The Paget Shell Station has been re-created with the finest high tech equipment in the fuel business. Here is the perfect example of how partnering technology and customer service makes an impact to Bermuda By Beverley Causey-Smith During 1947 Shell came to Bermuda to establish a retirement benefit fund for its Dutch employees.

Shell Trust Company now manages retirement schemes established for the benefit of Shell employees around the world.

Shell employs 96,000 employees, the majority of whom are citizens working in the local operating companies.

They share in Shell's global expertise and draw on the skill and resources of a major international undertaking.

The Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies has two parent companies.

The Royal Dutch Petroleum Company was founded in 1890 to develop oil fields in the Dutch East Indies and the Shell Transport and Trading Company was a trading venture established in 1897 to handle the transportation of Russian kerosene in bulk to the Far East.

While the two companies have retained their separate and distinct identities, they merged more than 80 years ago so the drilling and refining expertise of the former complimented the transport and marketing skill of the latter.

The first Shell Company was formed in Bermuda in 1949 and its first gas station opened on May 12 1952 at Hamilton's East Broadway.

Today they have several stations, around 15, located around the Island and they sell their oil products and services that cater to the airport and other retail and commercial needs. Richard Osborne, retail sales manager, explained that Shell is one of the few international companies that also developed local business interests.

"The renovation project of the Paget Shell Station began early last October and has gone smoothly.

" We improved the exterior facilities while Chris Mitchell and his family took on the interior of the station. It is a good partnership,'' Mr. Osborne said.

Shell enforces superior standards of operations which means the facility must be clean, neat and reflect a positive business image.

The station must be kept clean and the staff wear uniforms.

According to Jamahl Snaith-Simmons, marketing assistant, Shell insists upon regular training modules with their operators to keep them up to date of the latest industry standards.

Did you ever wonder how they get their fuel here? About every four months Shell fuel tankers carrying gasoline, Jet A-1 and diesel come into Bermuda.

Fuel cargoes are discharged and stored at the Shell depot at Ferry Reach, St.

George's.

They have sophisticated storage tanks underground with a one and a half mile long pipeline and provide a vast oil business to Bermuda's economy.

Shell is high on technology and has electronic sensory devices to detect leaks from fuel tanks.

What this means for Bermuda's environment is the chance of fuel reaching the soil is not probable.

Shell has new tank installations at the Shell Paget Station and is responsible for the forecourt, tanks and the area around the four pumps.

All of the equipment is state of the art.

In terms of trade volume Mr. Osborne said he hopes that business will resume as well as it did previously and is looking for even more retail business from the jazzed up Paget Station.

On the personal side of business, Mr. Snaith-Simmons spoke of Shell's management philosophy, which focuses on service by the staff.

"I act as a coach and I try to do everything in my power to help Shell staff be as good as they can be.

"This is where our superb customer service comes in; I go to all the sites and teach staff about customer service, '' he said.

One of the objectives of customer service is to make the customer feel good.

Customers judge unconsciously three things: Personality - Is this person caring, motivated, attentive, and friendly? Attitudes: Does this person enjoy serving as well as enjoy their job? Are they confident and well trained? Is there a good relationship between staff and employer? Appearance: Is this person well groomed and clean? Do they have tidy habits? Customers form many impressions about service before any direct interaction with staff take place.

By the time they arrive at the counter, customers have nearly always made several important evaluations of the service.

"We are looking forward to serving more Shell customers and convey our best wishes to Chris Mitchell on his new venture,'' concluded Mr. Osborne.