Pleo: Save money and keep your team productive in tough times

The world of work is facing some colossal challenges in the next little while.

One thing that means for a lot of companies is working from home, in a way that just hasn’t happened before.

The goal for forward-thinking teams is doing what they can, together, to overcome the limitations and tests of the moment.

Pleo could be crucial for that.

Here are some essential tips, tricks and new features of our service that will help you keep the lights on – and hopefully thrive – during this new normal.

Adapt to the new reality with Pleo

With everyone on your team scattered during an unprecedented international situation, fears about budgets and spending are understandable.

In uncertain times, it’s going to be vital for companies to make sure they’re as cost-conscious and efficient as possible.

And with the need to control expenses more pressing, signing up to Pleo could transform how you manage your team’s spending.

Virtual spending cards, to use wherever you’re working

It doesn’t matter if your people are out of the office and might not be back for a long time.

Once you sign up to Pleo, our virtual cards can be issued – and used – instantly for online purchases.

So no matter where your team finds themselves logging in at the moment, they’re got a tool that empowers them to buy what they need to work efficiently.

Real-time overview, to monitor your money

Pleo admins see purchases that are being made by their people, in real-time. So the second that your Marketing Manager buys new Facebook Ads to drum up business, you know about it.

If something doesn’t look right, you just tap a button and the user knows to give you more information on the purchase.

And with our app’s data and analysis, you don’t need to wait until the end of the month to see where company money is going.

Stop overspending, no matter where it’s happening

Individual spending limits, that can be adjusted as you need, are invaluable for dispersed workforces.

The initial outlay to set someone up at home settles down quickly – with Pleo you can then tighten the belt as you need.

And our Assurance feature does a great job of making sure that everyone stays in line, even if your team is dispersed all over the country (or world).

Assurance lets you set thresholds for some, or all, of your team members. If they spend over that amount, you get prompted to approve the purchase.

A spending policy can easily be set up, to inform your team on what purchases are considered OK. (To be fair, many people might appreciate some guidance in the current climate.)

So, what should you be buying right now?

Here are a couple of ideas.

Tools and subscriptions

Moving away from the office means moving away from the IT support structure that empowers so many of us to do our best work.

Do you know what the expiry date is on your team’s software subscriptions? Just think about how many of them there are too: everything from Photoshop for your designers to Cultureamp for your People team.

Luckily, you can manage all those subscriptions with one shared Pleo account. Team leads can take charge of renewing the crucial systems on which people rely.

The benefit of your virtual Pleo card is that it can be used from anywhere to re-up or kickstart those subscriptions and make collaboration with your team a breeze.

And with everyone in different locations, that collaboration is going to be key.

The just-in-case essentials

The first thing I’d suggest any Pleo user buy to boost their remote working? A spare charger. You’ll inevitably need one at the worst possible moment.

Generally, it’s a good idea to be aware that new necessities might present themselves at home. Purchases that weren’t necessary for the office might now be vital for your living room.

Take noise-cancelling headsets. A little silly at first? Perhaps – if you’re not a fast-talking Sales superhero.

But if a headset boosts your focus during those team catch-ups, even while the kids are causing mayhem? It’s worth its weight in gold.

Working from home isn’t about replicating the office, it’s about making sure that you’re maximising your productivity (and happiness) in a whole new environment.

New things that Pleo can do for you

We really believe in transparency at Pleo, so here’s some for you.

The current crisis facing the world has led us to shift focus on what we offer – and promote – to our customers, existing and new.

We’ve bumped some things up our agenda and challenged ourselves to double down on others.

Travel insurance, when things get back on track

We offer travel insurance with AXA, a recent but really significant addition to what we do.

Right now, there’s not a lot of travel going on of course.

But the current chaos has shown the need to ensure your company is covered when its people are on the move again.

Leave it to us and concentrate on the rest of your to-do list.