Corporate credit cards are exclusively designed for organisations which in turn offer the same to their employees to manage their business expenses. Corporate credit cards are different from business credit cards as the latter are offered to business owners, self-employed, and professionals for their personal use. Corporate credit cards help businesses to regulate how employees spend money for business expenses.
Listed below are some corporate credit cards offered by various issuers in India. Each come with a different set of benefits and features.
The HDFC Corporate Credit Card is a premium category card that offers both travel and entertainment benefits to cater the needs of the various organisations.
Joining fee: NIL
Annual fee: NIL (Life-time free)
Interest rate: 2.95% per month
Benefits for businesses
Benefits to employees
Employees who are offered corporate credit cards can enjoy the following benefits.
The HDFC Corporate Platinum Credit Card offers one of the best online management information system (MIS) for the companies to track employee expenses. It provides equal benefits for the employees in terms of reward points, free lounge visits, insurance cover, etc.
Joining fee: NIL
Annual fee: NIL (lifetime free)
Interest rate: 3.49% per month
Benefits for businesses
Benefits to employees
Employees who are offered corporate credit cards can enjoy the following benefits.
YES FIRST Corporate Credit Card is designed to be your preferred mode of payment across categories like Air Travel, Hotel Stays, Dining, Car Rentals etc. The card is designed with class-leading features and user-friendly online tools which assist in authorizing, tracking and processing expense & payment data.
Joining Fee: NIL
Annual fee: NIL
Interest rate: 2.4% per month
Benefits for employees
Benefits to employees holding the card
The Axis Bank Corporate Credit Card provides an efficient travel and expense management solution to companies and organizations. The cards are accepted worldwide and come with customized solutions that meet the needs of most corporates.
Joining fee: Communicated by the company
Annual fee: Communicated by the company
Interest rate: NA. Revolving credit facility not available. Full payment needs to be made at the end of each month.
Benefits for business:
Benefits to employees holding the card:
Featuring smarter expense management, the SBI Platinum Corporate Credit Card enables the companies to easily track and control the expenses while providing real-time expense management.
Joining fee: NIL
Annual fee: NIL (lifetime free)
Interest rate: Up to 3.35% per month.
Benefits for businesses:
Benefits for employees
While each credit card issuer offers different benefits on their corporate credit cards, there are some common benefits which companies can enjoy by availing corporate credit cards.
Listed below are various benefits offered by corporate credit cards.
Most banks allow online application for corporate credit cards. You can visit the website of respective bank, check the available credit cards, choose the one that suits your organisational needs and apply for the same on the bank's website.
Upon submitting the online application, the bank may call you back provided the details match the eligibility criteria. The further steps in the application process will then be informed to you over the call.
You can also apply for some of the corporate credit cards through BankBazaar, which is an authorised partner of top banks in India.
On successfully submitting the application and the necessary documents, you would receive an 'Application ID'. Use this ID to track your application status by clicking 'Track Application'.
No matter what type of corporate credit card your company gives you, it is very important familiarize yourself with reporting and spending rules of your employer.
Understand the travel policies, spending limits, procedures and restrictions associated with the credit card. For example, an organisation might state that car rentals and flight tickets fall under the category of approved travel spends, but toll costs and fuel charges must be given by the employer from his/her own pocket.
Along with learning all the major company policies on the use of corporate credit cards, you must also know about policies that are specific to your position or designation in the organisation. For example, a field engineer and the CEO might have different spending profiles.
As a cardholder, you must find out the limits and types charges associated with your corporate credit card.
Charge limits can exist within the approved categories for spending too. Some of the expense restrictions are established for various kinds of merchants. Such control suggests that the employer can cap the charges at a particular level for the office supplies but offer more for the flight tickets.
The transactions being carried out at any given time can also be tracked and controlled by your employer which stops you from overspending.
You should also take proper training for using a corporate credit card. At times, these training sessions are made mandatory by the companies.
Compared to traditional methods such as providing liquid cash to employees or asking them to use their own money and reimburse it, corporate credit cards provide better control for the businesses.
With corporate credit cards, business can set spending limits, billing options, and spending options for each employee on different categories.
An interesting aspect of corporate credit cards is the spend management platform they offer. All the cards are integrated with an online platform providing the businesses the power to control everything related to the cards in real time.
The expenses management platform enables organisations to load funds, set limits, view the spends on all the cards across the organisation, order new cards, cancel or suspend existing ones, and the overall spend data across employees, departments, projects, time periods, etc., as per the company's requirement.
Avoid Pitfalls
Unapproved charges can be a threat to corporate credit cardholders. If you have an individual payment card, you must submit your expense report and get it approved by your company's management. In case there are unapproved charges on your corporate credit card statement, then you can be on the hook.
Also, mixing corporate expenses and personal expenses can be a bad idea. At times, you might feel like skipping the hassle of using your personal credit card for your expenses when you are on a business trip. When the expenses are tracked, you could land into collision course with your employer.
Use Simple Logic
If you are spending on something that is related to work, make sure that the particular spend is 100% related to your work. Don't spend on things that have chances of going into the unapproved charges bucket. Not only will you lose out on money, but also you will stand answerable to your employer.
Keep a Track of your Credit Score
When your company gives you a corporate credit card, it might want to check your personal credit score. This would give them an idea of your expense management, spending habits and repayment capabilities.
If you avoid credit card payments, it will affect your credit score a lot. The credit bureau keeps all the information about your late payments. If your employer comes to know that you have not cleared your outstanding on time, you might not be considered eligible for the corporate credit card. Make sure that you pay your debts on time to keep the credit score high.
Loss and Theft
You, as an employee, must ensure your card's security. Corporate credit cards come with unique numbers. In case of loss or theft of your credit card, block it immediately. This will stop the possibilities of fraudulent activities using your corporate credit card.
Traveling with your Corporate Credit Card
Corporate credit cards offer travel expenses for the employees traveling for business purposes. As an employee holding a corporate credit card, you can avail access to VIP lounges at several international airports. It also offers travel insurance so that you can enjoy the peace of mind you deserve while traveling.
A business credit card will need you to have a good to excellent credit. You should have a score of 700 and above. A score of 800 and more is the best. There are some business credit cards for small business and the owners can have a fair credit score- 640 - 699.
Yes, for that you do not have to be running a corporation, but you will need to list your business.
It will take you around 7-10 business days to get a business credit card once it has been approved. This means that it will take 14-24 days to get your business credit card after you apply for it.
All business credit cards and personal credit cards work in the same way. The credit cards will give you rewards points, bonus points, and sign-up bonus. The terms and conditions for the business cards and personal cards will be different. Business credit cards are curated to benefit the business and you can also access a few business tools.
You cannot easily get an unsecured business credit card without having personal credit. A lot of the issuers will need to have a good and excellent credit. If you are starting with no credit, you will have to begin with a personal card, and then build your score before you apply for a business credit card.
Yes, when you apply for a business credit card, the issuer will consider your business track record and also your personal credit.
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