AirPlus, Coupa Collaborate to Offer Improved Procurement

Corporate payment specialist AirPlus International has joined forces with business spend management platform Coupa to offer clients new procurement options.

The companies say AirPlus Virtual Cards Procurement will become a payment option within Coupa’s B2B payments solution, Coupa Pay. Customers of both companies can streamline and centralize spending on things like travel, business resources and utilities.

“This partnership offers customers new levels of value and business insight, empowering them to simplify, digitize, and automate their purchasing processes in a seamless, integrated system,” the firms said in news release Thursday (Jan. 27). “Customers can generate the virtual cards directly on Coupa Pay, without having to switch portals or risk losing information.”

Roger Goulart, executive vice president of Business Development and Alliances at Coupa, said the integration will allow the two company’s customers to “optimize business spend in a simple and seamless experience.”

AirPlus, which says it first introduced virtual credit cards in 2005, says it has expanded its focus beyond travel expense managements to include other purchasing processes.

AirPlus Virtual Cards Procurement were introduced last year for purchases and are the simple, secure way for customers to pay for business expenses. A Mastercard credit card number is generated to do this.

“The virtual credit card is quickly and easily generated directly and can be used right away,” the companies said. “The collaboration with Coupa marks another important milestone on AirPlus’ way to establish itself as a provider for procurement expenses other than business travel.”

Last year, AirPlus revamped its virtual card payments so that they were offered on a standalone basis, featuring three card versions on a new platform: Classic cards to allow corporate users to pay for travel, procurement cards to finance B2B and ad-hoc purchases such as software, and the Travel Agency card, to help with travel management company-originated payments.