For fleet operators, saving money where possible is a necessity. Smaller savings can soon snowball and provide significant relief from the current strain on your budget. There’s a number of ways to help reduce your fleet outgoings when looking at where you can save a few pennies, some more obvious than others.
Encouraging safer, efficient driving amongst your fleet has been proven to cut down on fuel costs, which one of the reasons why telematics are such a prudent investment for businesses. Planning routes, with a tool such as our state-of-the-art journey planner, will reduce avoidable detours and give you more control over your fleet.
Notably, when offering discounted rates, fuel cards can provide the biggest direct savings for fuel costs. In addition, many fuel cards also have options to earn rewards which can help offset the increasing cost of fuel by reddening points for other business consumables. BP has BP rewards, Shell has the Shell Go+ app, and the Esso card offers the ability to earn nectar points.
Nectar points are a well-known loyalty scheme used by a variety of retailers including Sainsbury’s, British Airways, and Argos.
Nectar points are earned when customers make purchases at these participating retailers. They can be spent on various rewards such as travel, hotels, or even your weekly shop. These can be redeemed either in participating stores or through the Nectar website.
In 2019, Nectar paired with Esso to allow users of Esso fuel stations to collect Nectar points when filling up their vehicles or making purchases in store.
With your Esso fuel card, you can earn every time your drivers refuel. They’ll be able to collect 1 Nectar point per litre of fuel whenever they use an Esso fuel station. This excludes Esso fuel stations with a Tesco Express shop attached.
As well as earning rewards, collecting Nectar points can be used to directly save your fleet money. With 300 Nectar points, you can save 5ppl on fuel. If you redeem this on a larger refill, this can lead to a substantial saving.
To collect Nectar points when topping up, make sure to either present your Nectar card when paying. Alternatively, you can use the Esso app to pay. If you don’t currently have a Nectar card, apply for one today to start earning.
With an Esso fuel card, as well as receiving our customer focused service, you’ll have access to thousands of fuel sites across the entirety of the UK. We have two Esso fuel card options available, both of which provide excellent coverage: the Esso Card and the Esso Truck Fuel Card.
As Esso is partnered with BP and Shell, the Esso card gives you access to over 3,400 refuelling sites. This card is best suited for fleets with mixed vehicles needing higher access across the UK. It offers a pump-based pricing model for both petrol and diesel purchases. This allows those on the road to remain aware of what they are spending when they refuel.
The Esso Truck card covers over 1,200 sites, including over 190 HGV sites, which is perfect for fleets operating larger vehicles. This card offers an often-discounted fixed weekly rate for diesel purchases, which you will be notified of on a Friday for the following Monday, allowing you to plan your fleet spend with ease.
If you’d like to talk about Esso fuel cards, give us a call today. We can assess your current fuel spend for free and let you know if Esso fuel cards are right for you.
