迫在眉睫的關稅的幽靈為美國經濟的支柱造成了很多不確定性

好像通貨膨脹和高利率不夠壓力，零售和製造業中許多較小的企業面臨供應鏈中斷的前景

The specter of looming tariffs has created a great deal of uncertainty for the backbone of the American economy: small businesses. As if inflation and high interest rates were not stressful enough, many smaller enterprises in retail and manufacturing face the prospect of supply chain disruptions, impeded cash flow, and questions about operating costs.

迫在眉睫的關稅的幽靈為美國經濟的支柱造成了很多不確定性：小型企業。好像通貨膨脹和高利率不夠壓力，零售和製造業中許多較小的企業面臨供應鏈中斷，障礙現金流以及有關運營成本的問題的前景。

This uncertain landscape is also creating opportunities for card issuers. In Riffing on Tariffs: Now Is the Time to Build Up Your Small Business Portfolio, Brian Riley, Director of Credit Advisory Services at Javelin Strategy & Research, examines the ways small businesses use their credit cards and how forward-looking lenders can help them stay on their feet.

這種不確定的景觀也為發卡者創造了機會。在關稅時：現在是時候建立您的小型企業組合了，Javelin Strategy＆Research的信用諮詢服務總監Brian Riley研究了小型企業使用信用卡以及前瞻性貸方如何幫助他們站起來的方式。

Keeping the Lights On

保持燈打開

The primary reason small businesses fail is cash-flow problems. They need a vehicle to manage their cash flow, which in most cases means a credit card. Consumers need a steady cash flow to keep the household running and pay the rent, but businesses require a different strategy. In addition to the same pressures to pay expenses, it also must make sure it has change in a till drawer. A household risk going delinquent without destroying its financial situation, but that could be more of a challenge for a small business.

小型企業失敗的主要原因是現金流問題。他們需要一輛車輛來管理現金流，這在大多數情況下意味著信用卡。消費者需要穩定的現金流以保持家庭運轉並支付租金，但企業需要不同的策略。除了支付費用相同的壓力外，它還必須確保其在截止抽屜中具有更改。家庭風險在不破壞其財務狀況的情況下拖延的風險，但這對小型企業來說可能是一個挑戰。

Javelin’s research has found that the main use case for small-business credit cards is paying monthly utility bills. Utilities represent a significant expense for many small businesses as an ongoing charge that they need to pay every month. If an enterprise runs late on a utility bill, it risks shutting down operations. Tying utility bills to a small-business card allows the owners to set up a recurring payment and free up some cash while at the same time harvesting points.

標槍的研究發現，小型企業信用卡的主要用例是支付每月的公用事業賬單。公用事業代表了許多小型企業的巨額費用，這是他們每月需要支付的持續費用。如果企業在公用事業賬單上運行遲到，則有可能關閉運營。將公用事業賬單與小型企業卡聯繫起來，使所有者可以重複付款並釋放一些現金，同時收穫點。

The spending on small-business credit cards is very high, and it’s not unusual for them to have $50,000 credit limits. But owners need to be careful where they spend that money.

小型企業信用卡上的支出很高，他們擁有50,​​000美元的信用額度並不罕見。但是所有者需要小心他們花錢的錢。

“It’s not really where you want to go for working capital,” Riley said. “The interest rates tend to be higher. But by the same token, if you’re not well-established, it might be the only place you have to access some readily available funds.”

賴利說：“這並不是您真正想去的營運資金的地方。” “利率往往會更高。但是，如果您不建立完善的話，它可能是您唯一需要獲得一些容易獲得資金的地方。”

The use cases vary for different enterprises, but the cards are particularly valuable for entities in seasonal businesses, like agriculture. Income comes in quickly when such businesses are selling seed or produce. But there might not be revenue coming in for months when the crops are maturing. Business owners have to be able to finesse that timing, and a credit card can help.

用例對於不同的企業而有所不同，但是這些卡對於季節性企業（例如農業）的實體特別有價值。當此類業務銷售種子或農產品時，收入很快就會出現。但是，當農作物成熟時，幾個月來可能沒有收入。企業主必須能夠說明時間安排，信用卡可以提供幫助。

The Case for a Single Card

一張卡的情況

The typical household has three or four cards. The typical small business, by contrast, has only a single credit card, primarily because of the relationship it builds with its bank. Businesses are very loyal to the banks that serve them.

典型的家庭有三到四張卡。相比之下，典型的小型企業只有一張信用卡，這主要是因為它與銀行建立了關係。企業非常忠於為他們服務的銀行。

But that doesn’t mean the market is closed off when a business already has a single card. Issuers should look for reasons to become an entity’s second card, especially amid the economic uncertainty many are expecting. Being the next card in the owner’s wallet or purse is still an opportunity to gain a new account. Spending will follow once the new account booked, and there’s a chance for a bank to provide the business with even more services.

但這並不意味著當企業已經擁有一張卡時，市場就會關閉。發行人應該尋找成為實體第二張卡的理由，尤其是在許多人期望的經濟不確定性中。成為所有者錢包或錢包中的下一張卡仍然是獲得新帳戶的機會。一旦預訂了新帳戶，將會隨後支出，銀行有機會為企業提供更多的服務。

“Small businesses tend to be less organized,” Riley said. “Some of them use very simple software packages to manage their finances, and there might be some easy opportunities there.”

賴利說：“小型企業的組織範圍較小。” “他們中的一些人使用非常簡單的軟件包來管理財務，那裡可能會有一些簡單的機會。”

Getting In on the Ground Floor

進入一樓

Small-business cards represent an area that some top banks have addressed aggressively. But not all of them have, leaving an opportunity for smaller institutions that rely more on personal relationships to come in with an alternative.

小型企業卡代表了一些頂級銀行積極解決的區域。但是，並非所有人都有，為較小的機構留下了機會，這些機構更多地依靠個人關係來替代。

“It’s a good spot for credit unions and community banks to grow,” Riley said. “They have very different proposition than big banks. It’s more of a personal relationship with their customers, creating the down-home feeling of a small bank versus a money center bank.”

賴利說：“這是信用合作社和社區銀行增長的好地方。” “他們的主張與大銀行的主張截然不同。這更多是與客戶的個人關係，從而創造出小型銀行與貨幣中心銀行的家庭感情。”

Small-business cards are dominated by American Express, which has more small-business volume than MasterCard and Visa combined. Amex approaches the market with more than a dozen card plans aligned to either the firm’s iconic brand or a top co-brand partner.

小型企業卡由美國運通（American Express）主導，美國運通（American Express）比萬事達卡（Mastercard）和簽證的總和更小。 Amex通過十幾個與公司的標誌性品牌或頂級共同合作夥伴保持一致的十幾個卡計劃接近市場。

Selling a small-business card is in many respects like selling a consumer card. Issuers love to market to people in college, when they are just getting established.

在許多方面，出售小型企業卡等是出售消費卡。發行人喜歡在剛剛建立時向大學的人們推銷。

“Once you’re there, this person’s going to have a spouse or a partner along the way,” Riley said. “They’re going to move into their own place. And then sooner or later, they’re going to need a car. There will be lots of financing opportunities along the way.

賴利說：“一旦您在那裡，這個人將沿途有一個配偶或伴侶。” “他們將搬到自己的地方。然後遲早需要汽車。一路上將有很多融資機會。

“The same thing goes on the small-business side. You want to get your foot in the door, so that you are then be able to upsell and cross-sell to the business. The ultimate goal is to get the business owner into deposit products. You’ve moved from the small-business credit card to a full-service relationship. If the

“同樣的事情在小企業方面。