Start-up company offers cheap deals for businesses

The BizDeal website where members can get $200 worth of fuel for $50. Photo / Supplied

A firm that claims to offer New Zealand's first business-to-business daily deal service launches today.

Founder Scott Jackson says he got the idea to start BizDeal while watching the emergence of consumer-focused deal websites, such as GrabOne and TreatMe. The sites offer discounts on goods, such as fast food, and services such as dental visits.

"They're great for consumers," he said. "We can get deals on almost anything, but there's nothing out there that actually saves businesses money."

BizDeal's first offer today allows businesses - ordinary consumers cannot access the deals - to buy a BP fuel card for $50, which then can be redeemed for $200 of fuel. Cardholders are then contracted to BP for future fuel purchases at discounted rates.

BP national card manager Suzanne Lucas said the company had chosen to work with BizDeal because of the strength of its offering and quality of its database communication.

Jackson said BizDeal would use social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to market its service. The firm had set a target of signing up 100 businesses to the BP fuel deal today, he said.

"I don't think it will be easy but we have a great little following of supporters from the social media stuff we've done so far ... the market has been really receptive ... and the response has been fantastic."

Jackson said other deals this week would include discounts on legal, IT and accounting services, as well as office supplies.