Petrol Card Benefits for Businesses in Malaysia
- Save money on fuel costs
- Secure your payments now
- Better expenses control for fleets
What are petrol card benefits?
Petrol cards are more than an easy way to refill your work vehicles. They can help you save money, cut down on carbon emissions, improve fleet efficiency and much more.
The top five benefits of using these cards are:
- They can save your business money
- Buy fuel on credit interest-free
- Control your fleet expenses
- Have a set payment date for fuel costs
- Support lowering your carbon footprint
1. They can save your business money
Petrol cards come with many features to help you save cash. Some providers can offer you in-depth fuel reports to help you spot areas that are costing you more fuel than you think!
Compared to cash or credit cards, petrol cards are the only method that gives businesses this unique benefit and insight into how their money is being used and where it’s being wasted.
2. Buy fuel on credit interest-free
Buying things on credit is a handy way to delay payments while still getting what you need right then and there. All businesses will get some credit history as they grow as credit is often a necessary way of operating.
Unlike petrol benefits, credit cards charge you an interest rate. You end up paying a bit more than you originally would have. With petrol cards, there’s no interest rate. You pay for what you buy and that’s it.
Getting petrol cards is a great way to help sole traders and small businesses get the fuel you need to be on the road without breaking the bank.
3. Control your fleet expenses
Business credit cards can be used to buy anything. So can cash, plus chasing up receipts takes time you’d rather be spending on other important tasks.
Fuel cards are restricted to fuel-only or vehicle-related purchases. Other than petrol and diesel, some cards may allow drivers to pay for:
- Oils
- Lubricants
- AdBlue
- Car washes
- Parking
All purchases using the petrol cards are included on the same invoice. These invoices are delivered on a regular basis, usually every few weeks or once a month. For businesses looking to save time on paperwork, petrol cards are a great benefit.
4. Have a set payment date for fuel costs
Having many vehicles paying for fuel at different times in your fleet quickly gets out of hand. Keeping track of the different purchases, driver receipts and so on can lead to mistakes.
Having a single set payment time lets you know exactly when the cash will leave your account, giving you time to prepare and plan.
5. Support lowering your carbon footprint
A 2021 report found that the transport sector represents 28.8% of fossil fuel combustion in Malaysia. While petrol and diesel are helping the economy grow, cutting down now could future-proof your business in the long run and achieve targets your competitors aren’t.
Petrol cards produce a heap of reports. One of these is carbon measurement. Measure exactly how much carbon your vehicles are using, adjust and achieve a greener fleet.
Cutting your emissions down also has the benefit of saving fuel as your vehicles will be more efficient and use better routes.
iCompario tip: save money by looking at driving habits
Drivers keep your business moving, but do you know who your best drivers are? Where can your fleet improve on the road? Find out who is braking harshly, speeding and who isn’t! Use telematics to track your vehicles and uncover new ways to reduce your costs.
Vehicle trackers can work with fuel cards to give highly accurate mileage data, track where cards are being used, and discover unauthorised use all on a single easy-to-use platform.
Petrol card benefits vs credit cards
Should you choose the petrol benefit or credit cards? It’s a tough choice that depends on your business requirements. Here’s our breakdown of the main differences.
| Petrol Cards | Credit Cards |
| Interest free credit | Charge interest |
| Limited to fuel and vehicle-related purchases | Can be used to buy anything |
| In-depth fuel reports and insights | No fuel reports or insights |
| Require a credit check | Can be used to build a positive credit history |
| No receipts required from drivers due to regular online invoices | Receipts recommended to track payments accurately |
| Compatible with telematics for further detail designed for fleets | Not compatible with telematics |
Looking at the details, we recommend petrol cards for most businesses and sole traders. These cards give you the best value for money, interest free credit and secure payments available.
For new businesses and those with a previously poor credit history may want to use a credit card for a short time to help build a credit history. However, this is not a long-term sustainable solution for growing businesses or fleets.
Petrol card benefits for business types
Fuel cards have unique benefits for every business type, big and small. If you’re wondering how one of these cards can help you, go to your business type and see how it works!
Benefits for new businesses
- Spend less time on paperwork
- Track how much is being spent on fuel
New businesses need fast, easy admin and clear spending reports. Petrol cards offer all of the above at an affordable cost. Invoices are sent every few weeks or months, allowing for quick filing and easy settling of bills.
Tracking spending online can help new businesses manage costs at the click of a button. Fuel can quickly become a large cost for new businesses. Any help to monitor it and cut down on any bad habits right away can be like a life jacket at sea to stay afloat in the turbulent waters of new business ownership.
Benefits for sole traders
- Get fuel costs on one invoice
- Easily check your spending online, anytime
- Find nearby stations on a free app
The self-employed are one of the groups that get the most from petrol benefit. Credit cards might appeal since many are used to using them. But petrol cards offer greater control, interest-free credit at stations near you.
Fleet card benefits
- Combine with vehicle trackers
- Easily track your fuel costs
- Secure payments
- Improve fuel efficiency
Combine your fuel cards with vehicle trackers to get a full picture of your fleet’s performance. Using fuel cards gives accurate insight into how much fuel you’re using and where your drivers are buying fuel.
Log on to your account to see where your drivers bought fuel, each driver’s efficiency and mileage breakdown.
For growing fleets, having new drivers, self-employed drivers or contractors can get complicated. Don’t lose any of your fuel costs in paperwork and put all your fleet’s fuel expenses onto one invoice.
Benefits of Shell fuel cards
Shell petrol cards are a popular choice for many businesses in Malaysia. These cards have a solid network across the country, offer competitive prices and are suitable for all vehicle types including trucks. See our guide to Shell petrol cards for more details or scroll on to see the benefits in full.
- Buy Shell fuel on credit and pay later
- Free app to plan out efficient routes
- Online account management
- Free app for drivers to find nearby stations on Shell network
What petrol card should I get for my business?
So, you’ve decided that fleet card benefits are worth it. But which one do you get? Compare now and see what deals you could get for your business.