Fuel brand Jet outlined its growth plans and continued commitment to UK forecourt retailing to over 100 independent Jet dealers at the recent Phillips 66 2018 Customer Conference.
The two-day ‘Fuelling Growth, Together’ conference took place in Cannes earlier in the month, and saw the company’s Retail and Wholesale customers come together for a series of business updates and breakout sessions.
Presentations were delivered by Mary Wolf (pictured), Managing Director, UK Marketing, Phillips 66 and Pam McGinnis, President, Global Marketing for Phillips 66. Attendees were also invited to take part in a series of breakout sessions run by senior Phillips 66 representatives who provided an update on the retail, wholesale, supply and sales support areas of the business. In addition, there was a session on cyber security delivered by Phillips 66 IT experts.
Attendees also benefitted from industry insight provided in breakout sessions hosted by two leading experts: Richard Lim, Chief Executive of Retail Economics and Val Kirillovs, New Business Director at HIM Shopper Research and Insights.
Lim provided an overview of the UK’s current economic climate and explored the impact of factors such as GPD and Brexit on consumer confidence and the wider economy. Kirillovs’ session explored the trends affecting fuel consumers’ habits and how forecourts can build consumer trust and loyalty to influence buying habits.
It wasn’t all work, however. Jet dealers and their partners made the most of the beautiful surroundings of Cannes, with a Discovery Walking Tour of the old town and a visit to the nearby St.Honorat Island, which is inhabited by monks.
Mary Wolf, Managing Director, UK Marketing, Phillips 66, commented: “We are delighted with how well the conference was received by our customers. We chose ‘Fuelling Growth, Together’ as our conference theme to highlight not only our growth plans for the Jet network, but also our ongoing commitment to adding value to our dealers’ businesses so that they can thrive and achieve their own ambitions.
“Bringing our customers together in a venue that is far removed from their everyday commitments is invaluable as they get the chance to share their views and experiences with other dealers in our network.”
Andrew and Scott Aitken are joint owners of Jet By Pass Service Station in Haddington and Jet Rigg Service Station in Dunbar. Andrew said: “We have been with Jet for 28 years and they remain one of the few companies in the retail industry who really know how to treat their customers and make them feel valued.
“The conference was fantastic from start to finish – from the hotel and location, to the business content and the entertainment. It was invaluable to meet up with other Jet dealers and glean useful information and updates from Jet at the business sessions, but also through conversations throughout the whole event.
“I really enjoyed meeting Soenke Voges, Jet’s new Retail Business Manager, for the first time. It’s clear he’s very forward-thinking and has lots of plans for the business as it continues to grow.”
