If you are the owner or manager of a business that deals in distribution and logistics management and/or own a fleet of trucks, vans, cars, or indeed any other form of business vehicle, then the cheaper it is to run said vehicles, the better.
Running a company with a fleet incurs a myriad of different costs, but thankfully, there is at least one aspect which can be managed effectively to keep the costs as low as possible and that is with fleet fuel cards.
So, with that being said, continue reading to learn how to source fleet fuel cards for businesses that offer discounts, as well as how to reduce costs in other areas of your distribution-based business.
The Top Benefits of Fleet Fuel Cards
There is a huge plethora of advantages to both your company and you and the rest of the management team using a fleet fuel card, and after you have learnt of the most prominent ones below, investing in fleet fuel cards will surely be your next business decision.
1. Secure Payments
Registered users of fleet fuel cards, which will ideally mean most, if not all, of your full-time drivers, will have their own fuel card.
This has the dual effect of ensuring that each gas payment is tracked back to one person and one person only and is, therefore, entirely traceable and it guarantees the fact that the card will be rendered instantly useless if lost or stolen.
2. Unrivalled Flexibility
If you choose a professional, established, and respected company that can provide fleet fuel cards with discounts, the flexibility in terms of when and where your drivers can refuel will now know no bounds.
This flexibility is perhaps the most important thing you should look for in your fleet fuel card and will mean that your drivers can fill up at thousands of gas stations around the country. Additionally, there may well be a gas station locator application for your systems, which can highlight the nearest applicable one for various routes your drivers take.
3. Reward Points & Bonuses
Another huge advantage of business fuel cards for companies who either only has a few business vehicles, or else those who run an entire fleet, is the handsome rewards, perks, and bonuses you will incur as a result of using them.
Not only will you be able to save your company substantial amounts of money on the gas itself, but also save up points for rewards which can either be put back into your business or else work as the basis for employee incentives.
4. Reduced Administration Time
The fourth biggest advantage of fleet fuel cards comes down to the matter of time it takes to process each driver and vehicle’s gas expenses.
When you choose to implement and roll out specifically registered business fuel cards to all those drivers and other members of your teams who require them, the time saved from such administrative procedures can be redirected to other sections of the business which need attention and focus.
Accounting & Payroll Digital Software Packages
Aside from the distribution of business fuel cards, another significant way to gain substantial savings on your company’s expenditure is to turn your attention to the accounting and payroll department of your company itself.
As part of the digital takeover of businesses across the entire spectrum of modern-day industry, recent technological developments have seen the birth of new, specifically designed accounting and payroll software packages, which can seriously help your company grow, expand, and, of course, save money.
Once your business has invested in and installed the ability for drivers to use a business gas card at the thousands of gas stations across the United States, this will make it possible for said fuel cards to be paid through virtual payment systems through your accounting sector.
Choosing to invest in a reputable and renowned accounting and payroll software management program will mean that your processes will become automated and therefore increase in efficiency, your records will be organized and always updated, and you will benefit from complete legal compliance throughout.
Additionally, investing in such a software management program will also:
- Provide you with 24/7 access to detailed financial reports
- Substantially reduce the number of errors in your accounts
- Make it far easier to compile and share specific pieces of financial data
- Enable the accurate collation and analysis of information
Distribution Management Software
Efficiency and productivity are certainly two key buzzwords in the distribution industry and, as such, undoubtedly you will be making every effort to increase the core business processes of your company.
Fortunately, there are numerous proven-to-be effective ways of streamlining your distribution company, regardless of size and scope, with one of the more prominent being to install distribution management software.
Distribution management software is far more convenient, not just for you and your business, but also for the clients and customers you provide to and will result in much simpler and more effective inventory management and monitoring processes.
Additionally, installing this software will keep your costs to a minimum moving forward, and ensure any issues are identified as quickly as possible, resulting in faster trading times and result in a much higher level of accuracy.
Other Key Ways to Streamline Your Distribution Company
Aside from distribution management software, in terms of the product movement which your drivers are tasked with on a day-to-day basis, taking a thorough look into the inner workings of how this is achieved will certainly prove to highlight any delaying factors.
Work to optimize your warehouses by measuring the space you have, defining specific areas for office, storage, shipping, and sorting, creating labels for products and aisles within the main space, and improving the flow route of your products from shelf to vehicle.
Additionally, other key ways to streamline your distribution company include the creation of an all-encompassing channel management plan, boosting your distribution channel strategy, and controlling your costs more effectively. Give some of these a go and see how you get on.