As a Small Business Owner (SBO) I rely on my card for business purchases and I’m sure I’m not alone. Personally I often have to make purchases for my business when I am waiting for my clients to pay me. This creates a short term cash flow challenge. Being able to use my card means my business runs smoothly and I am not stressed. When I make purchases online for my business I use my credit card and often I save money as typically many things purchased online are cheaper. That’s why peace of mind, flexibility and being rewarded for my purchases are three of the most important things I look for when choosing a credit card. While there are a lot of options available, it’s important to ensure that you do the proper research to ensure you choose the right card for your business needs. Recently I discovered the newly refreshed American Express Business Gold Rewards Card and was excited to learn more about their new benefits; many of which go hand in hand with what I look for in a business credit card and wanted to share my top benefits with you.
Peace of Mind
Number one, as always, is customer service. I always look for a card that will provide me and my business with exceptional customer service. Because I don’t have a 9-5 job it is important to me to be able to access the customer service department at a time that works for me. Recently I contacted an organization with some issues, and they were taken care of within 10 minutes, which meant I could make the deadline I had set for my client. I always believe if customer service is not important to the organization you are being loyal to, what else is missing?
Flexibility
Flexibility is key. When choosing a card it’s important to look for something that can be tailored to your spending habits so you can maximize the value. Each business is different and doesn’t fit into the same cookie-cutter mold and neither should your card.
Last year I had quite a few challenges with my office equipment, which I need to run my business on a daily basis. The cost of purchasing the new printer and laptop was expensive so I was relieved to be able to use my credit card knowing I had no pre-set spending limit and I would not have the stress of not being able to purchase two top priority items. Having the flexibility to decide how much money I needed to spend versus how much money I could spend made a huge difference to me.
Rewards
One of the benefits that really intrigued me about the refreshed Business Gold Rewards Card is that it was specifically designed to offer SBOs flexibility and rewards.
I look back to the time when I earned my first rewards points from my card and I was overjoyed to be able to purchase a gift, not for me, but for my husband as a thank you for his support. I had saved up my rewards points with this goal in mind.
An interesting new feature the Card also offers is the “Your 3 Supplier Program”, which allows you to earn double points on your purchases at three of your selected merchants. This is particularly great because it will help you earn points at an accelerated rate. As a Cardmember, you can select merchants from a list of participating Amex merchants from across four categories, including, technology, equipment, advertising, and everyday business spending.
Earning points has always been important to me and it was interesting to see that a recent survey by American Express Canada cited 54% of SBO’s value the opportunity to earn points on their business expenses and it is the most important factor when choosing a business credit card. The survey also discovered that 65% of business owners use their credit card points to reward themselves, so I’m not alone in this either. We work hard and want (and deserve) to reward ourselves, so what better way than to choose a business card that helps SBOs and supports them to do so. There are a lot of options available, so suggest you do your own research to find what works best for you. If you are interested in learning more about the Amex Business Gold Rewards Card you can check out the facts here.
This post was sponsored by Amex Bank of Canada. The views and opinions expressed in this blog, however, are purely my own.
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