Across the UK, fuel cards are accepted as a popular and effective solution for saving your business time and money. However, we often hear a number of misconceptions about fuel cards from both large and small businesses.
Here are some of the top fuel card myths:
One popular myth we hear is that using a fuel card will actually lose you money. Although card prices can fluctuate, this is usually not the case. Fuel cards can save your fleet and your business money in many ways.
When benchmarked against the national average price for fuel, fuel cards deliver a noticeable annual saving. This is especially true for cards offering a fixed weekly rate. Fixed weekly rates are a great way to manage costs, particularly when fuel costs rise exponentially, as they’ve been known to in recent weeks. In this event, a fixed rate saves you money by keeping the price consistent instead of rising daily.
If you’re dubious about a fuel card saving you money, get in touch with us for our free invoice analysis. We compare your recent fuel spend to what you would have spent using Fuelmate. We are upfront about your potential savings, allowing you to make an informed decision about your fuel card provider.
A common worry for fleet managers unfamiliar with fuel cards is that, upon signing up to a card, they will be tied in with that fuel provider and have limited choice of refuelling sites for their drivers.
Actually, you can use multiple cards to get your drivers the best prices depending on where they refuel. Also, cards themselves often offer coverage at a vast range of third-party sites as well as their core locations.
We offer packages tailor-made for you and your business requirements. If you are after access to specified sites, such as bunker locations, we have fuel cards for you. The same is true if having access to a range of locations is a higher priority. For example, our BP List and Shell Fleet 2 cards both offer access to an extensive network of over 3,500 fuel stations nationwide, including Texaco, ESSO, Gulf, Morrisons, Gleaner, and Circle K fuel stations.
If fleet managers are used to handling expenses manually, the idea of switching to fuel cards can be daunting. If you are used to your previous system, such as refunding your employees’ fuel spend through expenses, a new way of operating may leave you worried about increased administration work, managing a new provider contract, and related expenditure. However, fuel cards consolidate all of your company’s fuel spend into one account. This makes your outgoings easier to watch and manage.
With our online dashboard, you have access to your account 24/7 and can get pin reminders, view and download your invoices, search your fleet’s fuel transactions, and plan journeys with our Journey Tracker. Overall, using fuel cards makes managing your fuel spend more convenient.
Some smaller businesses believe that fuel cards are only a suitable solution for companies operating large fleets. As a result, small businesses can pay more for their fuel when they would benefit the most from fuel savings. Small businesses are eligible for fuel cards and benefit greatly from using them. In fact, in small businesses, effective time management is essential and fuel management solutions provided alongside fuel cards are vital.
The amount your company spends on fuel also has a large effect on the profit margins for small businesses. This makes it crucial to keep an eye on costs and finding savings where you can. Fuel cards are an excellent way to achieve regular savings and reduce unnecessary admin.
The prospect of signing up with fuel card providers can be disheartening if you’ve been stung in the past. Fleet managers can be put off by previous experiences with high prices, hidden fees, or bad service. A common misconception is that all fuel card companies operate the same way. Alongside this is the belief that they all have the same outlook on how to treat their customers.
At Fuelmate, we put our customers first. We are upfront about all costs associated with your account so you’re never caught out by hidden fees. With our free invoice analysis service, you will be given an honest and complete breakdown of how much you can save with us before signing up. What’s more, once signed up, you will be assigned your own respective and committed account manager who will always give you the service you deserve.
For correct and up-to-date information about UK fuel cards, give us a call today and let us find the best solution for you and your business.
