Small businesses in need of payment solutions sometimes overlook the potential that business card products have to offer. Part of the problem is a simple lack of awareness – it’s not uncommon for small business owners to consider business cards to be in a similar vein as their consumer card counterparts, quite unaware that business card benefits (such as cashflow optimisation and rewards opportunities) are strategically designed to help companies unlock further growth potential.
The range of American Express Business Cards provide organisations with a selection of credit and charge card options that allow access to valuable cashflow tools, great rewards on every dollar spent, and a range of world-class travel benefits. If you’re a business owner considering a credit or charge card built for your needs, you may find the solution you’re looking for within the Amex business card portfolio.
Track, optimise and grow with Cards made for your business
American Express offers a range of business cards – however, this article will focus on three products in particular: the American Express Platinum Business Card, the American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card, and the American Express Explorer Business Credit Card. As cards designed entirely with business owners in mind, they each provide cashflow and payment solutions that provide increased flexibility, as well as offering additional expenditure visibility that can help owners track and optimise business expenditure.
Using an Amex Business Card product provides exceptional clarity into your business’s finances, plainly demarcating business spend from personal spend. Additionally, select Amex business charge and credit cards have the option to take out up to 99 complimentary employee cards, vastly improving visibility over employee expenses. All American Express Business Cards are equipped for integration with common accounting suites such as MYOB and Quicken, making oversight compatible with existing company protocols. An added benefit of the Platinum Business Card is that it comes with access to a dedicated Account Manager, who proactively helps Platinum Business customers extract as much benefit and rewards value out of their cards as possible. They can also further explain the cashflow management potential of the Platinum Card, while also providing support and guidance on commercial and financial enquiries.
The American Express Platinum Business Card
Finding the Card that works for your business
The American Express Platinum Business Card is Amex’s premium charge card solution, and it features no pre-set spending limit – meaning that as your business establishes its spending and payment history, the amount you can charge to the card may grow. Furthermore, as Platinum Business accounts are paid off monthly – or up to 55 days after purchases have been made, depending on your method of payment (when you’ve made the purchase, when your statement is issued, and whether your account is in good standing) chargers won’t accrue interest on the balance.
For those times when the business needs to free up their cashflow to take advantage of new opportunities or take care of unforeseen expenses, Flexible Payment Option (FPO) is available to Amex charge card holders. FPO allows customers to flexibly pay off a portion of their monthly balance (up to a limit and over time) while still earning the rewards points associated with the purchases they’ve made. It’s important to note that interest charges may apply, so it’s worth consulting your Account Manager and/or keeping track of current rates via your monthly statement.
As an added bonus, Platinum Business Card Members are rewarded with a market leading earn rate of up to 2.25 Membership Reward points for every $1 spent on eligible purchases – excluding government spend where you’ll earn 1 point per $1 spent – which can be used to help offset business costs for travel, tech upgrades or even the $1750 annual card fee through Points for Credit. The Platinum Business Card also provides Card Members access to a plethora of travel and premium lifestyle benefits, which are second to none within the business card market.
The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card
The American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card offers a travel-focused alternative in the charge card space, with 2 Qantas Points earned per $1 spent on Qantas products and services and up to 1.25 Qantas Points per $1 spent on everyday business purchases – excluding government spend where you’ll earn 0.5 Qantas Points per $1 spent. Amex Qantas Business Rewards Card members enjoy no pre-set spending limit with access to a flexible payment option, and up to 51 days to pay for purchases dependant on a variety of factors – including how and when purchases are made, when your statement is issued, and whether your account is in good standing – all for an annual card fee of $450. As an added perk, the Amex Qantas Business Rewards Card offers two complimentary domestic Qantas Club lounge passes each membership year and gives card members access to savings of up to 10 per cent on eligible Qantas flights.
The American Express Business Explorer Credit Card
Businesses seeking a credit card solution can opt for the American Express Business Explorer Credit Card, which offers two Membership Rewards points per $1 spent on eligible business expenses, as well as a fixed credit limit and an interest rate of 23.99 per cent on new purchases made. Card members of Business Explorer Credit Card can enjoy up to 55 interest-free days, and while this period is slightly more generous than both the Platinum and Qantas Business Rewards Cards, it is dependant on the same factors, including but not limited to – payment method, date of payment, when your statement is issued and the standing of your account. To top this all off, the Explorer Business Card also has a palatable annual fee of $149, a fair price given the well-rounded benefit profile of the product.
While terms and conditions on these offers apply, each of these card products has clear and varying benefit profiles designed to suit different businesses. Amex’s available payment solutions are designed to help business owners to manage their vendor payments and employee spend while freeing up cashflow and ultimately saving them valuable time. These benefits, coupled with the rewards earning and redemption potential which these cards can unlock, make the addition of an American Express Business Card a potentially key consideration for your business.
If you’re looking for a credit or charge card that’s built for your business, an American Express Business Card could be the answer you need.
