Kunlun Lubricants: A Thoughtful Butler for Customers

As 2014 drew to a close, it was again time for reviews and commendations. Shanghai GM recently held its 2014 supplier review and commendation meeting at its headquarters, presenting various awards to suppliers and manufacturers. PetroChina Lubricant Company, which has long produced lubricants for Shanghai GM, received the “Outstanding Service Satisfaction Award” presented by Shanghai GM's parts department. At the same time, Dongfeng Motor also presented PetroChina Lubricant Company with an “Outstanding Supplier” award. Zhang Qingwei, deputy director of the market development department of PetroChina Lubricant Company, said: “We did not receive these awards because our brand name is loud, but because we have provided customers with stable product quality and fast logistics services.”
Aiming for high quality in both products and services
The slogan “improve product quality and service quality” sounds impressive, but it often becomes a mere formality. Without following the crowd, PetroChina Lubricant Company has consistently conducted itself in a low-key manner, insisting on being customer-centered and market-oriented and working steadily to improve its service and product quality in order to meet customer needs.
“Starting in 2013, PetroChina Lubricant Company organized technical resources to focus on improving product quality; the products supplied to Shanghai GM all use fixed blending processes and blending schemes, and use selected base oils.” Zhang Qingwei revealed that during the cooperation with Shanghai GM there were no disputes over product quality.
Not only was its product quality affirmed by Shanghai GM, but PetroChina Lubricant Company also stands out for fast and timely logistics. According to Zhang Qingwei, automakers typically do not hold inventory, and Shanghai GM requires two deliveries every day. The PetroChina East China Lubricant Sales Branch responsible for the interface work each time loads and ships two hours early, quickly delivering the oil to the designated receiving location, maintaining high efficiency 365 days a year.
Careful consumers may ask: since the oil is produced by PetroChina Lubricant Company, why is there no Kunlun logo on it? In response, Zhang Qingwei said that although the oil does not reflect Kunlun's brand value, the company still wholeheartedly helps customers with promotion; for example, it often sends technical experts to the automakers' main sales channel — 4S dealerships — to explain on site the knowledge and performance of the dedicated oil, expanding the 4S stores' sales market.
Calmly handling customers' sudden needs
For PetroChina Lubricant Company, supplying products to customers on schedule and in the required quantities is routine work, but in emergencies a contingency plan must be activated. There was such an experience in the first half of 2014, when Shanghai GM suddenly increased its supply of dedicated oil because of production needs. Upon receiving the notice, PetroChina Lubricant Company, on the one hand, adjusted raw materials and organized staff to work overtime in production; on the other hand, it contacted logistics to ensure timely supply.
“Based on each customer's demand, Kunlun arranges production plans and stock every year. In cases like Shanghai GM temporarily increasing supply, we must operate in step with the customer's production rhythm,” Zhang Qingwei said.
It is understood that JAC Motors also recently presented PetroChina Lubricant Company with a difficult problem. On December 9, JAC Motors was going to Mohe to conduct cold-region testing of the new CJ4 model, and needed 0W-grade lubricant to fill the vehicles. On December 5, after receiving the news, PetroChina Lubricant Company immediately organized technical personnel from its R&D center to discuss the region, model and engine for JAC's test, and after determining the scheme it organized production overnight and then dispatched a vehicle to JAC Motors, ensuring that they could load the oil and set off for Mohe on the 9th as planned.
“The process of blending a new oil product is very complicated: first you have to understand Mohe's climate; then come up with a scheme; third you blend it in the laboratory and measure accurate data; and finally you produce it. But there were only 4 days, so we could only work overtime through the night — first blending a small experimental oil sample, then testing and analyzing it, and once we confirmed there were no problems, blending the oil sample JAC Motors needed according to that formula, and finally producing, filling and shipping it.” Zhang Qingwei revealed that work that rushes to meet OEM customers' urgent needs like this has never stopped.
Energy-saving, environmentally friendly products for the future
An honor is both an affirmation of one's work and a form of encouragement. Now that 2015 has begun, PetroChina Lubricant Company still maintains its earnest attitude and low-key habits, providing all OEM customers with high-quality, high-efficiency technology and services.
Zhang Qingwei said that since establishing its technical service center, PetroChina Lubricant Company will, on the one hand, further strengthen technical cooperation with automakers and, on the other, further optimize automakers' products. She said: “Automotive technology is advancing very quickly; for example, commercial vehicles began implementing the China IV standard on January 1, 2015 and passenger vehicles must meet China V, with greater emphasis on energy saving and environmental protection. So the focus of our work in 2015 will be on the needs of commercial and passenger vehicles; together with our customers we will achieve product upgrades and optimization to meet their requirements for vehicle emissions and energy saving. At the same time, considering that 4S dealerships are an important profit channel for automakers, we will do a good job of serving the terminal market.”