Articles by steve clarkeSteve Clarke, general manager of The Fuelcard People, has challenged the industry to start 2009 with a set of ‘New Year Resolutions’ for the benefit of its customers. “Fuel card customers expect service, savings and security,” he said, “and it is time for suppliers to recognise this with a promise to improve.”
He suggested that fuel card suppliers should make resolutions which include:
• We will offer a wide range of fuel cards to meet varying customer needs.
• We will give each customer their own dedicated account manager.
• We will give every customer secure access to their account information, 24/7, via the Internet.
Each of these would offer increased customer benefits. With the majority of fuel card suppliers offering just one or two cards, customers usually need to settle for a compromise, rather than having the fuel card that matches their precise needs. Most suppliers also operate call centres, although a customer would normally prefer to address queries to somebody who already knows and understands their business. As some queries will arise outside working hours, it makes sense to allow customers to access their account information at other times.
“If a fuel card user finds that their existing provider is reluctant to implement these service improvements,” said Steve Clarke, “perhaps they should look around for another supplier. All of these ”