Airlines, Rental Cars Reach out to Small Business

Let's face it: you're not an Arthur Andersen or MobilExxon, and you'll never be in the big leagues when it comes to purchasing power. Nevertheless, the small business traveler may go on just as many trips or rent just as many cars as the big guys, so why should they get all the perks?

Changes are very much in the works across all vertical travel industries. For example, several airlines, like Delta and Northwest, have revamped their Web sites to aid the small business traveler in make all arrangements through a one-stop shopping portal. Changes can easily be made to any reservation, and reports can be retrieved for use at a later date.

Rental car companies like Hertz and Avis, too, have begun dealing in the language associated with small business. Some companies offer incentives associated with airline travel, while others, including Hertz, offers deep discounts and actually waves the fee for its Gold Club card with its new Small Business Program [1].

Why is this all happening - all of a sudden? Analysts believe it has to do with the continued influx of high-tech companies populating the marketplace more so than ever before. This creates a domino effect that increases commerce multi-fold in the small business arena.