From fuel expenses and chasing up receipts to mileage tracking, there can be a lot to keep on top of when running a fleet. This is why it’s easier to stay in control of your fuel cards with the help of a fuel card management system, especially if you’re overseeing a number of vehicles or distributing fuel cards to several employees.
Many fuel card providers offer apps and tools to help you run your fleet as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible. These fuel card management services should provide a variety of ways to keep on top of the administration of fuel cards, to ensure your company is running as smoothly as possible while being proactive about smart working. Five useful features to look out for in these apps or systems are as follows:
1. Order cards
Naturally, as your fleet grows, so will your need for more fuel cards. For ease and quick turnaround, we recommend looking for a management system that allows you to take care of this online by ordering additional fuel cards at any time.
In terms of time scales, your new card should be with you within 5- 7 days but this can vary between different providers and depending on personalisation and delivery times.
2. Deactivate cards
It happens to the best of us – lost or stolen wallets or cards. If any of your fuel cards are lost or stolen, or if one of your team members leaves the company and takes their fuel card with them, it’s time to deactivate that card! The ability to deactivate cards at the touch of a button is a useful feature of a good fuel management system. If the card is stolen or lost, some providers require that you report this to the police and ask for a loss/crime reference number.
For example, via our online fuel card management system, you can deactivate any lost or stolen cards no longer in use so that you’re not paying for fuel you’re not using. If you happen to find your card, we can resume activity on them by only putting a temporary freeze on them. All good fuel card providers should offer the same purpose.
3. Request invoice copies
A good online management system takes the hassle out of finances. Look for a fuel card management service that allows you to have copies of invoices sent directly to you. Not only should these invoices consolidate multiple transactions into weekly or monthly bundles, they’re also often HMRC-friendly so you can save bags of time otherwise spent putting invoices together for tax purposes.
4. Download fleet management reports
When managing your fuel cards, it helps to have access to downloadable reports and convert them into your own spreadsheet system, so they’re in your company’s preferred format without the time spent manually inputting the data. Take care to look out for this feature when choosing a fuel card provider or fuel card management service.
5. Monitor fleet fuel card activity
Every business wants to be as time-effective as possible, and the option to monitor fleet fuel card activity 24/7 means you can keep tabs on spend for each vehicle and put targets in place to streamline efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Fuel cards should make every aspect of running a fleet or using a company car easier! That’s why it’s always a good idea to look out for additional apps or fuel card management services to use alongside your fuel card. For more information, compare fuel cards today and check out our complete guide to fuel cards.
