[tncontractor]

If you accept credit cards, who do you use? Do you call the credit card number in over the phone, or do you have a terminal to swipe the card? I'm trying to decide if it's worth saving 1 or 1.5% by swiping the card rather than calling in to get a verbal confirmation.

 

[Grumpy]

Very good question! There are so many out there it can get confusing. I forget who we use but we found them at respond.com You could also ask your bank for some referrals.

 

[ProWallGuy]

In God we trust.

All others pay cash.

:cheesygri

 

[Nathan]

Why don't you accept Credit Cards ProWallGuy? Seems like it could help you business if you started taking them.

 

[Grumpy]

We started accepting credit cards after a few customers said they choose xyz company over us becauyse xyz accepts credit cards. Many people want to put big ticket expenses on their cards so they earn miles or rewards or cash back. Others can't afford the big ticket items so they use credit cards.

 

[ProWallGuy]

Never had a call for it really. I'm not against using them, but just never had a demand for it.

Has anybody done a commercial job with a credit card used for payment? Just curious..

 

[Nathan]

I guess commercial may be a little different... but in residential repaints I would say its close to 40%

 

[Scubajack]

I can give you some information that may help you make a decision. Credit card companies base their rates partly on risk. When you have the customer's credit card in your hand and can swipe it through a terminal and get immediate approval, they have the least risk of a fraudulent transaction and you get the lowest rate. The key words are "swipe" and "immediate approval." That means, to qualify for the lowest rate, you need a terminal - either wired through a landline phone or a wireless terminal. The wireless terminal option also requires some additional fees such as the wireless service - not your typical cell phone account but a special data account. This shouild generally cost about $15 per month. Wireless terminals are rather expensive, so your volume really needs to be high to justify the added expense.

Processing the transaction using the phone does add to the cost because the credit card companies consider this "mid-qualified" or "non-qualified" depending on how much data your system collects. Either way, it does add more than a full percent to your rate.

Traditional merchant accounts usually have a monthly minimum and/or monthly service charges. If you want to be able to accept credit cards only so you don't lose the job, you may want to consider a system that uses no equipment at all.

Hope this has helped.

 

[Nathan]

Thats some great information Jack! Thanks for sharing.

 

[hauoli63]

I know it costs more, but I use QuickBooks ... very user friendly.

 

[slickshift]

I know it costs more, but I use QuickBooks ... very user friendly.

They just sent me another free trial offer deal
The rates, and programs, seem to be differerent depending on whether you are "Face to Face" or "Phone or Internet" sales, or "On the Road"
hauoli63, could you please tell me how you "run the cards"?

Right now all my invoicing is run out of the office, but very soon I will be invoicing from the "mobile office" laptop on site
I'm not sure how that would work as I don't expect the mobile office to have an internet connection

I would in fact physically be able to swipe a card right there after a job is done (face to face)
But w/o a connection, would that be considered "on the road"
"On the road" can accept debit cards...
"Phone and Internet" can't

Thank you

 

[hauoli63]

We don't swipe any cards. Our technicians will take their cc number, expiration date, correct name and address (billing) and bring it to me. I put in the cc info when I "receive payments" in QB and it automatically sends it in for verification. It will notify me if I have the wrong billing address, then I would have to call the customer to get the correct one ... and that's it! I've never had the guys bring me a wrong billing address or name. In about two business days the money is then deposited into our checking account. Pretty much fool-proof!

 

[slickshift]

We don't swipe any cards. Our technicians will take their cc number, expiration date, correct name and address (billing) and bring it to me. I put in the cc info when I "receive payments" in QB and it automatically sends it in for verification. It will notify me if I have the wrong billing address, then I would have to call the customer to get the correct one ... and that's it! I've never had the guys bring me a wrong billing address or name. In about two business days the money is then deposited into our checking account. Pretty much fool-proof!

Well thank you!
It's nice to know how/that it works
It sounds pretty me-proof
Thanks