GSM operator Idea Cellular has signed a two-year agreement with Indian Oil Corporation Ltd to deploy its enterprise mobility platform to oil marketing company’s LPG customers. The telecom company’s platform would be used to service IOC’s more than 82 million LPG consumers.

IOCL, which provides LPG under the ‘Indane’ brand, will extend its ‘Smart Gas Solution’ service to provide end-to-end automation on refill delivery process of IOCL. The process starts from initiating booking request, billing and ends with delivery of LPG cylinder with regular updates to consumers, across the country.

The service allows consumers to book LPG over phone or text messages, much in contrast with the traditionally mode of bookings done through distributors. The suite also offers SMS-based delivery status updates, the company said in a statement.

The interactive voice response (IVR) system deployment covers more than 7,000 distributors delivering more than 1.5 million LPG cylinders every day.

“This has been one of the major e-governance projects for IOCL and has not only helped us enhance overall transparency in LPG cylinder booking and real-time reporting, helping better stocks and logistic management across country, but also faster problem resolution and better experience for the consumers,” said A.N. Jha, Executive Director (LPG), IOCL.

At present, the service is launched across 45 cities, with plans to cover other cities in the next three months.

rajesh.kurup@thehindu.co.in