Fuel Oil News December 2020 | Page 7

NEWS

Mabanaft ’ s standards remain high through challenging times

With a network of independent fuel terminals strategically located across the country , Mabanaft is uniquely positioned to supply fuel to the UK market . The company takes pride in listening to its customers and delivering the best possible service . To ensure standards remain high , Mabanaft undertakes a customer survey each year and has just released the results of its 2020 survey which offer great insight into what customers expect of a supplier .
Top priorities In this year ’ s survey , customers confirmed that their priorities remain the same when choosing a fuel supplier – identifying customer service , reliable continuity of supply , the accuracy of invoicing and price as key drivers .
Customer service 97.5 % of customers rated the service received as excellent or good , with comments including “ always happy on the phone and extremely fast at placing orders ” and “ very efficient , professional , always helpful and courteous ”. Positive feedback on the way Mabanaft ’ s staff have performed is especially commendable given the hugely difficult circumstances created by Covid-19 . While working from home has presented new challenges , Mabanaft continues to explore ways of supporting staff and enhancing internal communications so they can provide answers quickly .
Reliability of supply While always significant to customers , reliability of supply has been of paramount importance throughout the uncertainty of 2020 . Increasing 1.1 % from last year , 95 % of those surveyed rated Mabanaft ’ s supply reliability as excellent or good . Demand for home heating oil surged as people remained in their homes , so Mabanaft is delighted to have been able to keep pace with that demand and keep its customers fuelled .
Accuracy of invoicing Mabanaft understands that accuracy of invoicing is crucial for customers , as errors create a huge administration challenge . This year , 92.5 % of customers rated invoice accuracy as excellent or good . The Mabalive portal allows customers to proactively manage deal administration throughout the deal lifecycle , meaning errors can be identified and quickly resolved . The survey indicates there is still room for improvement ; further investments in straightline processing will help eradicate mistakes .
Price Mabanaft prides itself on providing quality fuel at competitive prices , even in a fluctuating market . According to survey respondents , 97.5 % believe that Mabanaft is performing well on pricing and that “ prices in the past year have been very competitive ”. The Mabalive pricing portal has proven to be invaluable during the lockdown , offering live prices online between 8am and 5.30pm . In response to customers ’ feedback , further enhancements such as online bidding will be released shortly .
Mabalive Customers also praised Mabanaft ’ s online system Mabalive , saying one of the main benefits is the “ ability to view current prices live ” as well as offering “ a very straightforward process and usefulness in tracking outstanding balances ”. They also rated online reporting and deal administration highly for ease of use .
Steadfast in difficult times Martin Cook , managing director at Mabanaft , says of this year ’ s survey results ;
“ Despite the challenging circumstances of 2020 , Mabanaft is delighted to have delivered a reliable supply of fuel and provided what our customers deem to be an excellent service throughout . We have received brilliant feedback that will allow us to improve even further in the coming year . We also noted several helpful suggestions for ways to improve certain aspects of our service . Online bidding will offer a new and exciting dynamic to the process of purchasing fuel online . We will also bear in mind requests for Mabanaft to have a presence in additional locations .
“ We ’ d like to thank everyone who took part in our 2020 survey and look forward to working with you all over the coming years .”

Essar safety raises £ 3,000 for hospice

Employees at Essar Stanlow have been able to make a valuable difference to a cause close to their hearts , thanks to the company ’ s ‘ Let ’ s Give ’ programme .
The initiative links safety achievements with charitable giving to local charities , nominated by employees . A £ 3,000 donation to The Hospice of the Good Shepherd came after Essar recently recorded two million working hours without a Lost Time Injury .
For over thirty years , the Hospice in Backford has delivered end of life care to patients living with life limiting conditions . In the last year , almost 1,000 families have benefited from the combined services of both the Hospice and the bereavement team .
Paul Wilcox , inspection team leader , who also nominated the charity , added ;
“ Many colleagues at the refinery , and their families , have benefited from the care and support the Hospice offers and it is great that we are able to collectively thank them , especially during these difficult times , for the incredible work and services provided to so many local families .”
The Hospice is facing an unprecedented financial crisis due to the impact of the pandemic . Not part of the NHS , the Hospice receives only 25 % of its income from government funding , meaning it has to raise just over £ 3 million each year with fundraising efforts severely hampered this year .
Justin Caroe , community & events manager for the Hospice , commented ;
“ We are delighted to receive this generous donation from Essar , which will make a huge difference in allowing the Hospice to continue providing vital services to the community . We continue to source and raise funds on a daily basis to allow our Hospice to remain open , and whether its company or individual funding every penny is a step closer to a more sustainable future for us .”
Fuel Oil News | December 2020 7