• TECH

• news

Account please: We checked the refueling apps

The various fuel companies have been investing a lot of effort recently when it comes to refueling through apps, but are there any differences between the various apps?

- Which apps do their job faithfully?

These are completely unnecessary apps and also - who offers the most advanced features?

Tags

• refueling

Mikey Levy

Monday, 01 February 2021, 08:49

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments

In recent years we have become accustomed to everything having an app - yes, even razors and toothbrushes.

At the same time, data show that from year to year the public uses fewer and fewer apps on average.

the main reason?

Well - mainly because your toothbrush also has an app.

The growing popularity of using apps has led to inflation in the development of these - sometimes at the expense of functionality, user experience and in some cases (as in the review before us) even at the expense of the basic functioning of the product.

So how did we perform the test?

Well, each app was double-checked (two refueling) at two different locations (Modiin, Coastal Road).

Among the various applications we tested were those whose very existence was not clear in the first place.

On the other hand, there were those who turned a simple app into a functional tool even if you are not a consumer of the fuel company.

The lack of uniformity is particularly surprising since it seems to be the lot of large and small companies alike.

More on Walla!

NEWS

Big Dreams: The Wonderful Natural Treasures of Australia and New Zealand

To the full article

While all of the fuel companies' apps have bothered to offer different deals at convenience stores, only three of them actually seem to allow refueling (without including Pango), and only two of them worked reliably throughout the two tests performed.

Sonol's app stuttered throughout all the tests and at one point refused to let us in again, after checking the matter on three different devices it can be determined that the problem is the app itself.

Maybe that's why Sonol teamed up with Pango and created an internal interface there based on the app's API.

It seems to be working there, but still carries with it some of the ills of the original app (the app did not recognize our location).

In addition, when it comes to refueling, there are two schools, one for Paz and one for all other companies.

Paz's gives the user a code that he can enter into each Paz pump within 10 minutes of his issuance in the app, while that of all other companies requires the user to stand in front of the refueling station, locate the station and then enter the station number.

While on the face of it the second method is simpler, in some cases such as Sonol stations, this was challenging to frustrating as the app did not recognize our location and nowhere in the station area was there any mention or signage bearing its name.

As for the convenience stores - only the Paz and Sonol and Pango apps allow purchase through the app, while all the others share discount coupons in the form of coupons for scanning.

Another puzzling detail that was common to all the companies we surveyed is that while refueling is done in the app, signs warning of the use of a smartphone are scattered throughout the station in the area of ​​the stations.

Fuel app

• Those who sign up for the Delek app will receive a set of various gifts, such as six Coca-Cola cans, right from the start.

  The interface is overall pleasant, although feels a bit sophisticated and it is sometimes unclear whether it is an advertisement or a clickable menu.

• The refueling option worked smoothly and pleasantly, but encountered some difficulty when we chose the payment option in bit - a surprising detail considering that the app itself promotes payment in bit aggressively and provides additional benefits.

  Delek runs a points accumulation program for each refueling that allows you to convert these into purchases at the company's convenience store.

  Beyond the refueling itself, the app also contains various benefits in the convenience store and a coffee tab of Cafe Joe.

  It also provides the consumer with a benefit barcode scanned at the seller, just like a coupon of yesteryear.

• What did we like?

• A simple and easy-to-operate application

• Gives gifts at registration

• What we liked less:

• The integration with a stuttering bit

• Very basic

Those who sign up for the Delek app will receive a set of various gifts at the beginning, such as six Coca-Cola cans (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

Paz app

• Refueling in Paz's app was simple and pleasant, with in addition to the clear instructions in the app itself, the pumps at the two stations we visited were marked in such a way that made it easier to work with the app and contained the station name and position number.

  Despite the need for additional code, unlike for example the Delek app which does not require additional authentication, the interface with the station was smooth.

  Unlike the other apps in the review, Paz's is richer and beyond promotions and coupons in convenience stores also offers payment through it in this rich chain of yellow stores, combined with the yellow color (the brand's hallmark) sometimes create a sense of clutter on the interface, not a deal breaker , More personal distinction.

  It should be noted that the app also offers an interface to the various car wash stations and even to the company's package delivery system (we did not even know it existed).

• An added value we found here is the connection to the Friends Association in the form of a distress button spring that opens an online call or connects to an emergency call center that helps you anywhere and anytime in the middle of an emergency - quite an effective and useful tool that will make us keep Paz The family. Bottom line, a rich and easy-to-use app that thanks to the distress button justifies installation even if you are not a Paz customer.

• What did we like?

• Resting operation in the app and at the gas station itself

• The connection to the Friends Association / Help Button

• Payment at the convenience store

• What less did we like?

• Loaded interface

"Refueling with Paz's app was simple and pleasant" (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

Sonol app

Even before we talk about using the app, it's hard to ignore the countless bugs that have arisen in using Sonol's app.

In the initial use it was not possible to complete the registration procedure on the Android device of the writer of these lines.

After checking on the iPhone a few minutes later - it seems that this is a lateral fault and it was not possible to register at all during close to a day.

Later the problem seemed to be solved, but the wait was not really worth it - despite the great potential with a variety of different services, the insistence on using a minimalist interface works to Sonol's disadvantage - especially when you are in a hurry and the sun is dazzling in the middle of the day.

This interface made the registration process less pleasant and directly affected the desire to use the app again.

The refueling itself was fine, but everything around was flawed in the use experience.

Interesting detail - when we opened the app to perform the second refueling we received a message that shouted: "Data loading error, please try too late", we had already given up and chose not to try too late.

Although the app contains many services such as car washing -

"It's hard to ignore the countless bugs that came up in using the app" (Photo: screenshot, screenshot)

Mika app

• Mika's app is a kind of inflated flyer that distributes coupons to users.

  It does not allow the customer to refuel, but if you fancy signing up for their refueling program - you can do so directly from the app at direct risk to your vision (endless text to a tiny font).

  The necessity of the app is neither clear nor really understandable and quite a pity - the colors themselves are nice, but the use of the app does not provide any special benefit to the consumer.

• What did we like?

• Nice deals

• What less did we like?

• Does not allow refueling

• More a newsletter than an app

Pango app

• There is no doubt that there is a huge advantage in that one app centralizes the issue of parking and refueling - which saves us from entering credit information and personal information and for that Pango already wins our love.

  Pango offers its users to use it to refuel at Sonol's gas stations - a great idea in itself, with a bit of a flaw.

• While our first refueling worked fine, on the second refueling the app was unable to identify the location and asked us to enter the station name.

  Unfortunately, the name of the station was not available - not on the pump (unlike Paz for example) nor on the sign at the entrance to the station or anywhere in the station itself.

  We wasted unnecessary time that included trips inside the station before we could locate its name.

  The refueling experience was reasonable but it seems that a considerable effort is needed here to give the consumer the coveted All In One experience.

• What did we like?

• One application that centralizes the

• Issue of vehicle travel operation

• What less did we like?

• In both refuelings we were required to put in a location

• The app did not recognize us

• Share on Facebook

• Share on WhatsApp

• Share on general

• Share on general

• Share on Twitter

• Share on Email

0 comments