Complaint Review: Fuel Rewards Network - Internet

 Fuel Rewards Network: Great rewards, IF you could only get them.... The Fuel Rewards Network (FRN) lets you earn rewards for things you buy through their online mall or at participating Shell stations and dining establishments. You can then use the rewards to purchase discounted fuel at Shell gas stations. But what happens when you don't receive the rewards you rightfully earned? First, if you happen to notice that you didn't get your rewards, you cannot make a claim for 45 days. Supposedly this is because some rewards may take that long to post to your account. In my personal experience, rewards almost always post within a few days.

So chances are, if they don't post in a few days, you're probably not going to get them. Ever. So why does FRN really make you wait 45 days before you can make a claim? Perhaps because after 45 days most people have moved on with their lives and conveniently forgotten about rewards they earned but never received? Anyway, for those with a great memory (and apparently no life at all) in 45 days you get the privilege of contacting FRN Customer Service to start the "resolution process." Don't get your hopes up just yet. If you made an online mall purchase, like I did, you will likely be informed that nothing can be done immediately because your claim must be "elevated to the corporate level." That's what I was told when I called customer service today.

Apparently, the customer service reps at FRN are not empowered to help customers until after the matter becomes a "corporate" issue. (Folks, we're probably talking about a 20 cents per gallon reward here. Talk about making a federal case out of it, huh? Perhaps these corporate wizards at FRN should move on to greener pastures and find jobs in government where their bureaucratic skills can really be appreciated? Just a thought.) After you finish up with the nice customer service rep, stand by for an email from FRN. When you get it, the email will tell you you need to submit written documentation in order to "expedite the resolution process." Expedite? I've already waited 45 days. Let's not rush into anything. Now, try to find that 45 day old order confirmation email you got from the online mall merchant. Keep looking. Have you got it? Great!

Print it out, scan it, make a PDF, now attach it and REPLY to that email you just got from FRN. Now be sure to reply to that email ONLY because sending a new email to FRN with the attachment will likely mess up the whole process. (I'm not kidding friends. This is the FRN "resolution process" you're supposed to follow if you didn't get your rewards and want to do something about it. Pitiful, huh?) Almost finished. All you need to do now is wait for someone from FRN to get back to you. Hopefully, they'll soon be sharing the "good news" that you've finally received that 20 cents (or whatever) reward you were promised sooooooooo long ago. Now in fairness, when things work as they should (i.e., rewards post to your account a few days or so after you make a purchase), the FRN program definitely has merit. By participating you should save money when you fuel up at Shell. I have. The bottom line: When something goes wrong and rewards don't post, 45 days is too long to wait to initiate a claim.

That should change. FRN really needs to take the hassle out of its woefully inadequate and painfully slow resolution process. And while they're at it, they must empower their customer service representatives to help customers immediately when a claim is made. No more of this "escalating to corporate" nonsense which only serves to cause more delays and unnecessary frustration. Update January 19, 2015: This program has gotten much worse. Rewards constantly do not post to your account even after receiving a confirmation email from FRN stating that you have earned rewards. And when this happens, FRN insists that you wait 45 days to make a complaint. Only after waiting 45 days will they "investigate." Wait. Why should you have to wait 45 days to complain that you did not receive your rewards after FRN sent you an email confirming you earned rewards? This FRN program is a ripoff. Sure, you will receive SOME rewards, but don't expect to receive ALL of the rewards your rightfully earned.