Wireless technology has become the norm in so many areas of business and commerce, but how can wireless technology affect or benefit fleet management? In terms of fuel retailer solutions there are many benefits, and all are welcome in terms of cost saving and fraud prevention. Fuel management is one area that always demands attention, and fortunately there are many available fuel retail business solutions that can help you in a number of ways. Let’s talk about some of the benefits of some of these.
First, we must consider that in the world of fleet management the old adage ‘time is money’ is one that rules supreme. Everything is against the clock in this world, and lost minutes add up to a load of lost revenue. That’s why we want to mention Pay at the Pump, which is just one of the many fuel retail business solutions available, and one of the most effective of all. What is it about, and how can it help with your fuel management needs?
In fact, it’s a very simple idea, and one that relies on wireless technology. What happens is this: the dispensing pump is fitted with a wireless vehicle recognition system. That is, thanks to transmissions from small units fitted to fleet vehicles, it can recognise those that are account holders. The driver parks next to the pump and the two systems communicate, and within a couple of seconds the identity is confirmed. This has various benefits: once the identity of a vehicle has been confirmed and it is recognised as one that is on account at the retailer the pump will allow the fuel to dispense. If it is not an authorised vehicle it cannot take fuel until the pump is manually and remotely activated.
The benefits are as follows: for the retailer, only authorised vehicles can draw fuel so the risk of theft is eliminated, and there is also the ability to apply credit limits to individual vehicles or fleet users. Furthermore, the automatic dispense option means that those I the store don’t have to worry about switching pumps on and off unless it is absolutely necessary. The time and cost savings are excellent, and as the system is integrated with back office the information on the sale is transmitted to the account in real time.
For the driver the implications are also impressive: the dispenser recognises the vehicle in no time at all and organises for the dispense – no need to wait for a busy assistant to switch it on – and payment is then made at the pump, by a swipe card or credit card. The time saving in not having to wait for dispensing and in being able to pay without attending the shop are, when racked up over a set time, very impressive indeed.
Pay at the Pump is just one of the fuel retailer solutions that we have looked at, and offers even more benefits when combined with a petrol station retail solution that streamlines the running of the forecourt with an on-site C-Store. By investing in a tried and tested management solution you are increasing efficiency across the board and, as a result, adding to your revenue stream. The relatively small investment will quickly be recouped as you are party to quicker turnaround thanks to more efficient business practices.
