South Korean oil refiner and marketer GS Caltex plans to launch a beta version of the Energy Plus app and operate a 1,000-person customer experience group selected through pre-registration and lottery. The plan is to release the full version to all customers in September.

When launched in September, the full version of the Energy Plus app will include promotions and offer affiliate products.

“Through the Energy Plus app, we have built a platform that provides a differentiated fueling and vehicle management service,” according to an official of GS Caltex.

The main function of the Energy Plus app, the ‘Baro Refueling’ service, allows customers to order and pay for fuel at once by scanning a barcode or entering a pin number at a gas station when customers register a fueling pattern and payment method, such as oil type and amount, in the app in advance.

GS Caltex’s direct gas service is different from other simple services that require a gas station to be designated and reserved in advance. The advantage is that any GS Caltex gas station that can provide a gas service right away can order and pay with one gas station without specifying a gas station in advance. 

During the beta testing period, gas service will be available at about 240 directly-managed gas stations. This will expand to more than 800, including self-owned gas stations, by the end of this year.

In the beta version of the Energy Plus mobile app, a ‘Concierge’ service was also installed. GS Caltex’s concierge service is currently being pilot operated based on the GS Tower in Seoul. It is a one-stop service that provides refueling, car washing, and parking at once when a customer visits GS Tower and leaves the vehicle key with a dedicated staff member. 

A gas station near GS Tower is used for gas service, and steam car washing and valet parking are performed in a dedicated space within GS Tower. When all services are completed, the customer can come back at the desired time.

GS Caltex is considering expanding the concierge service based on the energy plus hub, the future gas station of GS Caltex.