching is when a consumeror group

of consumers switches their allegiance from one brand of a certain type of product

to another. This brand switching may be temporary, (example: if Marlboro

cigarettes are not available at the shop a consumer may buy Camel as their next

preference) or it may be longer lasting, perhaps for example in the case of products

that last longer or from which switching away is harder.

It is possible to research consumers in a marketplace to determine their attitude to

brands and their likelihood to switch from a brand they are using at the moment,

and in particular to which other brand they might switch. This allows the building

of a picture of likely brand switching behavior. It may be that German Mercedes

buyers will in the main consider switching to BMW cars but would not consider

switching brands to a Volkswagen. Added twists might be that from BMW some

consumers would switch to Volkswagen.

If consumers propensity to switch is known the market can be modeled to indicate

future market share. Such modeling could also indicate the relative positioning ofthe competing brands on some variable asked in the research. The simple example

above for example positions BMW and Mercedes close together but BMW nearer

to Volkswagen than Mercedes.

What brand switching research would show is if a particular competitor was most

likely to steal customers away from any particular company and the company

could then focus their creative attention on that particular threat to their business.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR

Leon G. Schiffman & Leslie lazar kanuf (Ninth Edition):Consumer behavior

involves the psychological processes that consumers go through in recognizing

needs, finding ways to solve these needs, making purchase decisions (e.g., whether

or not to purchase a product and, if so, which brand and where), interpret
http://www.sticky-marketing.net/glossary/consumer.htmhttp://c/odata/web/consumerpsychologist/index.htmlhttp://c/odata/web/consumerpsychologist/index.htmlhttp://www.sticky-marketing.net/glossary/consumer.htm


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information, make plans, and implement these plans (e.g., by engaging in

comparison shopping or actually purchasing a product).

SOURCES OF INFLUENCE TO THE CONSUMER

Craig Johnson- Lawrence Erlbaum Associates-2010: The consumer faces

numerous sources of influence. Often, we take cultural influences for granted, but

they are significant. An American will usually not bargain with a store owner.

This, however, is a common practice in much of the World. Physical factors also

influence our behavior. We are more likely to buy a soft drink when we are thirsty,

for example, and food manufacturers have found that it is more effective to

advertise their products on the radio in the late afternoon when people are getting

hungry.

A persons self-image will also tend to influence what he or she will buyan

upwardly mobile manager may buy a flashy car to project an image of success.

Social factors also influence what the consumers buyoften, consumers seek to

imitate others whom they admire, and may buy the same brands. The social

environment can include both the mainstream culture (e.g., Americans are more

likely to have corn flakes or ham and eggs for breakfast than to have rice, which is

preferred in many Asian countries) and a subculture (e.g., rap music often appeals

to a segment within the population that seeks to distinguish itself from themainstream population). Thus, sneaker manufacturers are eager to have their

products worn by admired athletes. Finally, consumer behavior is influenced by

learningyou try a hamburger and learn that it satisfies your hunger and tastes

good, and the next time you are hungry, you may consider another hamburger.

Consumer choices are often influenced dramatically by values. Some consumers,

for example, seek to fit In with the crowd and would like to own a car as similar

as possible to that of the neighbor. Others, on the other hand, want to stand out. In

the consumption context, then, a consumer may choose to spend a great deal of

money on buying and maintaining neat and professional attire, not because he or

she is particularly interested in that appearance for its own sake, but rather because

this will help the consumer be successful in his or her career.


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The amount of effort a consumer puts into searching depends on a number of

factors such as the market (How many competitors are there, and How great aredifferences between brands expected to be?), Product characteristics (How

important is this product? How complex is the product? How obvious are

indications of quality?), Consumer characteristics (How interested is a consumer,generally, in analyzing product characteristics and making the best possible deal?),and situational characteristics (as previously discussed).

ATTITUDES

Brian Muller 5TH

Edition: Consumer attitudes are a composite of a consumers(1) beliefs about, (2) feelings about, (3) and behavioral intentions toward some

objectwithin the context of marketing, usually a brand, product category, orretail store. These components are viewed together since they are highly

interdependent and together represent forces that influence how the consumer willreact to the object.

BELIEFS

Brian Muller 5TH

Edition: The first component is beliefs. A consumer may hold

both positive beliefs toward an object (e.g., coffee tastes good) as well as negativebeliefs (e.g., coffee is easily spilled and stains papers). In addition, some beliefs

may be neutral (coffee is black), and some may be differ in valance depending onthe person or the situation (e.g., coffee is hot and stimulates--good on a cold

morning, but not well on a hot summer evening when one wants to sleep). Notealso that the beliefs that consumers hold need not be accurate (e.g., that pork

contains little fat), and some beliefs may, upon closer examination, becontradictory.

AFFECT

Brian Muller 5TH

Edition: Consumers also hold certain feelings toward brands or

other objects. Sometimes these feelings are based on the beliefs (e.g., a person

feels nauseated when thinking about a hamburger because of the tremendous

amount of fat it contains), but there may also be feelings which are relativelyindependent of beliefs. For example, an extreme environmentalist may believe that

cutting down trees is morally wrong, but may have positive affect towardChristmas trees because he or she unconsciously associates these trees with theexperience that he or she had at Christmas as a child.

BEHAVIORAL INTENTION


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Leon G. Schiffman & Leslie lazar kanuf (Ninth Edition): The behavioral

intention is what the consumer plans to do with respect to the object (e.g., buy ornot buy the brand). As with affect, this is sometimes a logical consequence of

beliefs (or affect), but may sometimes reflect other circumstances--e.g., although a

consumer does not really like a restaurant, he or she will go there because it is ahangout for his or her friends.

Changing attitudes is generally very difficult, particularly when consumers suspect

that the marketer has a self-serving agenda in bringing about this change (e.g., toget the consumer to buy more or to switch brands). Here are some possiblemethods:

ONE SIDE VS TWO SIDE APPEALS

Attitude research has shown that consumers often tend to react more favorably toadvertisements which either (1) admit something negative about the sponsoringbrand (e.g., the Volvo is a clumsy car, but very safe) or (2) admits something

positive about a competing brand (e.g., a competing supermarket has slightly lowerprices, but offers less service and selection). Two-sided appeals must, contain

overriding arguments why the sponsoring brand is ultimately superiorthat is, inthe above examples, the but part must be emphasized.

REFERENCE GROUPS

A useful framework of analysis of group influence on the individual is the so

called reference group the term comes about because an individual uses a

relevant group as a standard of reference against which oneself is compared.Reference groups come in several different forms. The aspirational reference grouprefers to those others against whom one would like to compare oneself. For

example, many firms use athletes as spokespeople, and these represent what manypeople would ideally like to be.

Associative reference groups include people who more realistically represent the

individuals current equals or near-equalse.g., coworkers, neighbors, or membersof churches, clubs, and organizations. Finally, the dissociative reference groupincludes people that the individual would not like to be like. For example, the store

literally named The Gap came about because many younger people wanted toactively dissociate from parents and other older and uncool people. The Quality

Paperback Book specifically suggests in its advertising that its members are abreed apart from conventional readers of popular books.


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THE FAMILY LIFE CYCLE

Philip Kotler, and Kevin Lane Keller-13TH EDITION: Individuals andfamilies tend to go through a life cycle. The simple life cycle goes from

Child / teenager ---> young single ---> young couple ---> full nest ---> empty nest ---> widower.

In real life, this situation is, of course, a bit more complicated. For example, manycouples undergo divorce. Then we have the scenario:

Generally, there are two main themes in the Family Life Cycle, subject to

significant exceptions:

As a person gets older, he or she tends to advance in his or her career andtends to get greater income (exceptions: maternity leave, divorce,retirement).

Unfortunately, obligations also tend to increase with time (at least untilones mortgage has been paid off). Children and paying for ones house are

two of the greatest expenses.

Note that although a single person may have a lower income than a married couple,

the single may be able to buy more discretionary items since he or she has fewercurrent obligations. This will change when a house is bought or children comealong.

FAMILY DECISION MAKING

The Times of India year 2013: Individual members of families often serve

different roles in decisions that ultimately draw on shared family resources. Someindividuals are information gatherers/holders, who seek out information about

products of relevance. These individuals often have a great deal of power because

they may selectively pass on information that favors their chosen alternatives.Influencers do not ultimately have the power decide between alternatives, but they

may make their wishes known by asking for specific products or causing

embarrassing situations if their demands are not met. The decision maker(s) havethe power to determine issues such as:


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Whether to buy;Which product to buy (pick-up or passenger car?);Which brand to buy;Where to buy it; andWhen to buy.

Note, however, that the role of the decision maker is separate from that of the

purchaser. From the point of view of the marketer, this introduces some problemssince the purchaser can be targeted by point-of-purchase (POP) marketing efforts

that cannot be aimed at the decision maker. Also note that the distinction between

the purchaser and decision maker may be somewhat blurred:

The decision maker may specify what kind of product to buy, but not whichbrand;

The purchaser may have to make a substitution if the desired brand is not instock;

The purchaser may disregard instructions (by error or deliberately).It should be noted that family decisions are often subject to a great deal of conflict.

The reality is that few families are wealthy enough to avoid a strong tension

between demands on the familys resources. Conflicting pressures are especially

likely in families with children and/or when only one spouse works outside thehome. Note that many decisions inherently come down to values, and that there isfrequently no objective way to arbitrate differences.

One spouse may believe that it is important to save for the childrens future; theother may value spending now (on private schools and computer equipment) to

help prepare the children for the future. Who is right? There is no clear answerhere. The situation becomes even more complex when more partiessuch as

children or other relativesare involved. Culture is part of the external influencesthat impact the consumer. That is, culture represents influences that are imposed onthe consumer by other individuals.


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Chapter 3

Research Methodology


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RESEARCH QUESTIONS:

What are the various factors that instigate the consumers to give up thepresent brand of the petrol which they are using and switch over to another

brand of fuel?To gain an insight into the mind of the consumers about their likes and

dislikes and how it influences them.

To identify through survey about the brand which enjoys maximum brandrecall and the conversion ratio?

RESEARCH DESIGN:

Any research has to have a definitive design i.e. the unique way has to be carried

out. Each design has got its own swot and suits very specific reason for doing

research.

There are three types of research design.

ExploratoryDescriptiveCausative

EXPLORATORY RESEARCH:

If the nature of the problem is unclear to the researcher i.e. He does not know how

and why a certain phenomenon occurs (for e.g. how the customer does evaluates

the quality of a bank/airline/hotel) exploratory research is carried out. It is also

reported to if an organization requires preliminary information to formulate a

hypothesis.

Example:

1. To identify areas of weakness in customer care This helps to pinpoint thequoteunquote the what

2. To evaluate the impact of the new competitor In exploratory researchwhere what is more important. The no of respondent becomes small.

Researchers mostly use in-depth interviews or focus group discussion.

Spending more time with each of the limited respondents helps researchers


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to explore the in-depth feelings. The prime focus of exploratory research is

to know the unknown.

DESCRIPTIVE RESEARCH:

This is carried out to describe a phenomenon or market characteristics.

Example: - A study to understand buyer behavior and describe characteristics of

the target market (Demographic profile). Descriptive research is also resorted when

organization seeks specific information to support decisions i.e.

It will use research to describe the factors that will influence its decisions such

as:

Market potential for a product

Customer attitudesCompetitors strategiesPrice sensitivityEconomic conditions

Example:-

1. To determine average frequency purchase of a product2. To identify demographic profile of heavy uses of say Dabur homemade

paste

If research is for Dabur homemade paste question would be

Do you use prepackage masala

2nd questiononly for those who use Dabur homemade paste

What is your frequency of usage?

3rd questionDescribe the demographic profile of the heavy user

CAUSATIVE RESEARCH:

It is done to establish a cause and effect relationship

For e.g.:- The influence of income and lifestyle on purchase decisions. Here the

researcher may like to see the effect of rising income and changing lifestyles on:-

incomepurchasing powereducational qualificationsawarenessoccupationB/S

Consumption of selected products for e.g.:- Hair colors.


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The researcher here may test the hypothesis that as the income increases or

lifestyle changes more elite and state of the art products are likely to be bought or

in other words choice of technology is function of the customers income and

lifestyle. When the organisation wants to understand more about relationships

between two factors causative research design is used.

Example:

Is TV advertising is effective in generating charitable donations

To what extent buying patterns are influenced by store layout

The effect of 10% rise in product prices on sales

CONTACT METHOD

The survey is conducted at various filling stations around Delhi collecting

responses from 100 individuals who will be selected at random at the gas stations

when they will come there to fill petrol. The survey is done during the peak traffic

times in the mornings and evenings when information could be collected easily.

The results will be in percentages and reflect the views of respondents at outlets

where branded petrol is sold. This will particularly be done in order to get a blend

of consumers who fill regular petrol and who fill branded petrol.

DATA COLLECTION

PRIMARY DATA COLLECTION

The report is based on interviews and responses of 50 respondents of

various fields consisting of persons who use automobiles

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY

The research will be an attempt to study the consumers loyalty towards the

branded fuels - petrol and diesel. The study about the brand awareness of fuel

would give an insight into the preference for branded fuels. From this study we

will also understand as to what are the main reasons for using branded fuel. The


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two most important benefits of the study will be the emergence of the position of

the branded fuel speed and also the percentage and reason for brand loyalty.

To explore the origin and usage of branded fuel in India.To find out the fuel consumption levels of the respondents.To determine the preference of respondents over a particular company

against others.

To know the reasons for preferring regular fuel over branded fuel.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

SURVEY DESIGN:

The study is a cross sectional study because the data were collected at a single

point of time. For the purpose of present study a related sample of population was

selected on the basis of convenience.

SAMPLE SIZE AND DESIGN:

A sample of 100 people was taken on the basis of convenience. The actual

consumers were contacted on the basis of random sampling.

RESEARCH PERIOD:

Research work is only carried for 4 or 5 weeks.

DESIGN INSTRUMENT:

This work was carried out through a self-administered questionnaire. The questions

included were open ended and offered multiple choices.

DATA COLLECTION SOURCE

Information can be collected through both primary and secondary sources.

PRIMARY DATA

In some cases the researchers may realize the need for collecting the first hand

information. As in the case of everyday life, if we want to have first hand


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information or any happening or event, we either ask someone who knows about it

or we observe it ourselves, we do the both. Thus, the two methods by whichprimary data can be collected is observation and questionnaire.

SECONDARY DATA

Any data, which have been gathered earlier for some other purpose, are secondarydata in the hands of researcher. The data collected for this project has been taken

from the secondary source.Sources of secondary data are:-

InternetMagazinesPublicationsNewspapers

LIMITATIONS:The survey was a limited sample survey (50).Limited period of survey.Survey was constrained to a small area.Survey contains only directly specific questions. Demographics of the

respondents were not taken into consideration.

IMPLICATIONS

The present study is a small attempt to elicit the opinions about petrol and relatedproduct Users over a limited sample with respect to only three companies. But this

study may pave the way for wider research and investigation covering other

uncovered dimensions of the customer behavior and satisfaction with the other

organizations that are in the fray.


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CHAPTER 4

FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS


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FINDINGS AND ANALYSIS

Q 1.Which type of vehicle you own?

Table no 1: TYPE OF VEHICLE USED (n = 100)

F %

TWO WHEELER 57 57

FOUR WHEELER 40 40

THREE WHEELER 3 3

According to the survey of 100 samples:

57 % of the respondents used two wheelers, 40 % used four wheelers and 3% used

three wheelers

57%

40%

3%

Chart Title

Two wheelersFour Wheelers

Three Wheelers


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Q 2.Which type of fuel you used in your vehicle?

Table no 2:

Type of fuel used in the vehicle (n = 100)

F %

PETROL 80 80

DIESEL 14 14

CNG 6 6

According to the above graph there were 80% of the respondents used petrol, 14%

respondents used diesel and 6% used CNG

80%

14%6%

Chart Title

Petrol

Diesel

CNG


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Q3. How many times you refuel your vehicle in a week?

Table no 3:

FREQUENCY OF REFUELLING (n = 100)

F %

1-2 TIMES 34 34

2-3 TIMES 40 40

4-5 TIMES 17 17

MORE THAN 5 TIMES 9 9

From the above analysis 40% consumers refueled their vehicle 2-3 times

34% consumers refueled their vehicle 1-2 times and 17% consumers refueled more

than 4-5 times and 9% refueled more than 5 times. Consumers in the 2-3 times

bracket had a better income than the other four groups.

34%

40%

17%

9%

Chart Title

1-2 Times

2-3 Times

4-5 Times

More than 5 Times


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Q 4.How much quantity you buy in a single visit?

Table no 4:

Consumption quantity per visit (n = 100)

F %

1-2 LITERS 24 24

2-5 LITERS 36 36

MORE THAN 5 LITERS 27 27

DEPEND UPON TRAVELING 13 13

According to the analysis 24% respondents buy 1-2 liters fuel per visit36% respondents buy 2-5 liters, 27% respondents buy more than 5 liters and 13%

respondents buy fuel as per requirement.

24%

36%

27%

13%

Chart Title

1-2 Liters

2-5 Liters

More than 5 Liters

Depends upon traveling


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Q 5.Which is the preferred station for getting your vehicle refueled?

Table no 5:

Preference of fuel companies by consumers (n = 100)

F %

HPCL 38 38

IOCL 31 31

BPCL 21 21

OTHERS 10 10

According to the diagram 31% respondents preferred IOCL, 38% respondents

preferred HPCL, 21% respondents preferred BPCL and 10% respondent preferred

others

38%

31%

21%

10%

Chart Title

HPCL

BPCL

IOCL

OTHERS


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Q 6.Who offers the best services?

Table no 6:

Best services (n = 100)

F %

IOCL 23 23

HPCL 40 40

BPCL 26 26

OTHERS 11 11

According to the graph 23%,40%.26% & 11% respondents feel IOCL, HPCL,

BPCL & OTHERS offer the best services respectively.

23%

35%

30%

12%

Chart Title

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

OTHERS


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Q 7.Who provides the best satisfaction and quality?

Table no 7:

Best quality and satisfaction (n = 100)

F %

IOCL 26 26

HPCL 38 38

BPCL 26 26

OTHERS 10 10

According to the graph 26% respondents feel IOCL, 38% feel HPCL, 26% feel

BPCL and 10% feel others offered the best services.

23%

35%

30%

12%

Chart Title

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

OTHERS


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Q 8.Who provides the best product performance and lubricants?

Table no 8:

Best product line and lubricants (n = 100)

F %

IOCL 23 23

HPCL 40 40

BPCL 24 24

OTHERS 13 13

In this graph again 23% respondents feel IOCL, 40% feel HPCL, 24% feel BPCL

&13% feel others provided the best products and lubricants.

23%

35%

30%

12%

Chart Title

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

OTHERS


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Q 9.Why do you prefer this particular filling station?

Table no 9:

Reasons for preference of particular companies (n = 100)

F %

FRIENDS/RELATIVES 08 08

ADVERTISEMENTS 06 06

QUALITY & TRUST 53 53

SERVICES OFFERED 06 06

CONVENIENCE 27 27

From the diagram we can infer that 27% of the respondents prefer an outlet on the

basis of convenience, 08% took the opinion of their friends, 06% said they used

advertisements as basis of preference, 53% gave importance to quality & trust,

27% gave importance to services offered.

8

6

53

6

27

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

Recommended by

friends/relatives

Advertisement

Quality/Trust

Services offered

Convenience

Chart Title

Series1


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Q 10.Are you satisfied with the quality & quantity of the fuel?

Table no 10:

Satisfaction with the quality and quantity of fuel (n = 100)

According to the above analysis it is concluded that 88% respondents are satisfied

with the Quality & Quantity and only 12 respondents are not satisfied with quality

trust.

95%

5%

Chart Title

Yes

No

f %

YES 88 88

NO 12 12


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Q 11.In your opinion which services should be offered by a filling

station?

Table no 11:

Consumer opinion on which services have to be offered (n = 100)

F %

FREE SERVICES 33 33

LOYALTY 24 24

CREDIT FACILITY 20 20

AVAILABILITY OF

PRODUCTS

09 09

COMPLAINT HANDLING 14 14

According to the most consumers, free services and loyalty programmes

Should be offered by a station

33

24

20

9

14

0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35

Free services like:-Air, Water, and

Toilet

Loyalty programmes.

Credit facility / credit cards

Availability of other lubricants

Complaints handling

/responsiveness

Chart Title

Series1


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Q 12.Retail outlets of which oil corporation maintains the best

etiquette?

Table no 12:

Best outlet etiquette (n = 100)

As per the diagram above we can infer that 41% respondents feel HPCL, 20% feel

IOCL, 26% respondents feel BPCL and 13% feel others have the best outletetiquette.

23%

35%

30%

12%

Chart Title

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

OTHERS

Corporation f %

IOCL 20 20

HPCL 41 41

BPCL 26 26

OTHERS 13 13


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Q 13.Which Companys filling station maintains the best safety

measures?

Table no 13:

Best safety adequacies (n = 100)

We can infer from the above diagram that IOCL at 23% maintains the best safety

adequacies when compared to HPCL at 35%, BPCL at 35% & 12% at others.

23%

35%

30%

12%

Chart Title

IOCL

HPCL

BPCL

OTHERS

Corporation f %

IOCL 23 23

HPCL 35 35

BPCL 30 30

OTHERS 12 12


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Q14. Are you aware of branded fuel?

Table no 14:

Awareness about branded fuel (n = 100)

From the above figure we can determine that95% correspondents are aware of

branded fuel and 05% respondents are not aware of branded fuel.

95%

5%

Chart Title

Yes

No

Reasons f %YES 95 95

NO 05 05


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Q15.Which type of branded fuel do you consume at present?

Table no 15:

Preference of fuel companies by consumers (n = 100)

F %

SPEED (PETROL) 50 50

EXTRA PREMIUM (PETROL) 8 8

EXTRA MILE SUPER DIESEL 8 8

HIGH SPEED DIESEL 4 4

CNG 1 1

According to the diagram50% respondents preferred Speed (petrol), 8%

respondents preferred Extra premium (petrol), 8% respondents preferred Extra

mile super diesel, 4% respondent preferred high speed diesel and 1% respondent

preferred CNG.

71%

11%

11%6%

1%

Chart Title

Speed (petrol

Extra premium (petrol)

Extra mile super Diesel

High speed diesel

CNG


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Q 16.What is the reason for not using branded fuel?

Table no16:

Reason for not using branded fuel (n = 100)

This graph shows various reasons for which 48% respondents were not ready to

shift to branded fuel. The missing bar indicates respondents who are using brandedfuel.

48%

20%

17%

15%

Chart Title

Expensive

Unavailability

Lack of knowledge

Never felt needed

F %

EXPENSIVE 48 48

UNAVAILABILITY 20 20

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE 17 17

NEVER FELT NEEDED 15 15

MISSING 0 0


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Q 17.How do you rate branded fuel?

Table no 17:

Opinion about branded fuel (n = 100)

According to the above chart 32% respondents rated branded fuels as excellent,

47% as good, 22% as average and 0% rated it as poor.

31%

47%

22%

0%

Chart Title

Excellent

Good

Average

Poor

f %

EXCELLENT 32 32

GOOD 47 47

AVERAGE 22 22

POOR 0 0


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Q 18.Will you buy or continue to buy branded fuel?

Table no 18:

F %

DEFINITELY BUY IT 37 37

MAY BUY IT 40 40

NOT SURE 16 16

WILL NOT BUY IT 7 7

According to the above chart 37% respondents like definitely buy it,40% feel may

buy it, 16% respondent buy branded fuel not sure and 7% respondent will not buy

it.

37%

40%

16%7%

Chart Title

Definitely buy it

May buy it

Not sure

Will not buy it


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GENDER

AGE

OCUPATION

92%

8%

Chart Title

Male

Female

68%

29%

3% 0%

Chart Title

Below 25

25-35

36 - 45

45 Above

57%

3%

40%

Chart Title

Salaried

Business

Others


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PLEASE STATE YOUR MONTHLY INCOME

40%

29%

17%

14%

Chart Title

Below 10,000

10,001- 20,000

20,001 - 30,000

30,001 - Above


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CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS


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CONCLUSION

Majority of respondents fill 2-3 times in a week and rest of them fill 1-2times of fuel in a week.

The majority of respondents fill 1-2 liters of fuel in a visit in two wheelerand majority of them fill more than 5 liters in a visit in four wheeler.

In two-wheeler & four-wheeler many of respondents didnt expect anyadditional facility/incentives from any corporations.

Most of the respondents belong to the age group of 20-30 years and theyprefer IOCL.

Out of the hundred respondents, the majorities of them are students usingtwo-wheeler.

Most of the respondents prefer an outlet based on vicinity rather dependingupon opinion of friends, advertisements, quality and trust.

Most of the respondents were satisfied with the quality and quantityprovided by the companies.

Many of the respondents wanted companies to handle their complaints in amore effective manner.

Most respondents felt IOCL offered the best services when compared to theother two corporations.

Majority of consumers relied on the vendor for suggestions pertaining tofuel.

Most of the respondents were aware of branded fuel.Many of the respondents cited unavailability as a factor for not using

branded fuel.

Majority of the respondents rated branded fuel was average.Respondents already using branded fuel felt they would definitely buy it

again.

Petroleum Corporation is introducing varieties of schemes to attract the people as

well as to fulfill the expectations of the people towards fuel consumption. it makes

more competition among the petroleum corporation to retain the consumers.

From the analysis it was found that the majority of the consumers prefer outlets on

basis of vicinity. According to the analysis we can determine that IOCL was the

most desired fuel company.


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If petroleum corporations want to attract the consumer they must provide facilities

as highlighted in the survey. Out of respondents who are aware of branded fuel

many of them are not willing to shift because they feel that branded petrol is

expensive, some say they never felt a need. A major number of respondents rely on

suggestion given by the petrol pump vendors.

Hence these people have to be targeted for better service.


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SUGGESTIONS;

Retail outlets must provide refreshment rooms and medical shop.Swift and hassle free service if provided will keep consumers satisfiedDetails pertaining to reward schemes, branded petrol and various other

features must be conveyed in a more simplified manner to the consumer.


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BIBLIOIGRAPHY

IBLIOIGRAPHY

BOOKS:

Marketing Management, 13th Edition-Philip Kotler, and Kevin Lane Keller-Prentice hall of India.

Marketing Management-Rajan Saxena-McGraw hill.Fundamentals of StatisticsS.C. GuptaHimalaya Publishers.The psychology of consumer behavior-Brian Muller, Craig Johnson-

Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.Kelvin lane kellerLeon G. shiffman & Leslie Lazar Kanuf

NEWSPAPERS & MAGAZINES:

The economic times. The times of India. Business world.

WEBSITES:

www.hpcl.com www.google.com www.bpcl.com www.iocl.com www.indiainfoonline.com
http://www.hpcl.com/http://www.bpcl.com/http://www.iocl.com/http://www.indiainfoonline.com/http://www.indiainfoonline.com/http://www.iocl.com/http://www.bpcl.com/http://www.hpcl.com/


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Annexure: 1

Annexure: 1

QUESTIONNAIRE

NOTE:-

Place a heavy X in the box, which best reflects your answer & mark only one

opinion for each statement.

Q1.Which type of vehicle you own?

(a)Two wheelers(b)Four Wheelers(c)Three Wheelers

Q2.Which type of fuel you use in your vehicle?

(a)Petrol(b)Diesel(c)CNG

Q3.how many times you refuel your vehicle in a week?

(a)1-2 Times(b)2-3 Times(c)4-5 Times(d)More than 5 Times


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Q4.How much quantity you buy in a single visit?

(a)1-2 Liters(b)2-5 Liters(c)More than 5 Liters(d)Depends upon traveling

Q5.Which is the preferred station for getting your vehicle refueled?

(a)HPCL(b)BPCL(c)IOCL(d)OTHERS

Q6.Who offers the best services?

(a)IOCL(b)HPCL(c)BPCL(d)Others

Q7.Who provides the best satisfaction and quality?

(a)IOCL(b)HPCL(c)BPCL(d)OTHERS

Q8.Who provides the best product performance and lubricants?(a)IOCL(b)HPCL(c)BPCL(d)OTHERS


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Q9.Why do you prefer this particular filling station?

(e)Recommended by friends/relatives(f)Advertisement(g)Quality/Trust(h)Services offered(i)Convenience

Q10.Are you satisfied with the quality & quantity of the fuel?

(a)Yes(b)No

Q11.In your opinion which services should be offered by a felling

station?

(a)Free services like:-Air, Water, and Toilet.(b)Loyalty programmes.(c)Credit facility / credit cards(d)Availability of other lubricants(e)Complaints handling /responsiveness

Q12. Retail outlets of which petrol & diesel filling station maintains

the best etiquette

(a)IOCL(b)HPCL(c)BPCL(d) OTHER


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Q 13.Which Companys filling station maintains the best safety

measures?

(a)IOCL(b)HPCL(c)BPCL(d)OTHER

Q14. Are you aware of branded fuel?

(a)Yes(b)No

Q15.Which type of branded fuel do you consume at present?

(a)Speed (petrol)(b)Extra premium(c)Extra mile super Diesel(d)High speed diesel

Q16.What is the reason for not using branded fuel?

(a)Expensive(b)Unavailability(c)Lack of knowledge(d)Never felt needed

Q17.How do you rate branded fuel?

(a)Excellent(b)Good(c)Average(d)Poor


66/66

Q18.Will you buy or continue to buy branded fuel?

(a)Definitely buy it(b)May buy it(c)Not sure(d)Will not buy it

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Age: ___________Gender: ________________________

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Income: ___________________________ Approx. (p/m)

final report branded petroleum.......... revised and edited

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