Last Updated on Mar 30, 2020 by James W
The world of modern technology is awe-inspiring when you think about it and an everyday convenience when you don’t. And the world of payment methods is no different. It’s quite amazing how far things have progressed, even in the last decade. And it’s small businesses that stand to benefit.
Card Machines
Card machines have evolved significantly over the last few years. We had the introduction of chip and pin over a decade ago, which was a big step up from signatures, especially from the point of view of security. And then we got contactless payment and Apple Pay.
In just a couple of years, if not sooner, these will become things that customers will just come to expect. Companies like VUBO Ltd now sell card machines with all these functions built into one device. There’s usually even a strip down the side for old fashioned magnetic stripes. It just means that you can start taking payments on smartphones and with the new generation of contactless cards.
Credit: wikipedia.org
Good systems will also be compliant with global anti-fraud standards, and be fast and easy to use for all your staff.
Online Payments
Seamless integration of payments into online businesses is essential for their success. If you’ve set up a store it’s imperative that the buying process for customers is easy.
Some online payment services will allow you to integrate their payment page into your website. This means that you don’t have to adopt a new platform or change how your site is organized and presented. Fortunately, most online payment facilities can be set up and ready to use within a day, which means you can start doing business.
There is also the added layer of protection you get from choosing to operate through a quality payment gateway. This means that you can keep all your customer data safe and secure behind a secure digital wall. Good merchant services will provide 24-hour support every day of the year. This means that if there is a problem with data security, it can be dealt with quickly.
Mail and Phone Payment
Despite the advances in digital technology, some firms still need a mail or phone payment option.
Merchant services provide a virtual terminal that works a little bit like the physical terminal. The only difference, obviously, is that you have to input the data.
Mail and Phone payments are often the best way for some businesses to get paid. Perhaps your customers aren’t necessarily online. Or perhaps it’s the industry standard to communicate directly with you, the seller.
In any case, just like the other payment methods, it’s a good idea to think about how mail and phone payments can be seamlessly integrated. Perhaps you’re a call center and you’re using your own CRM software. It would be a good idea if the payment software could be integrated into your existing software. First, it would obviate the need to switch between different software. But it will also ensure that your databases are consistent.
