US airport stores to automatically file expense reports for business travellers

Expensify
CLAIM CHANGER: Automatic expenses filing at the POS is coming to three US airports

Business travellers will soon be able to make in-store purchases at select retailers and restaurants inside three US airports and have their expenses automatically submitted on their behalf through the point-of-sale system so that they “don’t need to worry about creating an expense claim down the line”.

The service is being enabled through a collaboration between iPad point-of-sale service provider Revel Systems, airport retailer Pacific Gateway and expense reporting software provider Expensify. It will be rolled out across San Jose International Airport, LaGuardia International Airport in New York and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

The partnership will expand to high-end retailers at LaGuardia this year, including Tumi, Swarovski and Kiehl’s, as well as to retail locations at the Houston airport. The companies “plan to convert their San Francisco airport stores to Revel over the next two years,” rolling out the service to an additional 15 locations.

“This is an integration between a point of sale and Expensify,” Expensify explained to NFC World. “Pacific Gateway operates many airport stores using Revel Systems POS, so business travellers can opt to have an expense claim automatically created from any purchase made at any store that is run by Pacific Gateway/Revel Systems.

“Thus, the expense claim can be created and even submitted and approved without the traveller having to open the Expensify app. On the technical side, Revel is sending the transaction information to Expensify including the receipt image, and Expensify automatically submits that expense for the business traveller, so that they don’t need to worry about creating an expense claim down the line.”

Easier integration

“The mobile app can also be used to easily capture receipts (SmartScan), but this integration makes it even easier,” the company added. “It’s not intended to be a replacement for the mobile app, just yet another way to automatically create expense claims from receipts.

“Our goal is to automate the entire expense reporting process to make it something that happens behind the scenes, rather than business travellers needing to constantly be collecting receipts, tallying up totals and feeling anxious about reimbursement.

“So, although there are many easy ways to import receipts into Expensify, this partnership with Revel Systems and Pacific Gateway makes it easier than ever for business travellers.”

A video gives an overview of how Expensify works:

“Our partnership with Revel and Expensify is modernising and enhancing the travel experience,” says Pacific Gateway CEO Joe Waller. “It’s maintaining our high speed of service standards since we operate extremely high volume retail concepts in very high trafficked airports around the country. Both companies are helping us create a seamless customer experience for business travellers.”

Next: Visit the NFCW Expo to find new suppliers and solutions