Credit cards welcome - Engen leads with safe, convenient fuel payments

Tuesday, 21 July 2009

Engen Petroleum Ltd (Engen), South Africa's leading petrol and diesel retailer, has announced a breakthrough in forecourt convenience and safety. Motorists can now pay by credit card for their fuel at 600 Engen 1-Stop and Quickshop service stations across the country.

Pierr Roodt, Engen retail marketing manager, says thanks to the company's trail-blazing re-negotiation of bank fees on VISA and MASTERCARD transactions, dealers can now offer competitively-priced fuel, even if paid for by card.

Engen's good-news announcement follows a law amendment that allows dealers to accept credit cards, partly to accommodate the massive influx of international visitors expected in 2010.

Roodt says Engen fully agrees with government thinking. "We want to extend an African Welcome to all visitors, including football lovers from around the world next year." He says. "We're gearing up to offer a world-class retail experience that is both more convenient and safer than before."

The new regulations don't compel dealers to accept credit cards, however Roodt says it makes sense to take MASTERCARD and VISA cards, on which a much lower fee will now be levied and therefore dealers will be encouraged to accept this as a form of payment.

He says the initiative is an industry-first for Engen. "We believe we are the only network with the ability to speedily action this initiative, across all our Quickshop sites and the sites which are able to manage secure EFT transactions, numbering about 600 service stations."

Engen's automation department will enable all its Secure Electronic Fund Transfer (SEFT) devices, operated by merchants choosing to participate.

Consumers are advised to look out for 'credit card accepted' signage at participating forecourts.

Consumers and dealer should note:

• Diners Club and Amex cards are not part of the Engen agreement due to their high merchant fees.
• The SEFT enabled sites will be able to process the agreed lower merchant fees on VISA and MASTERCARD transactions.
• Service stations must have signage displaying whether they do or don't accept card payments