Exxon Mobil engages in oil and gas exploration, production, supply, transportation, and marketing worldwide.  The company supplies refined products to more than 35,000 service stations in 100 countries.  It also provides fuel to 700 airports and more than 200 ports.

Esso Europe was a loose consolidation of the Exxon subsidiaries in retail petroleum in Europe.

Project Summary

Payment card issuing and processing strategy for this international petroleum retail giant.

Background

As European Union was redefining the political landscape in Europe, it was also posing new challenges and opportunities for business.  Previously, each European country had “high borders” and different business environments.  With the new order, some businesses were seeing opportunities in viewing the pan-European market as a single market.  Shell had already launched a new credit card that each of their European companies were issuing, that provided a consistent brand and facilitated cross-border use.

Esso felt they had to match the offering, but while they were launching a new product, they wanted it to be part of a strategy that would move them into market sectors that were little penetrated by other card issuers.

Requirement

Develop a pan-European payment card strategy for product development, issuing and authorizing.

Project After Discovery

Developed a common systems infrastructure for acceptance, authorization, and settlement of all European payment card transactions.

Approach

• Developed an inventory of card (credit, debit and charge) products within the Esso Europe family.  Added market research that described the competitive products in each of the European markets.  Developed a detailed description of the Shell EuroCard product.
• Conducted workshops with country marketing and IT representatives.  Presented the range of products, related features, services and limitations.  Developed product possibilities, prioritized and assembled product categories. Developed product types and processing requirements.
• Formalized a strategy that had a staged implementation, demographic and geographic banding.
• Described the choices in infrastructure changes to process the authorization and settlement of the card transactions.