When it comes to choosing the right fuel card for your business, we know that many factors must be considered to ensure you get the best value for your money. Every business has different priorities, so not every fuel card will suit your requirements, but knowing which will work best for you is key to seeing the maximum benefits. If you are considering using fuel cards to power your fleet, these are some of the most important considerations you will have to make.
Vehicle and engine type
One of the most important things to consider when choosing fuel cards is the kind of vehicles in your fleet, as this information will largely direct your decision-making process. For example, a business operating a haulage fleet will have very different requirements to a company with a national sales team.
For a company operating a fleet of haulage vehicles, it’s important to ensure that your fuel card allows your drivers to refill at HGV-friendly stations. On the other hand, a fleet of saloon cars will need flexibility regarding where they can refuel. Taking the vehicle type into account is the best way to ensure your drivers can refill quickly and conveniently wherever they are.
Fuel type
Most fuel cards, including fuelGenie will allow drivers to top up their tanks using petrol or diesel, and most will also allow your drivers to use premium or standard fuel depending on their preferences, you can also pay for oil and car washes with a fuelGenie fuel card. Having said this, some fuel cards are best suited for purchasing a single fuel type such as petrol or diesel, as well as their premium versions.
If your fleet has mixed fuel requirements, you may be best choosing a fuel card that meet these specific needs or looking into bespoke solutions to help you get the best value for money. fuelGenie can help provide this service, if you need any further information on choosing the best fuel cards for your particular fleet and fuel requirements, then contact us - our experts are always on hand to give you advice and guidance.
Driver routes and coverage
Your location may influence your choice of fuel card and the distances your drivers tend to cover. If you work locally, you may find you need a card which covers all the main petrol outlets you are likely to come across in your town or city. On the other hand, if your business operates in rural locations, you will need a card that provides your fleet with proper support so your drivers can still refuel conveniently.
You need to consider how you travel for business when evaluating these options, and each kind of fuel card has its advantages and disadvantages to think about and weigh up.
For regional and national drivers, it really helps to consider the versatility of your fuel network to make sure your fuel card allows drivers to fuel up at a good range of stations. This is the best way to ensure none of your drivers is ever caught short and run out of fuel on route to their destination.
fuelGenie has a great tool which helps you find your nearest fuelGenie eligible petrol station, our petrol station finder maps all of the Tesco, Morrison’s and Sainsburys petrol stations in the UK, you can use it to locate your nearest station or plan out your journey. The fuelGenie app also helps drivers find their nearest fuelGenie petrol station on the move, view fuel prices and more.
Not only is the fuelGenie app good for drivers but it also helps fleet managers to manage their account, order new fuel cards, see balance and spend, and apply for credit limit increases.
Your business type and needs
When choosing the best fuel card, you may have differing needs and requirements based on your business type or size. An example would be a large courier service delivering goods nationwide and a small independent plumber with a roster of local clients. When a business reaches a certain size, they often begin to have issues relating to the amount of admin, but conversely, smaller businesses may have capacity issues that make admin more challenging.
The fuel cards provided by fuelGenie are flexible, efficient, and suitable for all sizes of businesses, whether they have large or small fuel consumption needs. Our system is easy to use and makes reclaiming VAT simple and straightforward. You can also manage all your fuel-related expenses, invoices and more from one place, making admin more efficient, take a look at the full range of fuel card benefits.
