In many South American countries, such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile, gas stations are typically full service, meaning attendants pump the gas and sometimes check the oil and clean the windshield. Never leaving their vehicles, most customers just stop for gas and drive off; they infrequently go into the convenience store or visit the onsite service station for car maintenance, like an oil change. Petrobras*, the third largest energy company in the world, wanted to create a personalized gas station experience that would entice customers to purchase more products and participate in their consumer-oriented programs. The result is the “Gas Station of the Future” or GSOF, featuring interactive and media-intensive digital signage that reaches out to customers.
Recognizing Patrons
When customers drive up to a cutting-edge gas station operated by Petrobras, their car is recognized by reading either the license plate or an embedded RFID tag, referenced in the Customer Rewards Program* database. This allows the 46 inch digital signage, positioned above the windshield, to display customized content based on driver demographic information stored in their profiles. For instance, the signage plays targeted advertising based on the drivers’ gender and age and alerts customers when their reward points entitle them to a free beverage or snack from the convenience store. Similarly, the digital signage reports updates to participants in Petrobras programs, such as Formula One*, where drivers compete by forming teams, and the team that makes the most purchases wins race tickets.
Revitalizing the
Revitalizing the Convenience Store
Petrobras, along with Intel, created an engaging, multi-purpose kiosk designed to draw more customers into the onsite convenience store, called BR Mania*. With a 65 inch screen, the kiosk allows customers to print directions to destinations or take their picture standing in front of various backgrounds and share them using email, SMS or Facebook. They can also enroll in the Customer Rewards Programs, check their accounts and read about Petrobras’ many programs and services, including their popular Cultural Program, hot food menu and car maintenance services.
Developing the Gas Station of the Future
This innovative gas station experience is powered by several Intel technologies. The kiosks and the media players driving the digital signage are based on powerful, yet energy-efficient, 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i7 processors. The kiosk has a sensor that sends data to an anonymous viewer analytics program, called Intel® Audience Impression Metrics Suite (Intel® AIM Suite), which identifies the gender and age of customers. This information allows the kiosk to play ads and show news of interest to customers. The systems also integrate Intel® Active Management Technology (Intel® AMT), an advanced remote management system that allows IT administrators to address almost all software issues without requiring an onsite visit by a technician.
Source: Intel