Not only are virtual cards making life easier for business travellers, they’re improving business for TMCs and travel buyers.
Signing up for Diners Club’s Dynamic Virtual Card offers TMCs and travel buyers a host of benefits.
“The virtual card has become the way to do business,” says Shariefa Allie-Nieftagodien, Operations Director at XL Nexus Travel. “The risks are lower. The customer can be rest assured that their company card information is safe, and more importantly that loss due to fraudulent transactions is no longer a headache of the TMC. Virtual cards also aligns us to the POPI Act, which is an automatic value add to the company.”
Kevin Lomax, head: commercial card, Diners Club and Standard Bank SA, sheds light on the Dynamic Virtual Card.
Q: How does a virtual card fit into to the TMC’s booking procedure?
A: The DVC integrated solution is designed to fit as seamlessly as possible into the TMC booking procedure. We are working closely with a number of IT departments at TMCs to configure our offering according to their requirements. The most important thing is that the DVC solution does not require pre-funding, but uses the lodge card facility, therefore there are no needs to manage third party accounts
Q: What security features does a virtual card offer?
A: It offers all the features of a credit or debit card – 16 digit card number, CVV and expiry date. However, these are kept in separate flows. The most important features are that the cards are single-use, with a limited time span, and issued to single supplier. The card numbers and details can never be used more than once, and can only be settled by the supplier to whom they are issued.
Q: What are the most significant benefits of the virtual card for a TMC?
A: They require no pre-funding. This means the TMC does not have to “procure” the virtual card number in advance. Secondly, there is no need to run accounts with suppliers or corporates. Thirdly, unlike the billback process, the TMC does not have to pay commission to the merchant. Finally, reconciliation is improved by providing enhanced data to the TMC, and ultimately the corporate client.
Q: How will the virtual card change the way TMCs and travel buyers conduct business?
A: Diners Club has been changing the way payments are handled since we launched our first charge card in the 1950s. The lodge card and the virtual lodge card continued this innovative approach, and the virtual card is just another 21st century travel innovation. We believe the virtual card will improve the way TMCs service their customers by enabling improved payment control and information management.
For more information, contact Lomax at kevin.lomax@standardbank.co.za
*This article was paid for and supplied by client