Total Turkey Pazarlama, which has been operating in lubricants production and marketing industries of Turkey for more than 30 years, has launched its digital platform, “Made for Mechanics”, for the use of mechanics. The platform, which is the first and only one in Turkey to provide comprehensive services and privileges in the lubricants industry and which employs an integrated system, offers a unique experience for vehicle maintenance and repair mechanics. Total Turkey Pazarlama Marketing and Technology Director Fırat Dokur said, “Our goal was to create a platform by using TOTAL and ELF’s global expertise in the field of lubricants, together with our ability to make use of innovation and technology in Turkey, and we managed to do it.” We interviewed Dokur about the new platform and TOTAL’s close relationship with mechanics, which has been ongoing for many years.
How did Total Turkey Pazarlama come up with the idea for the “Made for Mechanics” platform?
At Total Turkey Pazarlama, we have been operating in the production and marketing of lubricants in Turkey. We have a strong sales and distribution network that supplies products, mainly engine oils, to the automotive, industrial and maritime transport sectors, both directly and through our distributors. We produce approximately 50 thousand tons of lubricants and special products annually at our lubricants-blending plant in Menemen, Izmir, which meets the highest international and local standards.
Vehicle maintenance and repair mechanics also hold a very important place among our stakeholders. So we wanted to offer them a unique experience, one without equal within the sector, through our “Made for Mechanics” platform, which we developed with their priorities in mind. We created a platform that can be easily accessed via mobile application and our website. We offer special privileges to mechanics who prefer TOTAL and ELF lubricants.
Can you provide details about the privileges that the platform offers? What do mechanics experience on this platform, and what kind of services are available?
The platform, which can be used either via mobile application or website, offers special campaigns and qualified services for mechanics. Mechanics can earn “Lub point” from the lubricant purchases they make during campaign periods, keep track of their points through the application, and get free products by using these points in their next order. Since all current accounts are automatically tracked through the integrated distributor sales system, no manual or additional procedures are needed to enjoy these benefits. Mechanics can earn “activity points” through professional content sharing and competitions that they can take part in via the application. These points can then be converted into gift vouchers that they can exchange for free products. Moreover, mechanics who use the platform, share quality content, and actively use the application’s various features can also win surprise gifts if they place at the top of the weekly and monthly rankings.
How can users exchange information with Total or other users on the platform?
Mechanics can communicate and exchange information with their counterparts from all over Turkey through the forums available on the “Made for Mechanics” platform. They can ask each other questions and respond to content by posting comments or likes. They can also obtain support on challenging technical issues from expert consultants who have been authorized by TOTAL. What’s more, they can access training videos that have been meticulously prepared by TOTAL’s Technical Services Team and Turkey’s leading expert instructors, along with frequently updated technical bulletins via their mobile phones.
How many members do you aim to reach through the “Made for Mechanics” application?
The application is the first of its kind in the lubricants industry. Therefore, we have had more users than we initially expected, even though the platform has only been implemented at the pilot level in certain cities. Ultimately, however, we aim to have more than 10 thousand members before the end of the year. And we believe this number will increase exponentially in the years ahead.
Will the platform introduce any unique innovations any time soon?
We are proud to offer this great application to valuable mechanics who use TOTAL and ELF products in independent workshops. By directing end-users to the “Made for Mechanics” program’s membership services through the “TOTAL Service Finder” website, which we will soon launch in tandem with the application, we aim to provide another valuable service to all users within the lubricants ecosystem. In addition, we plan to transform this application into a communication tool that will bring the TOTAL and ELF brands together under a single umbrella. We plan to do this by moving our promotions, events and communications onto a private platform in line with the needs of the modern era.
What other plans does Total Turkey Pazarlama have for mechanics? Are there plans to meet with mechanics operating in the field, as you have done in previous years?
Total Turkey Pazarlama always prefers to be out in the field with our business partners. We consider this to be one of our strengths. We have met with some six thousand mechanics in more than 20 cities at the “Get Together With Mechanics” events that we held in 2018 and 2019. In doing so, we aimed to help mechanics, who are integral to the industry, by providing them with technology and know-how, and have received very positive feedback. Due to the pandemic, we were unable to hold these meetings last year. But we are working hard to get back into the field, and we are looking forward to meeting again with mechanics from all over Turkey.
