
Business gas cards, fleet cards and fuel cards are different names for the same thing: cards for paying for fuel and vehicle-related expenses. These payment methods are advantageous to any business using vehicles of any kind, including law firms.
Running a successful law firm requires careful attention to detail. From managing client relationships to ensuring regulatory compliance, every aspect of your practice demands precision. One area often overlooked until the bills start piling up is the management of business vehicles.
When staff and attorneys are freed from the burden of manual data entry, they can devote more energy to providing exemplary legal services.
Whether you operate a single car for court appearances and client visits or maintain a small fleet for multiple attorneys, tracking fuel expenses can become cumbersome—especially when juggling client communications and court deadlines. This is where business gas cards come into play. They can help simplify expense tracking, reduce administrative burdens and provide substantial savings for law firms of all sizes. Ultimately, business gas cards can help attorneys optimize their practice’s operational efficiency.
An Overview of Fuel Card Benefits
Before we get into all the details of how business gas cards can benefit businesses like law firms, let’s take a look at three high-level benefits.
Streamlined Fuel Expense Tracking and Accountability
Law firms handle sensitive client data and large volumes of documentation daily. Manual receipt management for fuel expenses, added to everything else, can lead to confusion, lost records and time-consuming administrative tasks. A fuel or fleet card automates much of the expense-tracking process, sending real-time transaction data directly to your account portal. When staff and attorneys are freed from the burden of manual data entry, they can devote more energy to providing exemplary legal services.
Cards for Financial Control and Budgeting
Fuel costs can quickly balloon if not monitored closely. Firm administrators need efficient ways to control spending and prevent unauthorized transactions. Business gas cards allow you to set specific purchase limits, restrict usage by time of day, or even control the types of products that can be purchased. For law firms, this level of oversight helps ensure compliance with internal policies. With a business gas card, you can more accurately forecast your monthly expenses, allocate resources where they are needed most and make data-driven decisions about managing company vehicles.
Professional Image and Convenience
Lawyers are known for their attention to detail and polished presentation. Providing attorneys and staff with a specialized business gas card enhances your law firm’s professional image and consolidates all relevant expenses under one easy-to-access system. Rather than juggling multiple credit cards, receipts or reimbursing out-of-pocket expenses, a business gas card program centralizes billing, ensuring clarity and consistency.
Key Features of Business Gas Cards
There are specific features business gas cards provide.
Fuel Savings and Rebates
One of the most attractive aspects of business gas cards is their potential savings. Most fuel cards offer rebates on gas and diesel purchases and access to special pricing. Shell Fleet Solutions, for instance, provides competitive fuel rebates and discounts on maintenance:
- Introductory savings: New accounts can earn up to 13¢ per gallon* for the first six months of activity. During this initial period, your firm can substantially cut down on overhead, redirecting the saved funds toward critical areas like staffing, legal research tools, or marketing.
- Ongoing rewards: After the first six months, you continue to save with fuel rebates of up to 6¢ per gallon** at any Shell station, offering consistent relief from fuel expenses over time.
- Maintenance discounts: Cardholders can also access 15%–20% discounts at participating Jiffy Lube® locations. When your company vehicles require quick oil changes or other essential services, these discounts can add up to considerable annual savings.
Law firms often handle unpredictable schedules—urgent court appearances, last-minute client visits or depositions across the state. With fluctuating travel demands, any opportunity to reduce operating costs becomes invaluable. Leveraging these rebates and discounts can help a firm better manage its monthly budget.
Fueling Expense Management
Expense management is critical for attorneys who must balance legal work and business administration. A business gas card provides access to real-time data and seamless integration with your accounting department.
- Real-time transaction data: Every time a card is used, the transaction data appears in your online dashboard. This eliminates the need for cumbersome paper receipts and minimizes the risk of lost or misplaced documentation.
- Integration with accounting software: Most business gas cards can integrate with popular accounting programs. All purchase data can be immediately and seamlessly sent to your bookkeeping software. Whether you use software for accounting or a general ledger system, your law firm’s fuel transactions can be automatically categorized.
Because many attorneys bill for travel expenses separately, an automated system reduces the likelihood of errors and simplifies invoicing. When data is compiled and updated, it is easier to provide clients with accurate travel cost breakdowns.
Expense management is critical for attorneys who must balance legal work and business administration. A business gas card provides access to real-time data and seamless integration with your accounting department.
Purchase Controls
In a legal environment, it is essential to maintain tight control over fuel-related spending. You must ensure that your vehicles are being used for legitimate business purposes and in compliance with firm policies.
- Spending limits by time, location or transaction type: You can customize parameters to limit transactions during specific hours, at certain stations or even for particular fuel grades and automotive services. If your firm’s policy disallows personal use of company vehicles, these tools help prevent unauthorized purchases.
Card Benefits Offer Convenience
Attorneys are accustomed to tight deadlines and often operate under high pressure. The last thing anyone needs is a gas card program that is complicated or inconvenient. Choosing a fuel card with universal acceptance and on-the-go access is key to efficiency. excels at this:
- Widespread Acceptance: Shell Card Business Flex is accepted at 95% of U.S. gas stations, including over 12,000 Shell locations. No matter where your firm’s cases take you, you can easily find a station that accepts your card.
- Online and Mobile Account Access: With Shell, you can manage your account from anywhere via an intuitive online portal or mobile app. Whether at home preparing for trial or on the road visiting clients, you can review transactions, adjust controls, or generate spending reports at any time.
- Roadside Assistance and EV Charging Payments: If your law firm has begun transitioning to electric or hybrid vehicles, Shell Fleet Cards also allow you to pay for EV charging at participating locations. Additionally, you have access to roadside assistance if you ever encounter a flat tire or need emergency towing.
Fuel Card Security
Fuel theft, unauthorized purchases and misuse of company cards can be costly in terms of money and professional reputation. Business gas cards, like those offered by Shell Fleet Solutions, have built-in security features to help keep your financial assets secure.
- Instant Card Activation, Suspension or Termination: If an attorney or employee leaves the firm or if you suspect a card has been compromised, you can take immediate action to suspend or cancel the card.
- Fraud Alerts: In addition to the previously mentioned spending controls, you can receive real-time alerts for suspicious activity. These alerts allow you to verify or deny transactions, ensuring you catch fraud early.
Specific Card Benefits for Lawyers
With this understating of the key features of business gas cards, let’s explore how these features translate into real-world advantages for a law firm.
- Simplified Accounting: Automated data collection and real-time transaction tracking can substantially reduce administrative burdens. With Shell fleet cards, you eliminate the need for attorneys and administrative staff to chase down receipts or manually log expenses.
- Cost Savings: From per-gallon rebates to Jiffy Lube® discounts, your firm can reap ongoing financial benefits. You can channel those savings into growth strategies like hiring staff, investing in marketing or expanding into new practice areas.
- Control and Oversight: Many law firms have strict expense policies to maintain ethical and professional standards. Shell Fleet Cards’ purchase controls ensure compliance, reducing the risk of misuse or misunderstandings.
- Flexibility: Widespread acceptance across the United States ensures convenience. For multi-state practices or attorneys who frequently travel, this network coverage translates into minimal disruptions and easy fueling.
Best Practices for Implementing a Business Gas Card
While business gas cards, like those offered by Shell Fleet Solutions, provide many advantages to a law firm, implementing best practices can increase their usefulness. Here are a few things you can do to get more from your fuel card:
- Regular Monitoring: Review spending patterns regularly. Look for transactions that deviate from typical usage, such as unusually large purchases or repeated transactions at odd hours.
- Set Company-wide Policies: Establish clear guidelines regarding vehicle usage and fueling. Communicate these policies to all employees.
- Use Purchase Controls: Tailor each card’s spending limits and usage hours to match the employee’s role. Partners might need broader access due to varied schedules, while support staff might have more restrictive parameters.
- Automate Reporting: Take advantage of integration capabilities with your accounting software to generate weekly or monthly expense reports. Share these with the administrative team or relevant departments for transparency.
- Encourage Feedback: If attorneys or staff find certain limits too restrictive or notice areas where the firm could save even more, encourage them to share that feedback.
A Fuel Management Solution for Firms of any Size
Managing a law firm’s vehicle expenses can be complex. Shell business gas cards provide an easy way to streamline this aspect of a law firm’s operations. These cards offer real-time transaction monitoring, robust security features, fuel rebates and flexible acceptance at thousands of stations nationwide.
The bottom line is law firms of all sizes—solo operations, small businesses and large firms—can benefit from business gas cards. By minimizing administrative burdens and ensuring meticulous record-keeping, you free up more time to focus on client advocacy, case preparation and ultimately providing top-tier legal services.
If you are ready to elevate your firm’s financial management and operational efficiency, look no further than Shell Fleet Cards.
To learn more or to begin your application process, visit Business Fleet Solutions.