IOCL plans to automate 7,500 retail outlets in 2014-15

State-run Indian Oil Corporation plans to automate 7,500 outlets by 2014-15, its chairman B Ashok said today.

Union Minister of State for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan today inaugurated the automation facility simultaneously at all Indian Oil retail outlets here by remote control.

"Indian Oil, which has automated more than 6,200 retail outlets till August, 2014, also plans to automate 7,500 outlets by 2014-15 fiscal and more than 10,000 retail outlets by 2015-16," the IOC chairman said.

In Odisha, Indian Oil has automated 192 retail outlets and has planned to increase it to a total of 230 outlets in the financial year 2014-15, he said.

Stating that the concept of 100 per cent City Retail Outlet Automation is a key initiative launched by Indian Oil, Ashok said in the current financial year, the company plans to automate more than 20 cities in the country.

Today's automation has made the Odisha's state capital first fully automated retail outlet city in Eastern India.

"The automation will dispel the doubts in the minds of the petroleum consumer and bring benefit to all. The best practices of customer care and services would be implemented in Odisha," Pradhan said addressing a gathering on this occasion at Nuagaon Chowk IOC retail outlet here.

Stating that profit is not the prime motive, but customer satisfaction is the need of the hour, Pradhan said automated system would help quick and effective customer grievance redressal due to availability of record for each transaction.