Convenience Store at petrol stations has become passe. Now Bharat Petroleum Corporation is launching 'discount grocery stores' to make customers' visits to petrol stations a pleasurable experience.

The oil refining and marketing major has opened two such stores at its retail outlets at Bangalore and Pune on a pilot basis. It is now looking to set up a shop in Mumbai.

According to S Krishnamurti, executive director (retail), BPCL, the company sources the goods/provisions, warehouses and sells them. The vast network of 4500 retail outlets across the country is an asset that the company wants to capitalise to the hilt.

Typically, the size of a discount store will be between 500-2000 square feet. Depending on the response to these stores, BPCL will set up more such stores across the country.

Krishnamurti also launched the Standard Chartered-Bharat Petroleum co-branded debit card 'Smartfill' in association with Visa International.

Smartfill allows customers to earn one reward point for every Rs 125 spent on the card. Every time a customer uses Smartfill in India or overseas to purchase groceries, fuel, settle restaurant bills, shopping, holiday, travel expenses etc they earn reward points, which can be accumulated and redeemed at par for free fuel at BPCL outlets.

BPCL also has a petro bonus programme that boasts of one million customers today.

Further, customers will get a transaction fee waiver (normally 2.5 per cent) on purchase of fuel at over 225 designated BPCL outlets in 10 cities in the country.

Customers will also get five per cent discount for purchases made at 'In and Out' departmental stores situated at BPCL fuel stations.

This customer-centric rewards programme will not only help BPCL to give incentives to its existing customers but also lure customers from petrol bunks of competing oil companies.