TMCs and virtual cards


TECHNOLOGY COMPANY MICROSOFT has used virtual payments to simplify processes at the same time as expanding reporting and monitoring to support compliance to its travel policy. In particular, its hotel programme used a range of billing processes, includ- ing travel accounts, corporate cards and paper receipts to track and reimburse travel expenses. The company recognised that this created too much complexity with reconciliation. To streamline hotel expenses, Microsoft, working with its TMC, American Express Global Business Travel, implemented Conferma’s Virtual Payment Expert. This virtual card solution creates a virtual card number (VCN) with 15 digits that works in the same way as a plastic credit card. Microsoft uses a single-use virtual card payment for each hotel transaction, allowing the company to set spending controls and capture vital travel data for


reconciliation through one clear, stream- lined process. Now, instead of multiple bill payments and billing processes, all hotel payments are pushed through Virtual Payment Expert. It has allowed Microsoft to track, monitor, and reconcile all traveller spend in a single source, eliminated the em- ployee reimbursement process entirely and created access to booking informa- tion using Conferma’s Trip Pay app on the Windows Phone platform. The implementation gave Microsoft improved compliance, efficiency and programme visibility. Eric Bailey, Micro- soft’s global travel and events manager, says: “The Conferma payment technology provides Microsoft’s non-FTE [full-time equivalent] travellers, such as recruits, with a better travel experience while reducing their out-of-pocket expenses from an average of US$1,000 per trip to less than US$150 per trip. Once again, technology


Hotel expenses on a budget


BUDGET HOTEL CHAINS PREMIER INN AND TRAVELODGE both operate business account schemes, and such schemes can work well when you have even a small amount of spend in the chain. Premier Inn’s business account was relaunched in 2007 and helped boost business bookings at the Whitebread- owned chain. The account is free to set up and can be used to book accommodation at all UK Premier Inns, and room extras such as newspapers and wifi, as well as charging for food and drinks at Whitbread group restaurants within or adjacent to the hotels. Buyers receive a single consolidated VAT invoice at the start of each month for the previous month, and payment by direct debit is required 14 days later. There is also an option for twice-monthly billing. Invoices include a comprehensive VAT breakdown and can also include data such as purchase order number if this was entered at the time of booking. The Travelodge scheme was launched in 2009. At the begin- ning of each month, account holders receive a statement showing their hotel spend for the previous month. This has to be paid by the first of the following month. Bookings can be made online, using a dedicated website or over the phone via central reservations and the scheme offers companies a 5 per cent discount on bookings. Management of the account is from a single, central account regardless of the number of individual cardholders.


96 BBT September/October 2016 BUYINGBUSINESSTRAVEL.COM


has helped us reduce company and travel- ler risk while providing a better experience for travellers and travel agents.” Conferma CEO Simon Barker says


this VCN technology provided what Microsoft required Amex GBT to deliver: “They wanted control, automation, simple reconciliation, compliance and efficiency, and they wanted it to be compatible with Windows-powered mobile devices.”


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