Less than 10 percent of companies in France use commercial card solutions, deterred by additional paperwork and underwhelming benefits, according to Mooncard CEO Tristan Leteurtre.
He recently spoke to PYMNTS.com about the opportunity for fintech to drive corporate card growth in the corporate travel and expense (T&E) management space through increased automation. He described the need for a culture shift to the outlet.
However, according to Leteurtre, initiating a shift in the balance of payments technology market penetration isn’t simply about introducing a new tool and assuming people will use it.
“Culturally, corporate[s] are more comfortable when employees use their own money,” he told PYMNTS.com. “The company has total control over what is spent and reimbursed.”
By removing the need from reimbursements from the table, commercial cards could streamline expense reporting. Leteurtre described the need to add more value to current offerings in France.
“Common commercial cards face two big problems. They don’t add value for the company, and lack the rules to control spending.”
“Common commercial cards face two big problems,” he explained to PYMNTS.com. “They don’t add value for the company, and lack the rules to control spending.”
Leteurtre added that smartphones will be crucial in driving corporate card adoption in the country, as they enable real-time reporting and reduce back-end accounting and reconciliation concerns.
PYMNTS.com also notes the advent of the virtual card. “FinTech firms are integrating virtual card functionality into their offerings, and touting the efficiency and security of single-use cards, particularly in the area of B2B eCommerce and procure-to-pay,” says the outlet, citing research from Accenture.
“Virtual card spend for purchasing activities is projected to grow at 19 percent annually due to buyer commitment, improved connectivity and enhanced supplier acceptance, with further growth potential as traditional boundaries blur,” Accenture said in its report.
Leteurtre disagrees with these findings, doubling down on mobile payments. “We don’t see great demand or usage [by] our customers and prospects for virtual cards,” he told PYMNTS.com. “Of course, they can be useful for some precise use cases — for example, occasional internet purchases. But a big proportion of payments [in corporate T&E] are done in real life.”
