About the Inside Edge Website
About the Inside Edge Website
Inside Edge was created to gather the latest thinking in expense management for financial professionals. Geared toward the challenges and opportunities for mid-market companies, American Express has drawn upon its expertise to showcase relevant solutions: managing cash flow, monitoring spending, driving savings and improving process efficiencies. We’ve sponsored research and articles to uncover how best-in-class companies are competing harder and gaining their edge.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Q. Why did you develop a site specifically for the mid-market?
A. Some business professionals are under the assumption that American Express caters more to the large enterprise or small business. However, American Express has over 70 years of experience serving businesses of all sizes. Mid-sized companies make up a significant portion of the market today, therefore, we wanted to share that experience with you.
Q. How do you define mid-market?
A. We understand that there is a gray line between small and mid-sized companies, as well as between mid-sized companies and enterprises. However, for the purposes of this site we’ve been using the benchmark for mid-sized companies as those with $10 million-$250 million in annual revenue.
Q. How is this website different than American Express® OPENForum.com?
A. American Express® OPENForum.com is geared toward small business owners. It provides them with a community through which they can collaborate, generate new leads and trade ideas and insights. Inside Edge is directed toward the needs of the financial professional who requires the latest thinking in expense management to keep his or her competitive edge. Inside Edge features articles, research and webinars from industry experts that are relevant to mid-sized companies.
Q. What is the source of the research on this site?
A. The research that we share on this site is commissioned from highly reputable third-party sources, as well as American Express’ own internal research. Third-party sources include Accenture, Aberdeen Group, CFO Research and CFO Magazine, among others.
Q. How are your articles developed?
A. We combine our 70+ years of expense management experience with veteran financial journalists, editors, publishers and consultants to bring you robust thought leadership and handpicked information.
Q. Are previous articles available to be viewed?
A. Yes, we add new articles frequently on subjects ranging from best-in-class business practices to expense management. Previous articles are available here.
Q. Are the results of previous polls archived?
A. Yes, we continuously develop poll questions to take the pulse of our audience on pertinent issues. You can view the results of previous archives here.
Q. How does “Mine the Knowledge Base” refine my choices of content?
A. The filter in “Mine the Knowledge Base” is based on seven high-level categories of information specifically geared toward expense management professionals. You'll find it quickly combs the entire Inside Edge site and gives you a tailored view of the content that you're most interested in.
Q. What are your “Snapshots?”
A. Our “Snapshots” are facts or quotes pulled from research and articles featured on Inside Edge. Research is developed by American Express Corporate Services in collaboration with a variety of leading partners, such as Accenture, Aberdeen Group, CFO Research and CFO Magazine, among others.
Q. Are your Events live or can I download them anytime?
A. Some of our Events are live, some of them aired at an earlier date and are available for download. However, all of them are eventually archived and available to view here.
Q. What kind of consultative and advisory services does American Express offer?
A. All of our clients work with an account manager who, in addition to assisting you to maximize the value of our corporate card and electronic payment solutions, offers many consultative and advisory services. He or she is able to analyze your spend by category, tell you how your spend compares to other companies in your field, and partner with you to develop expense management strategies that meet your company’s goals.
Q. I’m concerned about how much time and effort it will take to manage implementing a Corporate Card program. What’s involved?
A. At American Express, we have easy and clear implementation plans and resources that will be available to support the rollout of the program. Your account representative can discuss educational materials and training, IT implementation and address any other questions or concerns you might have.
Q. How can I control employee spend with the Corporate Card?
A. Companies can establish clear travel policies detailing which expenses are covered under the Corporate Card, and also establish spending limits for each employee. Companies can also control non travel and entertainment expenses by creating clear guidelines for preferred vendors and approved expenditure categories. In addition, managers have online access to view spending in real-time, as well as overall reports.
Q. How do I explain to our employees the benefits of the Corporate Card compared to their personal card?
A. Your employees may realize more benefits with the Corporate Card than they do with their own, especially with the Membership Rewards® program. In addition, they can more easily separate their business from personal expenses, streamline their expense reporting process through online payment and expense report generation. Employees also gain valuable door-to-door traveler insurance and emergency support through our worldwide network.
Q. When employees use their own cards, we feel they are more careful with their spending. With the Corporate Card, how are we as a company protected?
A. The Corporate Card actually provides companies with more control. In conjunction with a clear travel policy, our comprehensive reports allow you to review spend and compliance, so you know exactly what your employees are spending.
Q. How does American Express help automate expense reporting?
A. With the American Express® Corporate Card, managers may view spending online — by employee or by category. In addition, we offer a fully automated expense reporting system in partnership with Concur. From the moment an employee incurs an expense, his or her expense report is automatically populated. This seamless integration eliminates paper, routing time and data entry. And, it has been proven to improve compliance and reduce error.
Q. What other payment services does American Express offer besides the Corporate Card?
A. American Express offers a complete suite of payment services for businesses, including purchasing cards, meeting cards, vPayments, Buyer Initiated Payments, Foreign Payment Solutions and more. Your American Express account representative can help increase your company’s efficiency and help drive savings.
Q. Besides Travel & Entertainment expenses and Business Invoices, why are companies using the Corporate Card?
A. Another advantage to the Corporate Card is the option to obtain corporate liability. Company executives can eliminate the need to personally guaranty card accounts, removing the possibility of innocently harming their credit. Also, with corporate liability, there is typically a higher line size for credit, allowing companies to maximize their business spending through the program.
Contributors
Inside Edge Editor in Chief Michelle V. Rafter is a Portland, Oregon, business reporter and editor. She's a regular contributor to Crain's Workforce Management, Inc.com, Oregon Business and LearnVest.com. Her work has also appeared in Condé Nast Portfolio.com, CBS MoneyWatch.com, OpenForum.com and other national business, consumer and trade publications.
Rafter previously wrote for Reuters, the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Oregonian, The Industry Standard, Internet World, and CNET, and was formerly a staff business writer at the Orange County Register. She's a member of the American Society of Business Publication Editors, the Society of American Business Editors and Writers, and the Online News Association. She also runs WordCount: Freelancing in the Digital Age, a blog on writing and the media business.
Karen J. Bannan
Karen J. Bannan is a New York freelancer covering business, personal finance, health, technology, and all things green. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Forbes, BusinessWeek.com, PC Magazine, Parents, Woman's Day, and Ladies' Home Journal. She is an American Society of Journalists and Authors director and founder of NaturalAsPossibleMom.com.
Jon Bell
Jon Bell is an Oregon writer who covers business, banking and sustainability. His work has appeared in The Oregonian, the Puget Sound Business Journal, and Backpacker among other publications. He is currently working on a book about Mt. Hood.
Tim Beyers
Tim Beyers is a Denver business reporter covering stocks and personal finance and a regular contributor to The Motley Fool and Quicken.com. He's been quoted as a business commentator in Newsweek, The New York Times and The Associated Press and is also co-creator of a weekly Twitter journalism chat, proprietor of TheSocialWriter.comand creator of a journalism wiki, The Freelance Writer's Helper.
Lydia Dishman
Lydia Dishman is a Greenville, South Carolina, journalist who has covered business, style and personal finance for over a decade. A columnist for CBS Interactive's BNET and regular contributor to Fast Company.com, she also co-produces Fast Company's 30-Second MBA web series.
Sarah Fister Gale
Sarah Fister Gale is a Chicago freelance writer covering pharmaceutical, health, technology, green building and other industries for national business and trade publications, including Workforce Management, Inc.com, Envisage, Training, Online Learning, Cleanrooms and Food Safety. She's also ghostwritten books on corporate training and customer service.
Michelle Goodman
Michelle Goodman is a Seattle writer covering business, careers, and technology. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, CNN.com, Entrepreneur, Salon, Adweek, and more. She is a columnist for ABCNews.com, a work/life balance blogger for the Seattle Times, and author of two business books, My So-Called Freelance Life (Seal Press, 2008) and The Anti 9-to-5 Guide (Seal, 2007).
Patrick J. Kiger
Patrick J. Kiger is a Washington D.C. writer covering business and finance for trade and general interest publications. He is a regular contributor to Workforce Management, Orange Coast, and Washington Business Forward and blogs about science and technology at Win/Fail. His work has appeared in GQ, Mother Jones, LA Times Magazine, Philadelphia, Good Housekeeping and Ladies' Home Journal.
Linsey Knerl
Linsey Knerl is a senior writer for the personal finance blog Wise Bread and a contributor to Wise Bread's new book, 10,001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget. As a freelance writer, Knerl has been published in PC Magazine, The Learning Annex, The WAHM Magazine, Glubble News and other print and online publications.
Annie Logue
Annie Logue is a Chicago business reporter on industries, execs and current events for Barron's, BusinessWeek Chicago, Newsweek Japan and trade and association publications. She's written three business books, including Socially Responsible Investing for Dummies (Wiley 2009). She previously worked as a financial analyst and currently lectures on finance at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Matthew May
Matthew May is OpenForum's Idea Hub columnist and a senior lecturer at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Business on creativity and innovation. May is the author of In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing (Broadway Business, 2009) and The Elegant Solution: Toyota's Formula for Mastering Innovation (Free Press, 2006).
Randy Myers
Randy Myers is a Pennsylvania business and financial writer whose work has appeared in Barron's, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal and numerous other publications. He is a contributing editor for CFO, Corporate Board Member and PLANSPONSOR magazines and a columnist for MSN Business on Main.
Julie Rains
Julie Rains is a senior writer for the personal finance blog Wise Bread and a business writer on business management, career building and personal finance. Prior to starting her own business, Julie served in corporate finance and accounting positions with Fortune 500 companies including a regional bank and consumer-products company.
Laura Rich
Laura Rich is a New York business reporter, former editor at Portfolio.com, Inc.com, FastCompany.com and CNN Money and cofounder of RecessionWire.com. Her work has also appeared in the New York Times, Wired and Business 2.0.
Julie Sturgeon
Julie Sturgeon is an Indianapolis journalist than 20 years of professional writing experience. She was previously editorial director of Indianapolis C.E.O. and Columbus C.E.O. and has written for Bankrate.com, Independent Banker, Credit Union Business and various trade and association magazines.
Carol Tice
Carol Tice is a long-time business reporter who has written for such publications as Entrepreneur, BNET, the Seattle Times, Seattle Magazine, as well as many others. She blogs about the business of writing at Make a Living Writing. She lives in Seattle.
Polly S. Traylor
Polly S. Traylor is a Golden, Colorado, journalist who’s covered business and information technology as a reporter and editor for Healthcare Informatics, CIO and The Industry Standard, and as a freelancer for Electronic Business, InfoWorld, Alternative Medicine and CFO.com, among others. Traylor has done custom publishing and marketing consulting work for high-tech companies and clients such as Microsoft, Ariba and Ad Age.
Elizabeth Wasserman
Elizabeth Wasserman is a Washington D.C. freelance writer and editor covering business, technology and government. She is editor of Inc.'s technology website and a contributing editor for Congressional Quarterly. Her work has appeared in newspapers, magazines and websites including Portfolio.com, Slate, Newsday, San Jose Mercury News, Inc., Business Week and RFID Journal.
Lori Widmer
Lori Widmer is a Philadelphia area freelancer and editor who covers insurance and risk management. Formerly senior editor at Risk & Insurance magazine, Widmer's work has appeared in Insurance Journal, Writer’s Digest, Risk Management Magazine, CPA Magazine, Agent’s Sales Journal and other publications.
Geoff Williams
Geoff Williams is a Cincinnati, Ohio, freelance journalist who has covered business for over a decade for such publications as Entrepreneur Magazine, CNNMoney.com and AOL Small Business. A former features reporter for The Cincinnati Post, Williams' work has appeared in Consumer Reports, Ladies’ Home Journal, Archaeology magazine and Entertainment Weekly. He is the author of Living Well with Bad Credit (HCI Books 2010) and C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Foot Race: The True Story of the 1928 Coast-to-Coast Run Across America (Rodale 2007).
