Fuel outlets are one stop shop that any customer can get fooled. Companies are doing their best to attract more customers. They have gone on increasing respect for their customers by getting their ground staff greeting customers with respect, cleansing wind-shields, free air-checks etc.It’s quite appetizing to see such pampered habits increasing but for every good thing, you may lend up paying a price.
Are we aware of all that happens at the Gas(Fuel) station? Do you know one can be cheated? I had gone through these troubles below:
1. PAYMENTS:
a. In cash of Rs. 500/:
i. Please check the note several times, as notes withdrawn from ATM do get stuck, before handing it over to the cashier. I lost at least Rs. 2500/- in just three fills from a gas station. When I went back to justify, I was asked for the series number on the note(I do not think anyone ever notes down the series number each time they withdraw from ATMs) I was looked at; with glaring eyes and gestures, none of those polite staff who first ran to service my requirements earlier wanted to stand and talk my concern any more.
ii. Pay through Credit Card:
1. Some Credit Card Companies(CCC) have ventured with oil companies that pass on freebies. Like Citi Bank CC customers are not charged service charges at IBP pumps. You need to ensure that:
a. The staff swipes the card through the Citi Bank machine(m/c) and not through the ICICI machine it could have. If your Citi card gets swiped by the ICICI m/c, you land up paying the service charges, though your intention was to fill fuel at IBP pump to enjoy this freebie. In our hurry or being in discussion with a known person, we do not realize that the staff swiped it through the ICICI m/c.
I did catch the staff doing so on several occasions and got him to debit the amount from the other m/c and then get him to charge it through Citi Bank swiping m/c. If caught, the boys / staff say sorry, for their mistake sying, " I did not know your card was of Citi Bank", though the card carries a big, visualized name Citi Bank Card. This they can miss out easily but unwanted written stuff is read well…what an excuse at the cost of the customer’s pocket?
b. Never let your credit card be taken to the pumps office alone. Do lock your vehicle and walk along with the staff and ensure the correct amount is swiped. Or then check your card statement to ensure its accuracy. Any discrepancies should be brought to the notice of the CCC.
c. Do not forget to collect your card back after signing the expense statement. Form a habit to put the card back in your pocket or valet and only then start your car / vehicle.
iii. Check the quality of the notes as then other vendors may not take tattered notes. Pumps are usually flooded with notes as they do business through out the day. The cashier is always loaded with cash. They are easy prey’s to fake currency, torn notes or taped notes that are not accepted now in the market.
Paying by credit cards needs your attention. Sometimes, a card can be swiped twice without(w/o) the customer’s knowledge. In such cases(that I heard), the staff keeps back the second slip w/o the customers knowledge and later takes away cash equal to that amount. In this way, his total at the end of the day is accounted well but at the loss of the customer who trusted him with his credit card.
While filling the fuel, customers should emphasize that the out-let pipe must be kept for few more seconds or a minute after the meter stops which shows that the paid amount of fuel was filled in the vehicle. For example, if you requested for Rs. 500 /- worth of fuel and the meter on the pump has shown Rs. 500/- worth of fuel poured into your vehicle, you must then stress the staff to let the discharge pipe be kept for 10/20 seconds or a minute more. The reason is, fuel still pours out as the pump has forced / sucked fuel from is storage tank through the pipe into your vehicle. The practice at the pumps are, the staff soon tilts the nossel / exhaust pipe and hooks it back on the pump. This means that he has stopped the excess fuel(which you have paid) from flowing into your vehicle that goes back into the m/c or remains there. This is a loss to you / custmer while the pump owners benefit. Gradually, if you account at the end of the day the total amount of fuel the gas station saves back or tilts its pipe and takes back, the pump owners turn to be making higher profits at the cost of the customers.
Ensure you have got the value for your money. Many times, the staff stops the m/c from pouring the amounted fuel. For example, you may have noticed, the saff stopping the m/c few points or say Rs. 499.50 pasie earlier then the full paid amount of Rs. 500. Through the whole day, the staff has collected a big sum tens or hundrend of Rupees that has totaled up by stopping the m/c earlier(.50 pise or so) or to its total value paid. ensure the m/c and fuel is stopped at Rs. 500/- itself and not Rs. 499.50.
If the liver of the nossel is being pressed, ensure the attendent presses it to its full. Sometimes they press it half. This obstructs the 100% preasure of the flow of fuel into the vehicle tank while the meter runs to its programed amount.
Thus, its always good to keep a watch or stop the staff from pulling out the nozzle from the tank cover till every drop falls into your vehicle tank. Credit card payers should be careful on who & how their card is being used while cash payers need to count their cash well before paying or getting refunds.