This kind of app is the future of business. Yes, that is a bold claim to make. But with merchants constantly looking for a quicker way to help their customers complete their transactions, it is inevitable that sooner rather than later, the old will give way to the new.
Cell Phones go with us everywhere and apps have become part of our daily lives. It makes sense to pair the two for a very useful purpose.
If you don’t know as much as you would like to about what a credit card processing app is and how it can help your business run smoother, keep reading!
Payment Methods Are Moving With The Times
It would be fair to say that mostly everything business-wise has moved in some aspect to an online platform. It logically follows that payment methods would be made even easier. Now via an app, merchants can quickly conduct sale transactions without the need for bulky point of sale machinery.
On any smart device, with the appropriate app and card reader, you simply tap swipe or dip the card against the reader connected to your android or ios device for fast and easy payment. There is no delay and no hassle.
Why Would I Need This?
The main reason to switch from your cash register or old school credit and debit card swipe machine is the ease of access. Think about it.
Those types of machinery only work at one set point. In a recent guide posted by Helcim, source: https://www.helcim.com/guides/a-step-by-step-guide-to-mobile-credit-card-processing/, professionals stress the fact that having a Credit Card Processing App serves your business with the added flexibility of mobile payments.
If you’re serious about business, you want the opportunity for a sale to follow you any and everywhere you go
Imagine door-to-door salesmen. They definitely cannot lug anything heavy around from house to house. And besides the weight of the equipment, without a physical internet connection, the devices won’t function.
The picture that they knock on a door, gives a great pitch, the time has come to close the deal but the customer states regrettably that they don’t have enough cash on hand. These salesmen are now stuck. They cannot very well say to the patron, run to the atm, we’ll wait. Just like that, a sale has passed them by.
Wise salesmen, however, will walk prepared. And all it takes to be prepared is their smartphone and pocket-sized card reader. No cash, no problem. We take credit cards. Bam. Sale closed.
What about a barista who has to attend to a long line of coffee craving customers. Don’t you think a tap of a card against a small machine trumps ringing someone up, taking their money, and providing a change from a register?
One is definitely leaps and bounds ahead in respect of ease of service and speed of service. There are many other jobs, various other situations where the app will save you the hassle of wondering how to make a payment or wishing that there was some way to speed up the process.
Other Benefits
Your cellphone is your only needed equipment. Download your credit card payment app of choice. Some are offered for free on various app stores, while others require purchasing. Go with whatever suits your budget but also what will most align with your business needs.
There will be no need to purchase materials for receipts. Simply input your customers’ names, numbers, and emails so that an electronic receipt can be sent. Enjoy saving money on the procurement of paper, while being content that you’re helping the environment.
The rates when using the app are also lower compared to that of point of sale transactions. Depending on the app you select, you have the opportunity to save up to a whole percentage point, or at least 0.5 percent on every hundred dollars. Any kind of saving you get should be considered as a win.
You’ll also have the comfort of knowing whether the transaction has been successfully completed right then. The necessity to write down any customer’s card information in order to take it to a secondary location to process the payment is erased.
This payment method will also keep you in PCI compliance, keeping in mind that no sensitive data should be copied for any purpose.
All updates to the app will come automatically. You would have graduated from the system of purchasing new machinery or performing maintenance to keep the devices working properly.
You no longer need to be scrambling to keep up with newer versions of equipment. Just like your phone notifies you when other apps need updating, the same will occur with credit card processing apps.
What Are the Advantages And Disadvantages?
There are no blanket disadvantages. It all depends on which payment app you choose. Let’s go through a few.
Square offers both the app and the reader. It has become excessively popular since its launch in 2010 because payments can be made offline, no sensitive data is stored, and credit card data are encrypted for each use. There are zero monthly fees and payment is received within 24 hours of swiping.
Sales data are accumulated affording employers the opportunity to store and later analyze how well the business is doing. The ‘pay with square’ feature allows patrons to start a tab and to pay hassle-free using their smartphones whether android or iOS.
The disadvantage lies in the lack of person-to-person technical support. For people who are less well-versed in maneuvering custom features, things could get tricky.
Pay Anywhere has been offering this service since the early 1990s. Being around that long, the importance of having human technical support was clearly understood. It extends phone support, live chat, and video tutorials to explain the ins and outs of the application.
You can generate and send invoices via email, and barcodes can be linked to listed items. Like Square, both the app and reader are offered and both platforms are supported. However, to connect your smart device to a printer to give out receipts, you must use only Apple Airprint or Star thermal printers that work solely with iPhone or Ipad. With this service, you do have a monthly fee of approximately thirteen dollars
PayPal Here is specifically for PayPal users. A free app and card reader are offered. Both on and offline tracking of transactions can be done. It is the most versatile of the three allowing not only for online invoices and payments through their very own mobile app but also for accepting checks. Simply use the camera of your smart device.
Payments can also be processed without the use of a detachable card reader. Another bonus is that monies are sent and received immediately if a PayPal debit card was used. You also get assistance to manage your staff and your inventory. It works across Android, iOS, and windows.
On the downside, there is no special app consideration for any tablets or iPads.
Helcim offers payment collection from Mac, Windows, smartphones, and tablets. There are no monthly fees, setup, or cancelation fees. Its compliance standard aligns with that of the Payment Card Industry. All sensitive data is encrypted, firewalls protect merchants’ information, and data is backed up every day.
There is no need for a separate card reader as this ability is built into the app. With this virtual terminal, you log in to your account, put in the customer’s payment information, and process the transaction right from your device.
What To Look For Before Committing To An App
Not every app offers the virtual terminal option. For many, a separate or detached card reader is needed. Be sure to review this specification if this bit of information is important to you. As a salesperson, this differentiating factor should be of paramount importance.
Look out for apps that limit their functionality only to Windows, or Android, or iOS. In this modern time, save yourself the grief and choose the app that extends across all platforms. There is no reason you should cut yourself off from monies coming from Apple users or Samsung users or Windows users.
Shooting yourself in the foot does not seem like a smart move. Make sure to read the fine print and if you cannot see this specification, ask.
Choose an app that allows multiple people to receive payments. There should not be just one person on your staff who can log someone in to then follow through with the transaction.
That wastes time and depending on how long it takes that one person to get where he is being called, frustration could have set in for the customer. Cloud sharing makes the motions flow much freer.
For a host of reasons, this app is one you should greatly consider as a merchant. It will make your business life easier, it will pleasantly surprise your customers, and will save you money. The great thing about it is that you have options.
Scour the market, look at every detail that each app promises and make an informed choice. On the odd chance you regret making this move, just delete the app. That won’t happen though. What’s more likely to happen is that you’d be mad at yourself that you waited this long to give this a go.
