Fuel management from one platform

The new Shell Fuel Card offers a consolidated range of professional business services to commercial road transport and fleet companies.

In the not-too-distant future, contactless payments, near-field communication, fingerprints and eye scans may very well dominate the way consumers make payments. Unfortunately, many of these new technologies still need to be thoroughly tested to ensure that cyber criminals aren’t taking advantage of payment innovations.

However, despite the world moving at breakneck speed towards services and technologies that seem to come straight out of a science-fiction movie, some consumers will always have faith in the tried-and-trusted way of doing things, such as using a card to make payments. As such, Shell has launched its new Shell Card platform for commercial road transport and fleet companies.

In doing so, Shell is offering a range of services that include around-the-clock support; fraud control mechanisms; detailed purchase history across categories; and an online invoicing service where customers can securely store, view and download invoices.

“This set of services will prove to be particularly useful for fleet managers as it allows them to order, block, cancel and keep track of several cards linked to one account,” says Thayuri Moodley, marketing manager, Commercial Fleet SA.

Through the Shell Card Online (SCOL) service, fleet managers will be able to transact online, order and cancel cards, as well as set up customised alerts for of any unusual transactions. Multiple users can access SCOL, which allows control of the level of access that each user has. Importantly, SCOL provides transaction reports and customisable fuel consumption reports, which can be used to verify a customer’s Shell invoices.

“Additional services available to Shell Card customers include specialised support from the Customer Service Centre; a fraud analyst who monitors card activity and provides support on fraud-related queries; a pricing specialist, who provides monthly pricing information and support on after-sales pricing queries; and a customer promise specialist, who provides support on card and account-related queries as well as training, if necessary,” Bongani Motloung, national sales manager, Commercial Fleet SA, elaborates.

With the Shell Card, drivers have access to 600 fuel sites nationwide, of which more than 450 are Shell Card participating sites where operators can earn customer loyalty bonuses in the form of savings across the Shell network.

There are two types of cards: single network cards, which can only be used at participating Shell sites; and multi-network cards, which can be used at any service station in South Africa. In an effort to reduce banking fees, Shell will be extending its own line of credit to customers with reduced interest fees.

“Until technology evolves to the point where we can safely use advanced payment methods, consumers will have to rely on good old-fashioned methods that are also evolving to offer more comprehensive services and increased safety,” Motloung concludes.