The perks of gassing up

PETROLEUM COMPANIES have found a way to reward their customers through their different fuel rewards cards programs. From fleet cards to thematic rewards cards, petroleum companies can give their customers rebates, discounts and road accident support at their facilities and partner establishments. At a time when gasoline remains one of the most expensive and in-demand commodities in the world, fuel cards provide motorists and businesses added value to their gasoline experience.

Petroleum giants Petron Corp. and Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. offer both fuel or fleet cards and value cards, each one addressing different business needs and providing private and public motorists an opportunity to earn perks from gassing up.

In the fleet card category, these companies provide businesses a cost- effective and easy solution to track and share company-subsidized fuel cost.

The Petron Fleet Card is “the country’s first microchip- driven fleet card.” According to Petron’s Web site, this microchip technology allows card holders to transact business anytime. It allows cashless transaction, makes monitoring and controlling fuel expenses easier, and gives more f lexibi lity for assigning product restrictions and purchase limits.

Petron Fleet Card holders can enjoy benefits such as interest-free credit facility, earning points from purchases, and free 24-hour towing and roadside assistance service.

The Shell Card, on the other hand, offers its cardholders discounts to partner establishments and inhouse services. Shell Card members can present their cards to partner establishments to get discounts. They can get 10% discounts from establishments like Auntie Anne’s, Red Box, Arena, New Balance, Nautica, Rookie USA, Starbright, The Athlete’s foot, The Sports Warehouse, Planet Sports and Shell Select. They can also get 15% to 30% discounts on select products and services from Bioessence, French Fragrance Bar, Uncle Cheffy’s, and Kuse. Shell Card holders can also get freebies and special offers on certain products from SM Lifestyle and Entertainment, Inc., World of Fun, Travel Book, Shinling, and Penongs.

Shell Card also entitles its holders to a 10% discount on specific Motolite Express Hatid Services.

When it comes to Value Cards, Petron has Petron Value Card which gives motorists a chance to earn points that can be used to redeem services. Every P250 spent on Petron is converted into one point. It entitles its cardholders discounts and freebies from partner food, personal care, travel and leisure establishments such as New Orleans, Museum Cafe, Vision Express, GNC, Bioessence, Avis and Diamond Hotel to name a few. Petron Value Card owners can also get a 5% discount from the San Miguel Food Avenue, Petron’s in house food store. Petron Value Card also entitles its owners, 24-hour roadside towing assistance and a personal accident insurance worth 10,000.

Meanwhile, Shell offers professional drivers and drivers of public utility vehicles an opportunity to invest in their future, through Pepeng Pasada Club and card. In their official Web site, Shell states that members of the Pepeng Pasada Club are entitled to a scholarship program through Unlad sa Pasada Program, free accident insurance and related benefit, and free home appliances and other rewards items, provided that the members are active and have gassed up 200 liters every month if they are a taxi, jeepney, bus or truck driver and 50 liters every month for tricycle drivers.

Petroleum companies also offer their customers other ways of earning points outside their rewards cards by partnering with dining and retail establishments and card providers. This provides motorists more opportunities to earn points.

Another big player in the local petroleum industry, Chevron Philippines, Inc. has partnered with Happy Plus, a card that can be used to store and pay credit for Jollibee, Chowking, Red Ribbon and Greenwich. In Caltex stations, Happy Plus card members can earn 1 point for every P100 purchase in participating Caltex stores.

Customers can also use their Robinsons Rewards card for gassing up at Caltex. By using the card, customers gets one Robinsons Rewards point for every five liters of Caltex gasoline or diesel loaded. One Robinson Rewards point can also be used to get one peso discount per liter of Caltex fuel, when at least 50 points is earned.

Petroleum companies have also partnered with known credit card companies to give away rebates. Shell has partnered with Citi VISA. “With the highest ever fuels rebate in the market, the new Shell Citi VISA Credit Card offers a 5% rebate on Shell fuel purchases, a 0.5% rebate on non-fuel purchases, a 5% to 10% discount on change oil services at Shell Helix Centers and free roadside a ssi stance ser v ice whenever needed,” Shell said in its official Web site.

Sammy De Guzman, VP and general manager for Shell Retail in the Philippines, explained, “People want the freedom to travel by car and we understand that fuel makes up a good part of monthly spending, so we have designed the Shell Citi VISA card to help our customers get more out of their household budgets. Our relationship with Citi is vital because it means working with an established global leader in personal financial services whose credit card expertise, customer service and reliability are proven in over 50 countries worldwide.”

Petron, on the other hand, has Petron-BPI MasterCard. It offers clients a 3% fuel rebate, 10% discount on Petron Lubes and Auto Services and 24x7 towing and roadside assistance.

Motorist can now take advantage of different rewards card to fuel their trip. The added values can be a comforting reflection of the partnership that gas companies and motorists can have. —