Amex joins the scrap for SME business

American Express Business Travel has become the latest global travel management company (TMC) to try and attract more small and medium sized enterprise (SME) business.

The TMC has scrapped American Express One product and created a revamped SME offering call AXcent (to be known as AXcentis in Australia and North America to suit local markets).

Rival TMC HRG launched its own SME product at the tail end of 2009 - Simply HRG - while Carlson Wagonlit Travel bosses last year confirmed the SME market had become increasingly important to its business during the recession.

Last week FCm Travel rebranded its SME division as Corporate Traveller to make it clear to customers that it was focussed on businesses with smaller travel spend.

Kaveh Atrak, Amex BT's recently appointed general manager for the UK and Ireland, told ABTN that his TMC had never ignored the SME market, but admitted the segment more significant than ever as the company attempts to pull away from the economic downturn.

"This is a big thing for us, our existing SME customers and the segment as a whole," he said.

"We have a lot of experience in the SME market, especially in the US, and in Europe we have a really large offering, particularly in France and the Scandinavian market.

"The SME segment pulls out of the recession first, but it needs the most support and advice as in a time when every penny counts."

Independent TMCs have criticised their global rivals for attempting to break into the SME market, accusing them of being ill-equipped to meet the needs of smaller businesses.

Former HRG boss Mike Platt last year said one of the biggest mistakes the gobal TMCs ever made was taking their eyes off the SME market and concentrating too hard on global customers.

But Atrak dismissed any talk of Amex BT being unable to tailor its offering to small companies.

"From point of sale we will be servicing our clients in small teams, not large call centres," he said.

"We want our staff to get to know our customers, their profiles and habits."

He said the TMC has been able to use its global buying power to secure a number of exclusive deals from suppliers especially for SME clients.

Advancements had also been made in meetings, traveller security and pre-trip approval tools, he claimed.

"We could maybe have done this better in the past, but things are different now. We know we now have to go out of our way to help them [SMEs] and it's a great opportunity for us."