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I have to admit I'm a massive FC Bayern Munich fan. It's all I can do to suppress my urge to jump up and down and generally behave like a heartless winner. I know I'm supposed to feel sorry for BVB Dortmund, but.... well I don't.
Having spent the week listening to journalists trot out this ridiculous rich club / poor club, working men's football club versus superstar team argument it's enough to make me want to cry into my champagne. Of course Dortmund are never shy about referring to their tradition and working class background, but hey, these guys were first to the stock market. Jurgen Klopp, the mouthpiece / trainer of Dortmund earns more from advertising than any other trainer. The point is this club has no more claims to be a "working-mans" team than any other club which has grown from community roots, as most football clubs have. Anyway you're probably wondering why I am so animated about football. Well let me tell you it's the perfect study of human behaviour and the boss always says that's the key to winning, Knowing your team and being able to inspire them and motivate them to perform a job to the highest standard and still have fun doing it. When I told the boss that he reminded me of  Jupp Heynkes , he looked at me with that detached look he loves and and said "yup what?"  I have to admit he is not a real football fan, which has always a big disappointment to me. He prefers the egg shaped ball. The thugs game played by gentlemen. "Mr. Crab" , he continued (with that mixture of seriousness, sarcasm and scorn with which he has withered many a lesser man)  "how about writing about real winners for a change such as Petrogas winning the AIM CRM Award last week eh"?
Well he drew himself up to his full height and beaming like a trainer who'd just won the champions league final,  turned on his heels muttering "now there's a story worth telling. ... yup? yup indeed...  "

Petrogas won the CRM Customer Service Award at the AIM Awards last week. One factor was the Applegreen loyalty system. Applegreen Rewards launched in November 2011, the first of its kind in the Irish forecourt industry.  At its foundation was a collector mentality points based platform. One point per litre of fuel and four points per euro spent in the shop.

Petrogas' brand, Applegreen has created a two way communications platform with customers.  Over 500 calls and 300 emails are received and dealt with weekly, the vast majority are positive. It has also increased communication between site staff and their customers. Loyal customers were rewarded at sign up and across the year. The first 70,000 received a free experiential reward of a spa treatment or golf day.  

Congratulations to  Petrogas ( Lto R: Jean O'Donnell, Siobhan Grimes, Director Joe Barrett, Dermot Hassett and Olwyn Halligan) on winning the AIM  CRM award. Special congratulations to Olwyn  who is getting married in less than a week.