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Customers and distributors type in their question via an online message window, and avatars Emma and Ethan reply back with an appropriate answer within seconds. The interaction is similar to a chat conversation, but instead of a live person on the other end, it is all done through artificial intelligence via a technology known as Natural Language Interaction. This technology allows interaction using normal, everyday language and is also in use in certain popular personal assistant applications.

This new lubricant service by Shell is now available to customers and distributors in the United Kingdom and the United States. Shell Virtual Assistant is capable of answering questions such as: where to buy lubricants, what pack sizes are available and give information about product technical properties. The service can also attend to requests for brochures, Technical Data Sheets (TDS), Safety Data Sheets (SDS).

“Shell offers a wide range of lubricant-related services in addition to our product range. Our services help customers choose and use the right product to improve their operations. Shell Virtual Assistant is the next step in our delivery of great support - it is like having a technical expert at your fingertips, ready to answer your technical questions anytime. We are now evaluating launching Shell Virtual Assistant to other markets and in other languages in the near future,� said Roger Moulding, Vice President of Global Marketing, Shell Lubricants.

Shell Virtual Assistant can also make product recommendations based on customers’ equipment, by linking customers to Shell LubeMatch, a free online service where customers can find the right lubricants for their vehicles and equipment in seconds. Shell LubeMatch provides over two million product recommendations for Shell customers every year. It is the most robust oil selector tool in the market, available in 138 countries and 21 languages.

Shell Virtual Assistant also complements another Shell value-added lubricant service, Shell LubeAdvisor, another widely used service that helps customers optimise lubricants in their machinery. It includes a web platform, a technical helpdesk, as well as local application experts for deeper technical support. In fact, for more complex technical questions that Shell Virtual Assistant cannot answer, users are re-directed to Shell LubeAdvisor.

Shell’s business customers also want personal technical advice and support close by. In response, Shell now employs 350 technical field staff and 30 Product Application Specialists working directly with customers – more than any other lubricants supplier.

Shell Lubricants also offers other technical services such as: Shell LubeAnalyst, an oil condition monitoring service and Shell LubeCoach, a robust training programme for customers’ employees.

For more detailed information on Shell’s lubricant services, visit www.shell.com/techservices.

 

Download the complete Shell Virtual Assistant Infographic (PDF)

Shell Global Media Relations: +44 207 934 5550

Shell Lubricants Global: Mary B. Walsh, +32 478402938, mary.walsh@shell.com

• Shell Virtual Assistant handles more than 100,000 datasheets for 3,000 products, 18,000 different pack sizes, understands 16,500 physical characteristics of lubricants and matches Shell products to 10,000 competitive products.
• Shell customers can access Shell Virtual Assistant through the following links: the United Kingdom at .
• Shell LubeMatch is Shell’s most popular customer-facing technical service, with over 8 million hits in 2013. It can be accessed online at http://lubematch.shell.com. Shell LubeMatch is also embedded within the Shell MiGarage app, available on both iOS and Android mobile platforms here. Users of the Shell MiGarage app receive reminders on tasks regarding their vehicle maintenance (oil changes, insurance, etc.), locate the nearest locations that offer these services and view any lubricant promotions that are relevant to their vehicle/equipment.
• Shell LubeAnalyst is an early warning system that helps identify potential oil and equipment failures before they become critical. Customers can have an oil sample analysed in a Shell laboratory. Shell LubeAnalyst is available in 95 countries and 27 languages.
• Shell LubeCoach helps customers’ employees deliver better performance through an improved understanding and better application of lubricants.

The term “Shell Lubricants� collectively refers to Shell Group companies engaged in the lubricants business. Shell sells a wide variety of lubricants to meet customer needs across a range of applications. These include consumer motoring, heavy-duty transport, mining, power generation and general engineering. Shell’s portfolio of lubricant brands includes Pennzoil, Quaker State, Shell Helix, Shell Rotella, Shell Tellus and Shell Rimula. We are active across the full lubricant supply chain. We manufacture base oils in eight plants, blend base oils with additives to make lubricants in over 50 plants, distribute, market and sell lubricants in over 100 countries.

We also provide technical and business support to customers. We offer lubricant-related services in addition to our product range. These include: Shell LubeMatch, Shell LubeAdvisor and Shell LubeAnalyst. Shell’s world-class technology works to deliver value to our customers. Innovation, product application and technical collaboration are at the heart of Shell lubricants.

We have leading lubricants research centres in China, Germany, Japan (in a joint venture with Showa Shell), and the USA. We invest significantly in technology and work closely with our customers to develop innovative lubricants. We have a patent portfolio with 150 + patent series for lubricants, base oils and greases; more than 200 scientists and lubricants engineers dedicated to lubricants research and development.

Customer benefits include lower maintenance costs, longer equipment life and reduced energy consumption. One of the ways we push the boundaries of lubricant technology is by working closely with top motor racing teams such as Scuderia Ferrari and BMW Motorsport. These technical partnerships enable us to expand our knowledge of lubrication science and transfer cutting-edge technology from the racetrack to our commercial products.

Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 70 countries and territories with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of liquefied natural gas and gas to liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects. For further information, visit www.shell.com

The companies in which Royal Dutch Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate entities. In this presentation “Shell�, “Shell group� and “Royal Dutch Shell� are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Royal Dutch Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we�, “us� and “our� are also used to refer to subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These expressions are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular company or companies.

‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries� and “Shell companies� as used in this presentation refer to companies in which Royal Dutch Shell either directly or indirectly has control. Companies over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as “joint ventures� and companies over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as “associates�. The term “Shell interest� is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in a venture, partnership or company, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

This announcement contains forward looking statements concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell and the Shell Group. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management's current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements.

Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell and the Shell Group to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as "anticipate", "believe", "could", "estimate", "expect", "goals", "intend", "may", "objectives", "outlook", "plan", "probably", "project", "risks", "seek", "should", "target", "will" and similar terms and phrases.

There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and the Shell Group and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward looking statements included in this announcement, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell's products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition;

(g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change;

(k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; and (m) changes in trading conditions.

All forward looking statements contained in this announcement are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward looking statements. Additional factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell's 20-F for the year ended 31 December 2014 (available at www.shell.com/investor and  ).

These factors also should be considered by the reader. Each forward looking statement speaks only as of the date of this announcement, 4 August 2015. Neither Shell nor any of its subsidiaries nor the Shell Group undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward looking statements contained in this announcement.