It makes no sense to make it difficult for good customers to pay with a credit card. If they want to spend their hard-earned money in your establishment, you need a merchant account and credit card processing equipment that makes it easy for them to accomplish their task.

An estimated 10,000 credit card or debit card transactions occur around the world, every second of the day. In 1989, credit card sales totaled $69 billion a year. Flash forward to 2006, and credit card sales were more than $1.8 trillion that year. Today, that number is even higher, with more than $2.5 trillion in transactions each year. What business owner does not want their fair share of that $2.5-trillion pie?

Your customers want to be able to “charge it.”  Here’s some reasons why:

• They can stay home and shop, avoiding crowds, especially during the holiday season.
• Credit cards eliminate the risk of carrying cash when they go out.
• By using a credit card and paying it off over time, customers can improve their credit scores and boost their credit limits.
• A responsible credit card user knows his limit. It is printed on the credit card statement every month. There is no surprise how much you have spent or have left to spend.
• Customers can track their expenses with credit cards.
• Credit cards are convenient. If customers pay them off each month, the convenience comes at no expense. And good customers may even qualify for special rewards or cash back, based on use.
• Credit cards afford people money they may not have on hand to pay for goods they want immediately. Of course, this is not good when people get so deep in debt they cannot escape, but the system works to the customers’ benefit when used appropriately.
• Credit cards come with free record keeping, free reward points and other features. They also come with safeguards, such as insurance on stolen purchases, life insurance for travel paid by credit card and extended warranties on purchases made with a credit card.

As you can see there are many reasons that your customers not only want but need to be able to pay with their credit or debit card for your goods or services.

Benefit’s For The Merchant

Credit card payments are also good for the merchant. Studies show that most people will spend more money than planned when they can pay their bills with a credit card instead of cash. An easy payment system means your customers stand ready to give you extra business.

One way you can entice customers is to offer a rewards card. Smart business owners need to be ready to tap into this market where 60 percent of consumers go out of their way to use a rewards card. Using the card allows them to accumulate points with every dollar they spend. They can build toward free air miles, deep discounts, or free merchandise.

There are other, more technical ways you, the merchant, can make it easy for your customers to pay. These practices are made available through the right merchant account, such as the ones that offer:

• A quick turnaround on credit and debit authorizations.
• A networked, integrated PC or stand-alone system that offers flexibility.
• One-key re-authorization.
• A reporting package that is specifically designed for your retail business.

The benefits of your merchant account go beyond those just for your customers, there are many for you the business owner as well.

Some of the equipment you’ll want to use includes:

• A check imager that converts checks to secure electronic documents.
• A dial-up credit card terminal that will process all card types, complete the transaction and authorize the sale.
• Internet-connected terminals, or an integrated smart card reader, that has the same processing capabilities.
• A PIN pad that meets PCI security standards and works with your processing equipment
• Software that support all levels of purchasing cards.
• “Tap and Go” systems that make use of new technologies, including radio frequency-based, contactless payments using a credit card, key fob or cell phone.
• A wireless, portable payment device that gives you reliable and secure transaction processing.

The benefits of establishing a merchant services account for your business are multitudinous, for both your customers and your bottom line. Find the program that is right for you now. At Tailored Transactions we customize our payment solutions to meet your individual business needs and requirements. From credit card processing to electronic check conversion, from gift cards to merchant cash advances, we offer many different solutions to help your business not only save money but grow and prosper.

You can visit us online at www.TailoredTransactions.com or you can call our office toll free at 888-669-1686

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