Transforming Customer Service in Indian Petro-Retail: A Technological Shift to IoT

Technology has impacted industries in multiple ways, bringing innovation and creating significant value for society. Technology’s impact may be either radical, incremental, disruptive or architectural. James Watt’s steam engine heralded the 1st Industrial Revolution, while computers led the most recent. The primary objective of this study is to critically evaluate the gaps in Internet of Things (IoT) adoption within India's petro-retail sector, particularly in terms of meeting customer service expectations. This research is of significant importance as it provides a comprehensive review of existing literature, case studies, and published research across various sectors, including retail, telecommunications, manufacturing, supply chain management, and oil & gas. Technological advancements have significantly influenced both consumers and industries and just as the internet revolutionized human interactions, IoT is poised to transform machine interactions. The integration of connectivity with everyday objects has redefined our interactions with these devices.

Industries such as healthcare, manufacturing, and telecommunications have already experienced substantial changes from IoT implementations. However, IoT adoption varies significantly by sector in the oil and gas industry. The upstream sector, which focuses on exploration and drilling, has embraced IoT extensively, while the midstream sector, handling transport and storage, has applied IoT in more selective areas. In downstream operations, particularly refining and retail, IoT adoption remains limited. Although IoT solutions are generally employed for cost optimisation and operational management, their impact on the petro-retail sector has yet to be fully realised.

The study concluded that given the increasing influence of technology on consumer lifestyles, IoT could significantly elevate customer experiences in petro-retail, maximising both service quality and revenue. As IoT becomes integral to future society, its influence on the service industry, including petro-retail, is expected to be substantial. Therefore, an analysis of the current adaptation gaps in petro-retail IoT adoption will provide valuable insights for academics and industry managers in oil and gas, facilitating further research, study, and practical implementation.