In an economic downturn, for companies operating in the consumer market, maintaining customer loyalty becomes especially important. One of the largest players in the Siberian fuel market, with its own production base in the region, is the Gazprom Neft (GPN) gas station network. It is widely represented in the Omsk, Novosibirsk, and Kemerovo regions, and the company is also actively developing in neighboring regions. Alexander Krylov, Regional Sales Director of Gazprom Neft PJSC, spoke about how to retain buyers in the fuel market, competition and marketing costs.

- How much has competition in the fuel market increased over the past year?

During a crisis, competition always increases; a seller's market turns into a buyer's market. Players are pursuing a more aggressive policy and strive to win clients through pricing policies.

If you drive through the regions, you will notice the dominance of one or another gas station network. For example, in Omsk and Novosibirsk the GPN gas station network predominates, in the Altai Territory - Rosneft. There may be a feeling that the territories are divided between large corporations. What guides you when making a decision to promote a network in a particular region?

Our network of gas stations sells its own fuel; therefore, the location of Gazprom Neft oil refineries is most important to us. The easternmost of them is the Omsk Refinery, which supplies gas stations in the Siberian Federal District with gasoline and diesel fuel. This plant is one of the most powerful and modern in the country, and we, in turn, can guarantee gas station customers the preservation of the factory quality of fuel thanks to a transparent logistics scheme and control at every stage of delivery.

Last year, Gazpromneft entered the Altai Republic with its network of gas stations and increased its presence in the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Why these particular regions?

We consider both the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Altai Republic to be promising for development. In the Krasnoyarsk Territory at the end of 2015, we leased 14 stations, and now we have to evaluate their effectiveness. The Altai Republic is one of the most popular destinations of domestic tourism. The flow of motorists coming to local resorts from neighboring regions and beyond is increasing year by year. We can say that we meet our customers halfway, because the issue of fuel quality and service for those who have traveled hundreds, or even thousands of kilometers behind the wheel of their own car, is a guarantee of a comfortable trip.

- What market share in Siberia does the company occupy today?

In the retail segment - 30%. Currently we have 390 gas stations in the Siberian Federal District.

- During the crisis, according to your observations, purchasing power has decreased?

With the slowdown in economic development, the solvency of the population naturally decreased, and this could not but affect consumer behavior. The price factor has become more significant, but at the same time people have learned to value quality, so the ratio of price and quality has become the most relevant.

- If it is not possible to announce a significant discount, how can you attract a buyer?

Trust, I guess. Too big a discount means you overpriced from the start. The bonuses that we return to our customers as part of the loyalty program are a kind of gratitude for their choice and trust. And these indicators are directly proportional: the more you buy from us, the more you save.

Since the beginning of 2016, you have updated the loyalty program platform, and if many companies give savings cards to their customers, you decided to sell them. What conditions attract clients to you?

In a month and a half, we have sold more than a million new bonus cards “On Our Way”, and there are more and more people wanting to purchase them; in some places we even have a deficit, which we quickly pay off. Unlike loyalty programs such as airlines, where miles are not always easy to convert into tickets, our bonuses are real money that can be converted into goods and services at any time. The principle is this: you spend money, we return some of it to you as bonuses, with which you can purchase both fuel and goods and services at our gas stations.

We are not the only ones on the market, the situation is absolutely market, the client chooses from a variety of offers. When a person buys a card, we know for sure that our program is in demand. And if a million cards were bought in a month, that means it’s also popular. And, of course, the fact of purchase means that the person will use the card. Of this million, 85% have already made purchases with the new card.

Over the past year, we returned more than 6 billion rubles via cards. in the form of bonuses. Loyalty really costs us dearly. But clients felt real, not mythical benefits.

-  Does the bonus program bring profit or are expenses attributed to marketing?

You are overestimating our marketing budget. Moreover, we understand that no amount of coffee and buns will lure you to a gas station if the fuel is bad. The Gazpromneft gas station network guarantees the preservation of the factory characteristics of fuel supplied from the company's own oil refineries, and that is why people come to us to refuel. And since they're here, why not offer them something else? And this is not just profitable, it is a serious part of the business. With proper planning, related goods and services should fully cover the employee payroll, and in some cases the gas station would be profitable even without fuel. As for the results, in two years we have grown in this area by almost 50% and we even joke that we have one of the largest networks of so-called “convenience stores” in Russia.

- What are your plans for the development of this segment? You already have co-branded products.

Now at the stations of our network we sell over 200 products under three of our own brands. The first is Gazpromneft. These are mainly basic related products of daily demand. G-Drive are products from the premium segment that are associated with our branded fuel. DriveCafé is our third brand. In terms of sales of G-Drive energy drinks, we have long surpassed all competitors - in the best periods we sold up to 80 thousand cans per month. We began to compete with Red Bull on our gas station shelves. This is how the idea of ​​making a joint product was born, which was implemented. The release of Red Bull for G-Drive in 2015 became a global precedent for co-branding with Red Bull and caused a great stir. We do not plan to stop there and will soon introduce new products under our own brand.

Have your marketing expenses increased? How did the company change its strategy in the market under the influence of the crisis?

We have maintained our traditional activities, such as federal promotions for clients with good prizes. Just last week we summed up the results of the winter campaign “Fuel up like a champion!”, within the framework of which 6 car enthusiasts from different regions of the country received trips for two to Sochi. Two of them, by the way, are Siberians.

Moreover, as you know, we have a unique channel for promoting premium G-Drive fuel. This is motorsport. In 2015, for the first time in the history of Russian motorsport, the G-Drive Racing team not only stood on the podium, but became the world champion in FIA WEC endurance racing. Thanks to the success of the G-Drive Racing project, we were able to reduce the costs of its implementation by up to 30%. But this is not due to forced savings. It’s just that our sporting successes made the project attractive to sponsors; it turned into a brand that generates income.

- According to your assessment, is the company’s retail division ready for a crisis?

Back in 2008, I realized that the question is not the crisis, but your ability to adapt to new conditions. What's happening in the market now? People and companies are becoming extremely deliberate about their spending. They choose the best at the best price and really analyze all the available offers. Either you offer the buyer a competitive product, or he will leave. They don't leave us. Quite the contrary. This means that we are doing everything right and will try to get through the difficult economic situation without losing a single client.

PRIVATE BUSSINESS

Krylov Alexander Vladimirovich

Born on March 17, 1971 in Leningrad. In 1992 he graduated from LMU (Leningrad), in 2004 - from the Faculty of Law of St. Petersburg State University, in 2007 - from the Moscow International Higher School of Business "MIRBIS", MBA with a degree in strategic management and entrepreneurship. He also received an MBA in petroleum business from the Stockholm School of Economics.

From 1994 to 2005, he worked in senior positions at the Russian-Canadian joint venture Petrobuild, CJSC City Real Estate Center, and CJSC Alpol.

Since 2005, he held the position of Deputy Head of the Sales Directorate at Sibur LLC. In 2007, he moved to the position of head of the petroleum products supply department at Gazprom Neft. Since December 2009 - Director for Regional Sales at Gazprom Neft.

In October 2014, he received the Aristos Award, becoming the first in the category “Best Commercial Director”.

COMPANY PROFILE

PJSC Gazprom Neft

A vertically integrated oil company whose main activities are exploration and development of oil and gas fields, oil refining, as well as production and marketing of petroleum products. The company's proven hydrocarbon reserves according to the SPE (PRMS) classification amount to 1.44 billion tons of oil equivalent, which puts Gazprom Neft on a par with the 20 largest oil companies in the world.

The structure of Gazprom Neft includes more than 70 oil production, oil refining and marketing enterprises in Russia, near and far abroad countries. The company processes about 80% of the oil produced. In terms of oil refining volume it is one of the three largest companies in Russia, and in terms of production volume it ranks fourth. The company operates in the largest oil and gas regions of Russia: Khanty-Mansi and Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrugs, Tomsk, Omsk, and Orenburg regions. The main processing facilities are located in the Omsk, Moscow and Yaroslavl regions, as well as in Serbia. In addition, Gazprom Neft is implementing production projects in Iraq, Venezuela and other countries. Gazprom Neft products are exported to more than 50 countries and sold throughout the Russian Federation and abroad through a network of its own sales enterprises. The company's gas station network includes almost 1.75 thousand stations in Russia, the CIS countries and Europe.

Interviewed by Alina Ilyina

What is the situation on the retail motor fuel market today?

I would say that the situation is not easy. The market has changed: since the end of last year it has been behaving atypically. It was during the period that has always been the most profitable for retail - and this is the last and first quarters - that this year the margin went to its peak. Literally. We did not have a loss in retail even in the first, most difficult, quarter. But, to be honest, we didn’t earn much. I regard the current situation more as a reason to mobilize and a kind of test. This is why we changed the sales business organization model so that we could work in any market conditions.

What happened? Why did the market change so dramatically?

The market is changing primarily due to the amount of petroleum products. This year there is less product on the market. Why did it happen? Because several factors played simultaneously. Firstly, the next stage of introducing the tax maneuver has begun. Russian refineries for the most part have undergone modernization and increased the depth of refining. But there are still factories in the country where the share of fuel oil in the total balance of petroleum products reaches 40%. For them, the new round has become critical - processing has become unprofitable. They began to reduce production for the domestic market. Exporting - no matter crude oil or diesel - has become more profitable for them.

All this happened against the backdrop of a number of factories leaving for planned repairs and reconstruction. But if the market was ready for the planned reduction in volumes - reserves were created in advance and measures were taken to replenish the lost resource, then it was not for additional ones.

There is less product on the market. The wholesale price has increased. Retail margins have collapsed. The increase in excise tax on fuel has aggravated the situation.

Do you think this will last long?

I think whether it lasts or not is not of fundamental importance. Marginality in retail is generally low. We proceed from this. For example, in both the United States and Europe, retail gasoline margins have not exceeded 6–8% for a long time. This is off the top of my head. In Russia, last year the retail gasoline margin averaged 11%. This year we can say we are closer to the international standard. But here it is important to understand that margin is not income. This, roughly speaking, is the difference between the purchase price and the selling price to the end consumer. It covers all direct and indirect costs incurred by the gas station. At best, the profit of the retail business is 2–2.5%. This is if we are talking about EBITDA margin.

A logical question arises: is this 2% worth the money and effort that an oil company spends on developing its own retail network? Still, retail is not the main business of vertically integrated oil companies.

We don’t pose this question to ourselves. You understand, we have continuous production. If there are no sales, production stops. And our own retail network is, first of all, a guaranteed sales channel. In America, oil companies have just come to the conclusion that 2% is not a reason to maintain their own retail chain. Therefore, they ultimately abandoned their own retail. But they could afford it. Because they can guarantee constant sales with long, ten-year contracts with the owners of sales points.

But in Europe the situation is different. There are stricter antitrust regulations. In the European Union, for example, the length of exclusive contracts for the supply of fuel to dealers is limited to five years, as far as I remember. Therefore, in order to guarantee constant sales, an oil company needs to own stations. Even where large hypermarkets such as Carrefour and Tesco entered the fuel market and actually deprived them of profitability in the retail segment. In order to compete at least somehow, oil companies had to seriously work on the efficiency of their own retail networks.

In Russia, which scenario seems most likely to you?

I'm not ready to speak for the entire market. For ourselves, we see the solution in finding a balance between the guarantee of constant sales and the costs associated with its provision. Our task is to sell the maximum volume at minimum costs. This problem is solved at several levels. Firstly, at the level of organizational and management decisions. This is when costs are reduced, for example, by outsourcing station maintenance functions. And additional traffic and income are generated through the development of the non-fuel component - a cafe, a store, and so on. The next level is more subtle. To manage costs and attract additional traffic, we use an affiliate resource. The next level is digital. This is the creation of a unified technological platform for all sales. We used almost all the resources for organizational and management decisions. We are now getting close to working with partners and creating a sales platform.

What do you mean by working with partners?

I mean involving partners in the operational management of our own stations. After the reorganization, we see profitability not just in each channel. We see the profitability of each facility - that is, each individual gas station. And the reasons why one station has high profitability and another has low profitability. This gives us the opportunity to calculate the optimal operating model for each station - depending on location, traffic and market. These are already fine settings. There is a pool of stations that operate as efficiently as possible under our own control. There are stations that will be more efficient if they are switched to automatic mode. And there are stations for which the optimal solution is to hand them over to a partner for operational management.

This approach to managing a pool of own stations is a generally accepted world practice. This is exactly the path that European oil companies took in their time. For example, BP itself operates only a third of its stations. The remaining stations are operated by partners.

How exactly do you plan to involve partners?

We have chosen three basic models for working with partners. The station is transferred to the dealer's control. The station is transferred to the management of a professional retailer. The station is transferred to the operational management of an individual entrepreneur. Each model has its own nuances. But everyone has the same principle. The company manages the revenue part - fuel supplies, and the partner manages the expenditure part - the operation of the gas station. The partner is directly interested in both the growth of pumping and the reduction of operating costs. Because his income depends on it. We have been running pilot projects since 2014. We are pleased with the result. Let's see what the effect of scaling will be. In any case, we are not going to transfer all our stations to partners. Only those that the partner can manage better than we can, for one reason or another.

Are there any fears that partners will not be able to provide the company’s quality standards for service and the product itself? It’s not for nothing that they say - if you want to do it well, do it yourself...

We reserve control over the quality of fuel and service. This is not even discussed. All partners are given a strict condition - they must comply with our internal operating standards.

We control all stations that operate under the Gazpromneft gas station network brand in the same way, according to a single corporate standard. Regardless of who manages them - us or a partner.

This begs another question: the company has a very well developed competency in “managing related businesses” and has its own successful non-fuel brand. Why do you need a professional retailer? Is there a contradiction or even a conflict of interest here?

There is no contradiction. There are two complementary stories. A professional retailer working in the industry, in any case, has greater capabilities and competencies in organizing the work of a store than an oil company. It can qualitatively change the supply of goods at the station. And this means additional traffic and additional liters of product sold. We don’t hand over all stations to retailers for management. Only those whose location allows the store at a gas station to be converted into a “convenient store” format with an expanded assortment of goods, including fresh products. We can do this on our own. The question is why. A professional will do it better and at a lower cost. This is the first thing.

So you think that the future in fuel retail lies in the development of the non-fuel component of the business?

Non-fuel business is a particular thing. The key story is different. We started the conversation with the fact that fuel retail is a low-margin business. Its profitability directly depends on how effectively the company manages costs. Therefore, the future - it is obvious - lies in a solution that will reduce costs significantly. And I believe that there is such a solution - this is a sales platform. We have a manufacturer - an oil company. There is a product. There is a consumer. There is a filling point. There are partners and other interested parties. The platform I'm talking about is a digital platform where any market participant instantly receives the solution he needs. The consumer receives the product under certain conditions. Partner - agreement to manage the station. Third-party gas station - contract for fuel supply. And so on. And the oil company - the owner of the platform - gets sales. At the same time, volumes grow multiple times - due to the speed and number of transactions. And the costs are minimal.

We have all the main components of the business component of the sales platform. Actually, these are all our businesses - not only retail, but also small wholesale, corporate sales, delivery, storage, transshipment, and quality control. The technological component is more difficult - after all, the degree of automation and penetration of digital technologies is needed very high. But we are already working on this.

So here it is. Once we integrate the business and technology components into a single ecosystem and provide access to it from the outside, we will create a sales platform. Once we create it, we will change the landscape of the market. I am convinced of this. Because this is a completely different level of cost control. Now unattainable.

Search by " Krylov Gazprom Neft". Results: Gazprom - 2424, Krylov - 138, Neft - 2239.

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and natural resources, in general, are not particularly noticeable there.

dollars, which is payable in 2004, as well as corporate debts for which claims may be brought against the state (ALROSA,

, Yukos, etc.).

In fact, the complex process of creating a new brand began back in 2007, and in September last year the project entered an active phase - introducing the brand at the company's gas stations. The fact is that just a couple of years ago, the network of our gas stations was a set of multi-format enterprises, and even under different signs - “Sibneft”, “Slavneft”, EPetrol, “Alliance”, “Novosibirsknefteproduct”. The task was to unify them, to bring them to uniform standards of work, fuel quality, and pricing rules. In short, to create a unified network of gas stations under a global brand. Therefore, as part of the rebranding, the stations are also being modernized: standard formats of filling complexes, modern standards of personnel work, and other components are being introduced.

It was reported that this project cost the company approximately 7 billion rubles. What does the money go to?

The average cost of rebranding one gas station is about 8 million rubles. This includes redesigning the appearance of the station, refurbishment of the store, repair or replacement of fuel dispensers, security systems... As a rule, gas stations with high sales potential undergo a complete reconstruction.

What is your network of gas stations like as a whole?

The dynamics are as follows: as of January 1, 2008, 770 stations were in operation, a year later there were 864, by the beginning of 2010 - 969, and by September of this year the number of gas stations had already reached 994. Of these, 819 are located in 20 regions of Russia, another 175 are operating in the CIS countries: Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan. The company's retail network is also represented in Serbia, although under the NIS brand. We plan to double the number of stations in the next five years. The development of the network is aimed at expanding the coverage area throughout the European part of Russia, and primarily along the main federal highways, as well as in certain regions beyond the Urals. The presence abroad will also be expanded.

By what standards do Gazpromneft gas stations open?

The requirements are the highest - both in terms of the quality of placement and the format of the stations themselves. For example, most often there is a cafe and a store, in which, by the way, we offer a number of our other products. In particular, a wide range of motor and transmission oils of the latest G-Family family. The availability of a car wash and other services depends on a number of factors: area, demand for these services, profitability. The fact is that we work in a very serious and complex business, it involves high risks and is designed for a long-term return on investment. On average, investments in the construction of one gas station amount to 50-60 million rubles, excluding VAT. And payback is achieved only after seven to eight years with a sales volume of at least 4,000 tons of fuel per year. With lower indicators, the project will most likely turn out to be unprofitable.

Who supplies your gas stations with fuel? How is its quality controlled?

The main supplier of fuel to all of the company’s stations, with the exception of those in Belarus, is Gazprom Neft. Purchases from third-party suppliers for sale in Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan are rare and can be carried out, as a rule, only when scheduled maintenance work is carried out at the company’s refineries. In Belarus, our supplier is the state enterprise Belarusneft. As for the quality of fuel, there is a multi-level system for checking it. This includes incoming control of petroleum products upon arrival at the oil depot in a certified laboratory, and acceptance control in each fuel tanker when delivering fuel to a gas station, and monthly checks at each gas station by a mobile laboratory, and control analysis of individual samples in a certified stationary laboratory. Plus mandatory monthly quality control by a mobile laboratory in fuel trucks leaving oil depots. By the way, all our fuel trucks are equipped with route tracking systems, so it is impossible to leave it anywhere.

How serious is the competition in the fuel retail market?

Her level is very high. Judge for yourself: in Russia there are 0.65 gas stations per thousand cars, while in Poland this figure is 0.35, in France - 0.32, in Germany - 0.3. Only in the USA, where large oil companies consider this segment uninteresting for themselves, the saturation of gas stations is 0.67. At the same time, a clear trend of consolidation of the retail petroleum products market is visible in Russia. If in 2005 vertically integrated oil companies controlled 37% of sales, now they account for about 50% of sales. Our positions are especially strong in Western Siberia, the Sverdlovsk region, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. We are also actively developing a network in St. Petersburg and plan, after rebranding and reconstruction of gas stations owned by the Moscow Oil and Gas Company, to occupy a significant share in the market of Moscow and the Moscow region.

Is it difficult to develop business in regions where local firms have a strong position?

The potential for building new gas stations is severely limited almost everywhere. However, the presence of independent players in the regions opens up opportunities for development through their absorption. And we are not afraid of competition with local brands, since we are convinced that the federal brand of a large oil company is more attractive to consumers. This is confirmed by statistics.

What, in your opinion, is the main competitive advantage of your stations?

First of all, these are high-quality fuel and uniform standards for providing a unified set of services. People know that when they go to any Gazprom Neft gas station, they are guaranteed to receive quality service and that they will be greeted by qualified and friendly staff. In addition, we rely on European-level infrastructure. Many of our stations have shops and cafes, and may offer additional services: tire inflation, car wash, service station, tire fitting. Finally, an important advantage is the provision of affordable competitive prices at gas stations, taking into account the purchasing power of the population in a particular region.

Is it difficult to steal customers from other brands?

It is difficult to lure away a loyal customer. But in our country, even within the same network of gas stations, not all operators provide decent quality of fuel and service. This allows us to count on our competitive advantages: Gazpromneft pays special attention to the quality of services and products.

What client programs do you use?

At all Gazpromneft gas stations in Russia, the federal bonus program “On Our Way” operates. When purchasing goods and services at our gas stations, the participant receives a discount, which is taken into account on his card in the form of points. The accumulated bonuses can be spent on goods and services provided by our network. There are already over half a million such people in Russia. But this is only the first step. In the future we plan to develop this program and expand the capabilities of cardholders within the framework of co-branding projects. Customers will also be able to receive and spend bonuses, for example, in supermarkets, service stations, beauty salons, and sports clubs. We will continue to hold promotions with the possibility of receiving additional gifts and bonuses. For example, this year the most active participants in the “On Our Way” program won SUVs and other valuable prizes.

Policy for the development and promotion of Gazprom Neft brands

Let's go back 10 years ago, to the time of Gazprom's acquisition of Sibneft's assets. At that time, the Sibneft gas station network was quite well known in the regions where it was present, but further development of this brand was not considered an effective scenario. Therefore, the company has come a long way from large-scale marketing research and brand development to a large-scale modernization of the company’s main assets and the construction of new gas stations under the Gazpromneft brand in Russia and GAZPROM abroad. The fame and reputation of Gazprom contributed to the effective introduction of brands to the market and at the same time set a high bar for service level requirements.

Today, the Gazprom Neft brand architecture consists of more than 30 items. It is formed by a series of retail brands of the Gazprom Neft line, premium brands of the G-Family family, individual social and corporate programs - perhaps no other oil company on the Russian market has such a wide range of brands.

ALEXANDER DYBAL,

We have secured stable leadership in those regions where gas stations of the Gazprom Neft network operate. A third of our customers already prefer premium G-Drive fuel. Thanks to the high level of quality of our products, today G-Energy and Gazpromneft oils are actively capturing market share, successfully displacing foreign brands from the domestic market. Today, it is almost impossible to achieve success in the market simply by releasing high-quality and technologically advanced products in conditions of fierce competition. A comprehensive strategy for the development of consumer brands is needed that allows them to occupy new markets and market niches, increase sales volume and market share. It is the consumer brands of Gazprom Neft that today allow the company to be a leader in almost all segments of the Russian petroleum products market, to successfully develop its sales networks abroad, thereby strengthening the corporate brand and, due to the growth in the value of intangible assets, increasing the overall capitalization of the company.

An important step in the development of Gazprom Neft brand architecture was the launch of a premium line of oils with the leading brand G-Energy. The famous actor Jason Statham became the face of the advertising campaign for the new oil brand, making it bright and effective. Next came the turn of premium fuel G-Drive and Drive Cafe, popular among car enthusiasts. Today, motorsport has become the main platform for promoting the G-Family brands - this is a global trend in the communications of fuel and oil brands.

The marketing strategy for the development of retail brands has brought good results, as confirmed by data from the global information research company Nielsen. The development and promotion of brands ultimately largely shaped the current image of the company as modern, efficient and technologically advanced. The mechanism is simple: food brands gain consumer recognition, influencing attitudes towards the entire corporation. At the same time, the company, by developing advanced projects in the industry, shapes consumer attitudes towards its line of brands and products. In this way, mutual trust between corporate and consumer brands is formed. And a brand today is an asset with real value.

Information according to a study of the effectiveness of communications of retail brands of the company in Russia: 2011-2012, Bojole agency (number of respondents - 4555 people); 2013–2015, Nielsen agency (number of respondents - 13,655 people)

Thus, the brands of many world giants make up the majority of their capitalization, and the strength of the brand is manifested through trust in the quality of the product, in the financial reliability and cleanliness of the partner. Experts attribute the increasing share of intangible assets in the market value of companies to the main trends of the modern, post-industrial economy. At the same time, today the role of branding in the development of B2B companies is growing exponentially, and it is not much less significant than for B2C companies. If the associations of B2B and B2C consumers are not broken over time, but are only strengthened and confirmed by examples, then they are willing to pay a certain premium to the seller for these advantages, which, accordingly, has a positive effect on the financial condition of the company through the strength of its brand. Thus, image investments in a brand are needed not only for the development of the company in a positive vector, but also for demonstrating the strength of the brand on the stock market. Thus, when an enterprise enters an IPO or complete sale of assets, the role of the brand becomes very significant; in international practice, cases have been recorded when a third of the value of shares is formed by the successful promotion of the brand.

The brand of the oil company Gazprom Neft is known to almost everyone in Russia today - this is a confirmation of the company’s effective marketing policy, supported by the development of the parent brand Gazprom. At the same time, Gazprom Neft is an industry leader in the eyes of the expert community: in the business environment, the company ranks at the top of the ranking of the fastest growing companies in Russia.

Gas stations with guaranteed fuel quality and a popular loyalty program

For a vertically integrated oil company, its own developed network of gas stations is a reliable and high-margin sales channel for petroleum products. In 2009, Gazprom Neft began creating a retail network under a single brand - Gazprom Neft gas stations. Initially, the network united about 900 gas stations, most of which were located in the regions closest to the company’s refineries. Today Gazpromneft is a federal network of gas stations, also represented in a number of CIS countries. Over the course of several years, the number of stations doubled, while due to M&A activity the company managed to strengthen its position in the largest region of Russia - Central, and enter the important markets of St. Petersburg, Chelyabinsk, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and Krasnodar Territory.

From the consumer's point of view, the Gazprom Neft gas station network is, first of all, consistently high-quality gasoline in the middle price category. This positioning is especially important for non-capital regions, where there is a large percentage of small networks that rely on cheap and often low-quality fuel.

National Network

The Gazpromneft gas station network includes more than 1.4 thousand stations in 29 Russian regions, as well as in the CIS countries. Through its own retail network, the company sold 9.3 million tons of petroleum products in 2015.

The “On Our Way” loyalty program operating in the Gazprom Neft gas station network already unites 6.4 million customers. In Russia, the share of sales of petroleum products using loyalty cards is 75% of total retail sales. A separate program also exists for corporate clients, who can use a special fuel card for payments, which provides significant price advantages.

9.3 million tons of petroleum products were sold in 2015 through the Gazpromneft gas station network

At the same time, the development strategy of the Gazprom Neft gas station network is sensitive to changes in demand and takes into account market trends. In particular, over the past few years the number of additional services and related products at stations has been actively growing. Today, a typical Gazpromneft gas station is, in addition to a gas station, also a store, a cafe, a car wash, tire inflation, and an express oil change. It is planned that by 2020 the share of sales of non-fuel goods and services will increase several times, and income from related businesses should cover a significant part of retail operating costs.

Brand history

At the time of the founding of Gazprom Neft, the company managed several gas station networks under different brands: Sibneft, Slavneft, Novosibirsk Nefteproduct, NK Alliance, etc. The project to create a unified brand for the company's retail network began in 2007. The rebranding affected both the name and appearance of the gas stations, and the formation of the image of branded stations as modern, comfortable and reliable, offering high-quality products and services taking into account the specifics of each region at a price affordable for most motorists.

It took two years to develop the concept and corporate identity of the new brand. The chosen name for the network - gas station "Gazpromneft" - solved two strategic problems. The direct association with Gazprom automatically aroused a high level of trust and made it possible to effectively introduce a new brand to the market, at the same time, the word “oil” in the name provided a semantic transition from the main specialization of Gazprom (gas) to another area of ​​business - automobile fuel, Gas station.

ALEXANDER KRYLOV,
Deputy General Director of Gazprom Neft for Corporate Communications:

The Gazpromneft gas station network is the face of our company, the main point of contact with the consumer. Since the formation of the network, we have created a strong and recognizable brand, which is associated with high quality fuel, convenient service and favorable offers for customers. Gazpromneft gas stations have repeatedly become the brand of the year, which means that the values ​​that we have invested in this brand meet the expectations of motorists.

The company's fuel portfolio is also increasing every year. Branded gasoline G-Drive, which we introduced to the market in 2011, is no longer just a premium fuel brand - we have created a certain lifestyle. That is why all our products under the G-Drive brand - from gasoline to energy drinks and chewing gum - are in great demand among customers. That is why the share of G-Drive fuel in the sales basket of high-octane gasoline in our network reaches 30%, although the market average does not exceed 15%. G-Drive is the flagship premium brand of Gazprom Neft; it embodies innovation, power, and victory. These values ​​are conveyed by our G-Drive Racing team, which has already achieved a number of important world motorsport podiums and thanks to which we have the opportunity to test fuels in extreme conditions.

A family of high-tech premium fuel products with improved performance.

The share of G-Drive fuel in the Gazprom Neft high-octane gasoline sales basket reaches 30%.

The appearance of gasoline under the G-Drive brand in the Gazprom Neft gas station network at the beginning of 2011 became a logical step for Gazprom Neft towards strengthening its position in the fuel retail market and attracting new customers. Our own strong, modern and dynamic brand of motor fuels in the premium segment is a significant advantage in a highly competitive market. An obvious prerequisite for its creation was the increase in the fleet of new foreign cars in Russia, leading to a constant increase in the share of consumption of high-octane gasoline and demand for fuel with improved characteristics. Therefore, it is not surprising that G-Drive fuel immediately found its consumers. Today, every third driver who chooses 95 gasoline at a Gazpromneft gas station fills up with G-Drive

Today G-Drive is not only a family of premium fuel products, motor gasolines with octane ratings of 95 and 98, but also a whole range of related products produced under the same brand. Sports play a special role in promoting the brand - auto racing, football and hockey.

The high quality of G-Drive fuel, its demand in the market, as well as a competent promotion policy have allowed G-Drive to take a top position among the most famous retail brands on the Russian fuel market in just a few years. According to marketing research, G-Drive is one of the three most famous brands in Russia and occupies a leading position in the regions where the Gazpromneft gas station network is present.

Specifications

G-Drive fuel was originally created as high-quality gasoline with improved performance. Before appearing on the market, the fuel underwent independent testing on cars of various brands. Tests have shown that when using G-Drive, the power of a car engine increases to 8.6%, and the acceleration dynamics of the car increases to 1.5 seconds. Over time, thanks to the constant search for more efficient components, these figures have been improved: for example, today we can already talk about a maximum increase in engine power of up to 12%.

To achieve such results, various additives are added to gasoline. The thermally stable element included in the G-Drive fuel - a friction modifier - creates a protective film between the piston and the cylinder wall of a car engine, minimizes friction, which increases the efficiency of the engine as a whole, providing increased power and improving acceleration dynamics. The complex of active additives also includes detergent components. Thanks to them, with constant use of G-Drive, the amount of deposits on the intake valves and fuel injectors of engines is reduced by more than 10 times compared to conventional fuel.

A network of gas stations in the premium segment of fuel retail in the Balkans

95 gas stations in the Balkans form today the GAZPROM gas station network

The development of a retail sales network is one of the main strategic objectives of NIS, the Serbian asset of Gazprom Neft. At the same time, it was initially decided that the geography of the company’s retail sales presence should not be limited to the borders of Serbia, where the NIS Petrol gas station network historically operates. But it was decided to enter foreign markets with a new brand - GAZPROM Petrol Stations. Not only the name has become new, but also the target audience: GAZPROM gas stations are designed for the premium segment as the most profitable in conditions of limited resources, due to the sufficient distance of the stations from the parent refineries. The premium nature of the segment implies that at the stations the client can not only refuel with the highest quality gasoline, but also receive additional services and products. This format is typical for Western European countries, where gas stations are traditionally associated with supermarkets and snack bars. However, sociological studies have shown that additional services are also in demand among consumers in the eastern part of the Old World: a survey conducted in the Balkans back in 2009 showed that at least 16% of drivers are ready to pay “for options.” And as the economic and political situation improves, the size of the motivated target audience grows.

The first gas stations under the GAZPROM brand opened in Serbia and Romania at the end of 2012, and in 2013 they were joined by gas stations in Bulgaria and Bosnia and Herzegovina. By the end of 2013, the GAZPROM gas station brand received the honorary title “Best Regional Project”, which is awarded annually by one of the most influential business structures in the country - the Serbian Association of Managers.

Brand history

The decision to create a proprietary network of gas stations in the Balkans specifically under the GAZPROM brand was made based on the results of marketing research conducted in 2009–2010. During testing, it was GAZPROM that received the highest ratings for euphony, ease of pronunciation for potential consumers and intention of use in comparison with other options. In addition, the GAZPROM brand itself is well recognized by European consumers and is associated with reliability and premiumness.

To create the corporate identity of the new brand, the visual image of the corporate identity of the Gazpromneft gas station chain, which also received high marks from Europeans, was taken as a basis. In 2015, sales of G-Drive branded premium fuel were successfully launched at GAZPROM gas stations in Serbia and Bulgaria. In a short time, high-quality 100-octane gasoline G-Drive 100 has earned the trust of car owners and occupies a significant share of total gasoline sales.

GAZPROM in Europe

Today, the GAZPROM retail network includes 16 gas stations in Serbia, 18 in Romania, 35 in Bulgaria, and 27 stations in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At GAZPROM gas stations, customers are offered Euro-5 fuel, high-quality oils and lubricants, other related products, wireless Internet access and a varied menu in a cafe or restaurant, including national cuisine. In addition, gas stations have ample parking and a children's playground.

The network has a loyalty program, as well as a GAZPROM card for corporate clients - a new generation card that meets the highest European standards in its capabilities. The card allows corporate clients to receive significant discounts on fuel and other goods and services, track the movement of funds in their personal account, optimize expenses, and also provides the services of a personal manager. Currently, the process of integrating the GAZPROM fuel card system with the corporate cashless payment system of the Gazpromneft gas station network is underway, after which they can be used in Russia and the CIS countries.

Director of the Sales Block at NIS:

GAZPROM gas stations are an international premium brand of gas stations where we use the latest technologies that meet modern business and environmental standards. Thanks to high-quality fuel, a wide range of related products and a pleasant atmosphere, in three and a half years since the opening of the first gas station under the GAZPROM brand, we have managed to win the trust of customers in Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In keeping with our slogan “The best is before you”, we continue to work to improve our offering, as satisfied customers come first. Our consumers appreciate our work and desire to meet all their desires, so consumer confidence in the brand is growing every day, bringing us closer to our strategic goal - to take a leading position in the retail automotive fuel market in the Balkans.

Own brand of cafes and food products for sale at gas stations allows you to attract new customers and increase the chain’s revenue

A modern gas station is not just a point of sale of fuel - it is a complex that combines many services, such as tire inflation, car washing, sale of food and small items necessary on the road. And of course, a modern gas station should have a cafe, because this is the easiest and fastest way to have a snack on the road.

Today, all Russian networks are following the path of developing related businesses, because the margin in the fuel business is 5–7%, and in the non-fuel business - more than 30%.

The development of a cafe under its own brand at Gazprom Neft gas stations is intended to increase the comfort of customers on the go and at the same time increase the revenue of the retail network. The company's strategy assumes that by 2020, revenues from related businesses will cover a significant portion of retail operating costs.

Today Drive Cafe is equipped in 800 of the 1.4 thousand Gazpromneft gas stations in Russia. About 50 thousand people use their services every day. Another important trend in the development of related businesses is the production of goods under their own brand and their sale at gas stations. Such products become a tool for promoting the company's retail brands. The Drive Cafe brand is used for food products sold at gas stations of the Gazprom Neft network.

Another important trend in the development of related businesses is the production of goods under their own brand and their sale at gas stations. Such products become a tool for promoting the company's retail brands. The Drive Cafe brand is used for food products sold at gas stations of the Gazprom Neft network.

Brand history

The company's gas station cafés launched their own brand at the end of 2012. Prior to this, a thorough survey of customer opinions was carried out. The survey showed that the presence of a store and cafe at the station is an important factor for 47% of respondents (while among clients with above-average income, 62% of respondents use their services). The figures were confirmed by facts: in 2011, the company’s revenue from the sale of related products and services in Russia increased significantly compared to the previous year.

After registering the trademark, the next step was to develop a standard assortment for the cafe. In addition to coffee and tea, the café areas initially offered baked goods and hot dogs in branded packages. Subsequently, the product line was constantly expanded. Currently, the cafe's assortment includes about 80 items.

ROMAN KRYLOV,
Deputy General Director for Related Business at Gazpromneft Center:

Cafe is a separate area that we have been actively developing over the past four years, creating our own brand. After the stations acquired a recognizable corporate identity and a service quality standard was developed, all that remained was to open cafes that would attract new customers. Branded coffee shops have become a distinctive feature of the Gazpromneft gas station network. Now every third “non-fuel” sale in our network comes from Drive Café. The Drive Café food concept is to-go services, where customers can take any product with them and eat it on the road or at home. Like fuel for a car, for us coffee is “fuel” for the accompanying business.

Refueled the car - “Refuel” yourself

Coffee occupies a leading position among related goods and services that are purchased at gas stations. A record was set at one of the Moscow gas stations: 1,100 cups of freshly brewed coffee were sold in one day. In second place are hot dogs. Sales record - 600 pieces per day.

In 2015, coffee under its own brand Drive Café appeared in cafes at gas stations of the Gazpromneft network. The coffee is 80% Arabica and 20% Robusta, medium roast. The drink is based on coffee beans from South and Central America. The mixture was developed specifically for sale in cafes at Gazpromneft gas stations. Raw materials are purchased from the world's largest traders, blending and roasting of beans is carried out in Russia. The system for remote centralized control of coffee machines at Gazprom Neft gas stations allows you to set uniform recipe settings and maintain a given level of coffee quality in all regions of the network presence. Future plans include selling the Drive Café coffee bean mixture at gas stations in convenient packages for making coffee at home.

Premium Gazprom Neft oils for modern cars, presented in the markets of 57 countries

The demand for high-tech modern lubricants is growing steadily all over the world, as cars become more and more complex. G-Energy is a premium brand of motor oils designed for the most modern passenger cars and approved by the world's leading automakers, such as Mercedes-Benz, VW, BMW, Porsche, Renault, GM, etc. A separate series of oils - G-Energy Far East - has been developed especially for cars of Asian brands.

G-Energy is the flagship brand of the large G-Family product family, which also includes lubricants for commercial vehicles - trucks, agricultural machinery and buses with diesel or gas engines - as well as for stationary gas piston engines (G-Profi, G-Truck , G-Special, etc.).

Today, G-Energy oils are supplied to the markets of Central Asia, the Mediterranean, the Balkans and a number of Middle Eastern countries - a total of 57 countries around the world. The expansion of the geographical presence is accompanied by excellent sales figures: at the end of 2015, the Gazpromneft - Lubricants company increased the volume of sales of products under the G-Energy brand by 69% - from 19 to 32 thousand tons.

Already, about a third of the company's marketing budget is spent abroad. A large-scale project to promote the brand - the opening of partner service stations G-Energy Service. Today they operate in Russia, Italy, Belarus, Armenia, Georgia and Kazakhstan.

Brand history

An important step towards creating a new premium product was the acquisition in 2009 of a high-tech production of modern motor oils in Bari (Italy), where production was initially organized. After localizing the production of a significant part of G-Energy oils in Omsk, the Italian plant continued to work mainly for the European market.

Since the new product was being prepared simultaneously for the markets of the European Union and Russia, they decided to abandon the use of the Gazprom Neft corporate brand in the name of the premium line of lubricants. A connection to a company is indicated by the prefix G. Energy denotes a product line. The same principle of naming began to be used for other premium products of the company.

The visual image of the brand was created in the famous Italian studio of Giorgetto Giugiaro - Italdesign.

For all occasions

G-Energy oils have the unique ability to adapt to different engine operating modes. This is achieved through the use of ACF (Adaptive Components Formula) technology, which allows you to enhance the necessary performance properties depending on the operating conditions of the engine, activating the necessary additives at the right time and providing maximum engine protection under any operating conditions.

The G-Energy product line includes synthetic and semi-synthetic motor oils, transmission and service oils, greases and technical fluids. All brand products are developed together with advanced international research centers. Only the best basic components are used for production.

ALEXANDER TRUCHAN,
General Director of Gazpromneft - Lubricants:

Gazprom Neft lubricant brands are the embodiment of the company's strategy aimed at achieving technological leadership in the Russian market. We rely on innovation and modern approaches to creating technological processes. As a result, our products are not inferior in quality to motor oils from foreign manufacturers - industry leaders. This determines the popularity of G-Energy oils not only in Russian, but also in many foreign markets. At the same time, with the Gazpromneft brand, we managed to solve an ambitious task and create one of the most optimal and balanced lines of oils in Russia. Due to the optimal price-quality ratio, these oils are used at service stations throughout the country and actively occupy market niches in which, until recently, foreign manufacturers were the main players.

Dakar tests

In 2013, the Gazpromneft - Lubricants company was the first on the Russian market to release a specialized line of G-Energy Racing synthetic oils, developed specifically for sports and high-performance engines. These oils have been successfully field tested under real racing conditions. Since 2013, Gazpromneft - Lubricants has supported the G-Energy Team, which competes in the World Cup of Rally Raids and annually takes part in the legendary Dakar rally, which takes place on the roads of Central and South America.

Affordable but high-quality products designed specifically for Russian consumers

Unlike the more expensive G-Energy products, oils under the Gazpromneft brand are aimed mainly at the mass segment of the Russian market. The situation in it today is favorable and provides great opportunities for development: imports are becoming more expensive, the cost of servicing equipment is rising, and in search of a high-quality, but cheaper product, enterprises and private consumers are paying more and more attention to the capabilities of domestic manufacturers.

The main consumers of Gazpromneft oil are owners of Russian-made cars, budget foreign cars and used cars. Gazpromneft - Lubricants is developing cooperation with the largest Russian equipment manufacturers. For example, Gazpromneft Standard 10W-40 oil is poured into all cars coming off the assembly line of the Ulyanovsk Automobile Plant.

Gazprom Neft sold 35 thousand tons of lubricants on the Russian market in 2015

Another promising sales channel is the supply of oils to service stations. We are talking about products intended for equipment during the warranty period, produced in accordance with the most modern specifications of ACEA, API, ILSAC, etc.

Correct positioning brings results. In 2015, sales of Gazpromneft oils increased by 17%. And this despite the fact that the domestic lubricants market as a whole has been shrinking over the past two years. As a result, Gazpromneft - Lubricants increased its share in it to 15%, with a sales volume of 235 thousand tons per year.

Replacement for imports

The import substitution program today gives Russian oil producers good opportunities to promote their products on the domestic market. Gazprom Neft initially built its oils business systematically, and this created certain competitive advantages for the company, which were appreciated by consumers.

To date, as part of the import substitution program, several large-scale agreements have been signed with the authorities of several constituent entities of the Russian Federation, including St. Petersburg, the Orenburg region, the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, the Stavropol Territory, etc. In a number of regions, the Gazprom Neft - Lubricants company has already succeeded in almost completely replace imported oils in housing and communal services, fuel and energy complex and in passenger vehicles. At the same time, we are talking not only about the sale of products. The company is actively involved in supporting all contracts, providing consumers with a full range of engineering services, including helping to determine the choice of products using maps of lubricant analogues.

Brand history

For a long time, only industrial oils and lubricants for the B2B market were produced under the Gazpromneft brand. The company had another retail brand aimed at the mass consumer - Sibi Motor. However, the opportunities for its development were limited: for consumers it was among the affordable, but not high quality products. Therefore, in 2013, the Gazpromneft brand was introduced to the market instead, and in 2015, also due to changes in market conditions, a radical update of the line began. The new products have approvals from leading car manufacturers and are intended for both motorists and service stations. In total, more than 60 different products are produced today under the Gazpromneft brand: motor and transmission oils, greases, flushing oils, coolants, oils for commercial vehicles, marine and diesel engines, hydraulic fluids, etc.

Modern material for road construction, which significantly increases the quality of the coating and its service life

Traditional road bitumen is being replaced by modern materials, such as polymer-modified bitumen (PMB). It is produced on the basis of viscous road bitumen with the addition of a polymer capable of completely restoring linear dimensions upon deformation, as well as a special binding agent to ensure chemical bonding at the molecular level. This allows you to obtain higher and more stable performance indicators of the road surface in terms of heat resistance, frost resistance and wear resistance.

The market for modified bitumen in Russia is actively developing, and, according to experts, by 2025 its capacity could triple, reaching 500 thousand tons. The source of growth is not only large-scale plans for the construction of new and reconstruction of existing highways within the framework of the Transport Strategy of the Russian Federation, but also changes in the requirements for the service life of roads between repairs and the quality of materials used on federal highways.

G-Way Styrelf is Gazprom Neft's response to these challenges. This is a modern modified bitumen, developed in cooperation between Gazprom Neft and the French concern Total and additionally adapted to Russian climatic conditions. The high-tech product is intended primarily for roads with high traffic volumes: the construction of highways, federal highways, and busy city highways. The use of G-Way Styrelf not only improves the quality and durability of the coating, but also increases the economic efficiency of operating highways. The product name includes the prefix G, indicating that it belongs to the Gazprom Neft family of premium brands. Styrelf is a Total brand. It is well known to road workers all over the world and indicates that the bitumen is produced using advanced technology developed in this company.

Brand history

The search for a partner to produce premium bitumen lasted a year and a half. During the preparatory period, the technologies of the world's leading manufacturers of bitumen materials, their policies and market strategies were assessed. As a result, the choice was made on the Total company - as the leader of the European bitumen market and innovative developments in the field of technological production of bitumen and PMB in the world.

In the summer of 2013, an agreement was signed to create a joint venture for the production of polymer-modified bitumen and bitumen emulsions. Then, at the Moscow Refinery, a plant was built designed to produce 60 thousand tons of polymer-modified bitumen and 7 thousand tons of bitumen emulsions per year. On September 30, 2014, its pilot operation began.

Twice as reliable

Thanks to the special binding agent PAXL (Total's own development), which is included in the product, G-Way Styrelf bitumen is much more resistant to cracking and rutting, even under increased traffic loads over a wide temperature range. The service life of such roads more than doubles compared to coatings made using traditional road bitumen.

The Russian line of PMB G-Way Styrelf includes four types of binders: “PMB G-Way Styrelf 60 Standard” and “PMB G-Way Styrelf 60 Premium”, as well as “PMB G-Way Styrelf 90 Standard” and “PMB G- Way Styrelf 90 Premium.” “Standard” grades fully comply with the requirements of Russian GOST 52056, and in some respects they exceed the requirements for similar grades. Premium brands are high-tech products whose properties significantly exceed those of analogues on the domestic market.