Small Business Credit Cards:
Personal credit cards have been in use for a lengthy time now. Running your business' finances also becomes easier with credit cards. Also, when there are situations when you cannot finance your business expenditures with cash - you can make use of credit cards instead. Small business credit cards can offer comparable advantages and can come in handy under comparable circumstances. Business credit cards can add momentum to your business and can help in making purchases that are needed by your business, as well as utility payments if need be.
Besides providing the same benefits of personal credit cards, small business credit cards also have other advantages. With a business credit card, you can enjoy reduced annual percentage rates, elimination of annual fees, a greater available credit limit and also frequent flyer and purchasing points.
Advantages of Having a Business Credit Card
There are several advantages of having a business credit card. First, you can keep a better record of the expenditures you incur in your business, whether it is incurred by the company or by your employees. You can even make purchases up to 56 days before you actually have to pay for them. It is also beneficial for your employees, especially when they have to make charges for business purposes and have to wait for reimbursement. When your employees use your business credit card, there will be no need for reimbursement.
Before you apply for a business credit card you need consider a few things. There are lots of business credit cards available on the market. You need to analyze different factors for each credit card. These factors will help you to compare and contrast the various offers in small business credit cards - that way you can strike the best bargain for your business. Some of these factors are the Annual Percentage Rates (APR), credit limit, grace period, terms of repayment and application fees. Other factors that you need to consider carefully are cash advance and other yearly fees.
The huge variety in business credit card companies makes it possible for small business proprietors to negotiate with them for better interest rates. There are a few steps you need to follow in order to negotiate with your credit card company and get a discounted rate of interest. The first step towards negotiation would be to find out the options you have in the business credit card market. You need to find out a few business credit cards that give offers that are better than the ones given by the credit card company you will negotiate with.
The second step towards negotiation for small business credit cards is assessing and analyzing your credit history. A good business credit history gives you more negotiating power. If you have good credit, low balances and are a regular and punctual payer, you are a prized customer for the credit card company and they will want to please you - and get your business in the bargain!
Now you are armed with all that you need to negotiate for a reduction in the interest rates of your business credit card(s). When you are bargaining for the best interest rate, you must have in mind the rate that you want - failing that, you should terminate your business credit card relationship - and let the card company know this. When you give all the credentials and information to the small business credit card company they may slash the interest rate by two to three points, as they are generally authorized to do. Keep in mind that every card company gives their representatives the power to negotiate, so don't take no for an answer. You can ask to speak with a credit manager if you need to.
Even a 3% reduction makes a vast difference in how much you will eventually repay. Suppose you have used a credit line of $10,000 - a 3% lower interest rate would save your business $300. That's no small potatoes for a small business owner - they often need every cent they can get!
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