Five steps to …Implementing a card programme

When companies choose a card provider to handle their travel payments, the real work is only just beginning. Implementing a programme is a complex project that involves much more than handing out plastic cards to your business travellers.

A successful implementation will deliver the intended benefits of a card programme. These may include an easy way to pay for travellers, consistent data that travel managers can use in supplier negotiations, and better tracking of spend for financial reporting and compliance purposes.

Getting implementation wrong, however, can lead to many frustrations, including delays, poor data, travellers turning to less desirable payment methods and even missing rebates from the payment provider.

The following five steps will help avoid those pitfalls and make the implementation as smooth as possible.

Step 1 – Anticipate the implementation at the RFP and contracting stages

At the request for proposal stage, make sure you have asked competing card providers the questions that will deliver a smooth implementation. For example, verify their technical capability to intergrate with your other key service providers, like your travel management company and expense tool vendor.

At the contracting stage give a full service specification. For example, don’t just state that a rebate will be paid: include details of when it will be paid and to which offices.

Step 2 – Manage implementation as a formal project

With many different internal and external stakeholders to coordinate, the ideal option is to appoint someone with formal project management skills to run the implementation. At the very least, designate a single person to identify the tasks involved, allocate responsbility for completing them and ensure the work is done.

It is also important to allow enough time for a well-managed implementation. Resist rushed timetables that will cause problems at a later stage.

Step 3 – Build the data flow

One of the key drivers for introducing a card programme is to create consolidated, high-quality reporting. Meeting this goal will depend in large part on how well you build an efficient data flow between your payment provider and other key partners such as your travel management company and expense management system.

Start at the end by drawing up a specification of the reporting you need for supplier negotiations, compliance monitoring, financial reporting and so on. This will make it easier to brief  your payment provider about what data you want. Give a clear specification of requirements such as data delivery, methods, formats and quality. And map out all your relevant service providers in each country. Work with human resources too to provide full employee profiles, plus information like personnel hierarchies and cost-centres.  

Step 4 – Understand local issues

For multinational implementations, regulations and cultures will vary in each country that you introduce the card programme. In some countries, for example, personal liability may be unacceptable either legally or culturally, or both – or there can be personal tax implications. Take time to understand what would be acceptable to employees and discuss the different options in each country with your card provider.

Step 5 – Communicate

We say this in almost every “Five steps …” article but that’s because communicating is essential yet sometimes overlooked. Talking to travellers and other key stakeholders is especially critical for certain types of implementation, including introducing corporate payments for the first time, introducing a payment method your business hasn’t used before (plastic corporate cards or virtual cards for example), or switching to individual pay and/or liability.

As always, explain not just what you are doing but why. Work on the plan with your internal comms department and your comms provider.