The objective of the exercise, according to sources, is to create customer loyalty to IBP; increase sales at outlets and thus improve dealer profitability; improve facilities at outlets; create kinship among dealers of different regions and finally prepare them to face competition in a deregulated environment.

The 15 outlets selected in the first phase of the trade linkage scheme comprise three apiece in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh, two each in Punjab, Haryana, Bihar and West Bengal and one in Assam. This has been done following the findings of a task force in a detailed survey on highways between Pathankot and Guwahati.

The major locations as per the study are Pathankot-Ludhiana-Rajpura inPunjab; Ambala-Karnal-Panipat in Haryana; the highway route passing through Delhi; Moradabad-Lucknow-Gorakhpur in UP; Muzaffarpur-Barauni-Purnea in Bihar; Siliguri-Jalpaiguri-Alipurduar in West Bengal and Bongaigaon to Guwahati in Assam.

IBP plans to extend this scheme to other major highways where its outlets are located after this scheme is flagged off by the first week of November. When this is done, it will be the biggest linkage network of outlets for long route truckers.

An interesting part of this scheme is that all highway retail outlets with the required outlets will be eligible for joining the IBP Highway Club. This largely comprises a distinct identity to these outlers which is a special logo prominently displayed in the form of a 6' by 4' glow sign mounted on a separate pole.

The outlets will be equipped with what could be termed the basic minimum facilities. These include toilets with running water, water cooler, STD booth, rest room, dhaba, tyre vulcanising shop, parking space, bituminiseddriveway and many others. There are also plans to instal a washing machine, doctor on call and an electrical repair shop.

As per the plans, IBP will provide most of the facilities at select outlets on a one-time basis with the dealer catering to their maintenance. All other infrastructure will be invested by the dealer on his own. Future outlets which will be part of this scheme will also develop these facilities on their own.

Company officials say that to promote and make the scheme successful, publicity material is proposed to be distributed which will consist of glow signs at each member outlet; hoarding with a special message; banner on all outlets on the route; tin plates for trucks; folders for truckers and caps and T-shirts.

Incidentally, an accident insurance scheme for truckers is also being discussed. Here, free accident insurance will be provided to drivers and cleaners. The amount of risk covered shall be linked to purchase of petro-products by the trucker from the outlet. The scheme will beoperated through dealers who, in turn, will be compensated for the cost of operating the scheme.