Among the major credit cards, Discover Card is probably among the least known.
Although it is rated on par with Visa, MasterCard and American Express, Discover Cards are not as widely accepted by major retailers.
There are a number of different types of programs available from Discover Card and, depending on your credit rate and purchasing patterns, you may find that this is the perfect Aussie credit card for your needs as an entrepreneur.
Discover More
This particular card from Discover Card is perfect for many credit card holders. Purchases made on this card are interest-free if they are purchased in the first nine months of holding the card. After the initial nine month period, interest rates go up to between 10 and 18 percent, depending on your credit rate. Additionally, with the Discover More card, balance transfers made in the first year are also at zero interest.
Unlike other types of credit cards, there are no annual fees. Also, the Discover More card offers cash bonuses on qualified purchases.
For many small business entrepreneurs, the Discover More card can be perfect because you can purchase larger business-related items, like computers or office equipment, in the first nine months after you get the card and pay zero interest on the purchase. This can be an excellent method of financing business expenses.
Open Road Discover Card
The Open Road Discover Card is also an excellent Aussie credit card for small business entrepreneurs, particularly if you travel a great deal. Similar to the Discover More card, there are no annual fees and purchases made in the first nine months are interest free, as are balance transfers made in the first year. After that period of time, interest rates of between 10 and 18 percent are applied to purchases.
In addition to these benefits, the Open Road Discover Card also offers valuable cash reward benefits for purchases made while traveling. Cash rewards are doubled at purchases made at fuel stations and restaurants.
Discover Business
Both the Discover Business and Business Miles Cards are designed specifically for the needs of small business entrepreneurs. This credit card rewards entrepreneurs with 5 percent cash back on office supply purchases. Additionally, you can earn 2 percent and 1 percent cash back rewards on all other items purchased with this Aussie credit card. For small business owners, the Discover Business card provides added flexibility by allowing you to offer cards to employees with customized spending limits.
Business Miles Cards
The Business Miles Card rewards you with reward points that can be used on travel-related expenses, such as hotel stays and airline tickets. These points are rewarded based on travel purchases such as fuel, hotel, airfare and car rentals. Reward points are doubled for travel purchases. Additionally, you can receive reward points for all other purchases at the rate of one point for every dollar spent.
Travel rewards points can easily be redeemed through using any travel agent, airline or online travel website.
Statements and Reports
Discover is also dedicated to providing entrepreneurs and small business owners with tools to help them manage their expenses and accounts as easily as possible. Using their website, you can download monthly statements to your QuickBooks financial program. Also, you are sent quarterly and annual statements to help with taxes and addition bookkeeping management.
Travel Benefits
For business travelers, Discovery also offers excellent insurance coverage. If you or your employees using the card travel on common airlines or other travel carriers, you will receive $1 million in travel accident insurance.
Additionally, if you use the Discover card for a car rental, you are provided with $50,000 in auto accident insurance. Other types of travel insurance that are included with your Discover Card small business member benefits include trip cancellation insurance, travel delay insurance and damaged or lost luggage insurance.
Discover also offers emergency roadside assistance for their members for a low flat fee. Assistance includes locksmith and towing services.
24-hour concierge services are also available to card members. You can call the concierge to help you with everything from making restaurant reservations to reserving theater or concert tickets to everyday tasks, like dry-cleaning pick up and delivery.
ShopDiscover
Discover also offers special discounted prices on items offered through their own online retail store. By logging on to the ShopDiscover site, you are given access to literally hundreds of top online retailers. By making purchases directly from the site, you can automatically earn cash rewards and earn points that are immediately applied to your account. Chose from leading companies such as LandsEnd, Macy’s, Home Depot, Godiva and more.
Other Member Benefits
Discover Card also offers small business owners and entrepreneurs additional benefits that many other credit cards do not offer. For example, they have an entire library of articles available to members specifically geared to issues and topics of interest to business owners. You can find advice regarding marketing, internet strategies, marketing and financial management. This can be a wonderful resource for learning new information about running your business or developing new strategies and approaches to issues that are common among small business owners.
Another member benefit that is directly targeted toward entrepreneurs is Discovery Card’s Mobile Account Management app and service. Using your smart phone, you can easily and readily track your business expenses, recent transactions, payments and arrange for payments on your account. You can also keep track of your rewards points with this mobile app. For entrepreneurs using the Discover Business Card and have issued cards to multiple employees, this service can be an excellent method of managing and tracking employee expenditures and expenses.
Another small business owner member benefit for Discover Card holders are dedicated Business Card Specialists. If you call Discover with a question regarding your account or reward points, a Business Card Specialist will answer you call within 60 seconds to help you immediately with your needs. Business Card Specialists are available 24/7.
Discover Card for small businesses and entrepreneurs can be a great solution to financial needs. This credit card is not as widely accepted as Visa, MasterCard and American Express. However, they provide many additional benefits that other cards do not offer to small business owners.
