Fuel Cards: What criteria for choosing your company fuel card?
Adopting business fuel cards is a great way to help your company beat rising fuel costs and cut down on paperwork. UK fleet operators are discovering these advantages and several fuel card companies are competing to satisfy their demand. Choosing the right provider is easy once you define your needs and examine the available offers.
Sizing up your business needs
Many different fuel cards and contracts are available in the UK. Choosing the best deal depends on just a few simple criteria:
- Size of your business fleet
- Type of company vehicles you operate
- Fuel type (petrol, diesel or both)
- Location of your business
- Typical routes of your drivers
- Typical monthly business fuel spending
- Preferred payment terms (fixed-rate or pump price)
- Preferred billing method (weekly, monthly or other)
What criteria for choosing a fuel card provider?
Different fuel card companies offer a range of services, deals and types of card in order to cater for the vast range of businesses which now use fuelling cards. Make sure you take into account the following when choosing:
- Where can you refuel? Suppliers use different service stations in their networks, so check that your fuel card provider allows access to forecourts near your premises and along frequently used routes.
- Does your company require interest-free credit terms? If so, is this offered by the supplier?
- What sort of deals do they offer on diesel or petrol?
- Can you get your fuel at the wholesale rate?
- Does the supplier offer a customer helpline?
- Do they offer online billing?
- Do they charge administrative or sign-up fees? If so, do you save enough elsewhere to justify them?
- Do their payment terms suit your businesses financial arrangements?
Adopting fuel cards is an important investment for you company, and warrants careful consideration. As with any investment, you’ll want to perform a bit of due diligence before choosing your provider. Start with the form on this page; just describe your needs and within 48 hours you’ll receive up to four free quotes from leading UK fuel card suppliers.
