OPET: Precision Marketing in Uncertain Times

By: Esel Cekin and Rajiv Lal and Eren Kuzucu

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Synopsis: During Timucin Guler's decade at OPET, a prominent fuel distributor in Turkey, he transformed the definition of marketing in the company. Under Guler's lead, OPET, once a local player in the downstream distribution market, became the second largest fuel distributor in Turkey. As assistant general manager, Guler had paved the way for customer-oriented marketing, which helped OPET differentiate itself in the market and become fiercely competitive. However, starting from 2009, changing regulations in Turkey's highly regulated oil and gas industry limited OPET's marketing tools, forcing Guler to revisit his marketing strategy. He was concerned that more restrictions were on the way and that these could possibly affect OPET's loyalty program, in which the company had invested heavily. How should Guler go about revising OPET's marketing strategy so as to keep up with and possibly foresee further regulatory changes, while trying to stay ahead of the competition? What would be the best way for Guler to optimize the company's investment in its customer loyalty program?