Executives like John T. Chambers of Cisco Systems, Lawrence J. Ellison of Oracle and Scott McNealey of Sun Microsystems were invited to London to talk to Sir John Browne, BP's chairman and chief executive, and other senior managers about technology. Most of what BP learned has been funneled into internal projects, like equipping 70 percent of its nearly 100,000 employees with laptop computers and other mobile equipment that allows them to plug into the company's intranet and the Web. The company is also loading its intranet with the data, teleconferencing packages and other services that help employees do their jobs. And it is encouraging employees to visit its Virtual Village site, where a screen depicting a downtown shopping district connects employees to Web sites that can help them with personal tasks like shopping or banking. A project in Australia allows customers of Wishlist, a Melbourne-based electronic retailer, to pick up orders of consumer products at local BP service stations rather than wait at home for a delivery.
Customers can also drop off products they are returning.
Inside the stores are Internet kiosks where drivers can send and receive e-mail and shop on the Web. In the United States, the kiosks are being tested in Indianapolis and in Atlanta. Analysts say that BP's gasoline prices will have far more impact on where drivers fill up than the availability of such e-business innovations. Trade-Ranger is not only competing with traditional procurement practices but also with PetroCosm, an Internet exchange formed by Chevron, Texaco and technology vendors like Ariba and Requisite Technology. It is simultaneously developing Chemicals Choice, a private BP portal for customers who want to buy directly over the Internet from the chemicals division.