Gas Cards And Fuel Cards: How Business Debit Cards Can Be Configured To Control And Manage Small Fleet Fuel Expenses

If any of your employees incur fuel expenses as part of their role, you probably already know what a headache the expense process can be, whether you manage a small fleet of vehicles or just a handful of salespeople on the road. You may have considered using large fleet fuel cards for small business use, but didn’t want to circumnavigate their limitations such as:

• They can only be used at “in network” gas stations
• They can’t be used for other expenses when necessary, such as food or repairs
• They can’t be limited to certain days and spending amounts

As a business owner, you want a solution that saves time, not one that inconveniences you and your employees. That’s where Bento comes in: did you know you can configure Bento for Business Visa® Debit Cards to turn them into flexible, reloadable gas cards for your employees?

Why A Bento Card Is Different

Choosing a reloadable debit card that enables you to manage individual budgets and expense types, such as the Bento for Business Visa Debit Card, lets you control not only how much employees spend, but also what they spend it on. While most reloadable gas cards only allow fuel purchases, Bento lets you give out Visa debit cards that can be configured how you want: only fuel, fuel and repairs, fuel and in-station purchases—it’s up to you. Best of all, you can change the settings any time. Bento gives you all the benefits of prepaid fuel cards, but with added flexibility and security that makes managing small fleet fuel expenses a breeze.

The Benefits Of Using Business Debit Cards As Prepaid Fuel Cards

Better Management Of Fuel Budgets And Expenses

Reloadable gas cards let you control exactly what’s being spent on fuel, so setting fuel budgets is easy, and you can increase, decrease, or cancel the limit with just one click. You can also set time limits, such as only allowing use on weekdays, to help prevent personal use of the fuel card.

Accessible To Any Business

If you’re considering using standard business credit cards as employee gas cards, or if you’re thinking about getting one of the business fuel cards that work like a credit card, your business has to pass a credit check first. Unfortunately, small businesses and startups have a hard time getting approved for a line of credit. Prepaid fuel cards don’t require a credit check, so you don’t need to worry about qualifying.

Reduced Risk Of Fraud

Reloadable gas cards allow only the types of charges and limits that you approve, so employees can’t misspend or commit fraud. Unapproved charges will be automatically declined and, unlike regular company credit or debit cards, declined purchases will show up in your account summary and you will be alerted via email in real-time.

The Flexibility To Use At Any Gas Station

With a business debit card from Bento, your employees won’t be tied down to one gas station brand’s locations like they would be with many of the brand-specific fuel credit cards. They can purchase fuel from any gas station.

Real-Time Insights Into Fuel Expenditures

Using debit cards as prepaid fuel cards lets you monitor what’s being spent on every card in real time, so you’re alerted to any problems as they happen. Say goodbye to end of month surprises.

Streamlined Expense Management

• Prepaid gas cards remove the long, drawn-out process of employees fueling up vehicles, keeping receipts, and submitting manual expense claims—something that your cardholder employees

and

your accounting team will thank you for.

Conclusion

Configuring Bento business debit cards for fuel purchases will help you set budgets, stop unauthorized purchases, see card activity as it happens, and save time by eliminating the expense-reimbursement process. Best of all, any business can qualify and use as prepaid fuel cards, and employees can use them at any gas station.

About Bento for Business

Bento for Business is a modern way to control employee expenses for smart businesses, nonprofits, organizations and government entities. Bento’s intuitive app enables you to control an unlimited number of Visa® Business Debit cards and set monthly spend limits and allow only certain purchase categories (e.g. Bob the project manager can only spend $500/week and the card only works to purchase gas, hotels and at the hardware store). You can also turn cards on/off in real-time and receive SMS text message or email alerts for every purchase or decline. Bento delivers unmatched visibility into cash flow, eliminates expense reports, and saves time and money. Use this link to learn more and start your FREE 60-day trial of Bento’s Visa Debit Card for Business .

Related – Fleet Cards and Fleet Fuel Cards

• The benefits of fleet cards for small business fleet management
• Gas cards and fuel cards: how business debit cards can be configured to control and manage small fleet fuel expenses
• Leasing vs. buying vehicles: which is best for your company?
• Small fleet fuel cards – the smarter way businesses manage small fleet fuel expenses
• 23 resources that fuel the most effective proadvisors
• 5 ways modern technology has transformed the fleet operations

For more information on gas cards and fuel cards visit our Gas Hub.