The fluctuation within the oil market has seriously impacted the prices charged at the pumps. With UK companies suffering a 22% increase in fuel costs in the last 2 years, many fleet owners are looking harder at how they can offset the pain by finding real cost savings. R D Hall Plumbing and Heating Engineers are one company who, in early 2006, decided it was time for action – and who are now enjoying the difference.
R D Hall offer plumbing services to a range of customers within a 50 - mile radius of their base at Dalkeith, near Edinburgh. They run a fleet of seven diesel vehicles – five vans for their service engineers, plus two cars – and typically spend £500 on fuel each month. Drivers had been using another fuel card but felt that the Morrisons Supermarkets would offer a more convenient method for fuel purchase on the Diesel Direct card.
Robin Hall, Managing Director of the company recalls,
'We needed to find a more accessible network and so started to look at fuelcard options. Our trade organisation, SNIPEF [Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers Federation], recommended Abbey Fuelcards.'
'The cards from Abbey all operate on a network, so I would recommend contacting them to ensure that the sites available in your area of operation meet your needs. However, when we enquired there is no hard sell and the team work really hard to find you a refuelling solution that meets your exact needs.'
R D Hall decided to give each of their drivers an Abbey Diesel Direct fuelcard, each personalised with driver’s name and vehicle registration number, and they are delighted with the benefits. Not only are they enjoying the regular discounts, but the Abbey service and savings on administration costs have been equally impressive.
'As a member of SNIPEF, we don’t have to be concerned with the prices because we are guaranteed at least three pence a litre of the national average price for fuel' says Robin, 'but we are also saving in time and effort in managing the fuel purchasing within our organisation.' Abbey's invoicing is always very smooth and reliable, so that all it requires is a quick check that takes minutes, not hours.