Payment Options

Son

Starting up a mobile business early next month.I was going to go ahead with a mobile gprs terminal but now after seeing the charges involved im not sure i want to pay that much for something that might not be used very often for the first few months at least.
Obviously i don't want to just accept cash as thats not very professional or flexible but what choice's do i have considering nobody accepts cheques now?

I would be providing a service then taking payment at the customers location after the job is complete.....what options do i have?

DubTony

Why can't you accept cheques?

Son

Well i could..... but from the advice im getting is that not many businesses are excepting cheques anymore for security/fraud reasons.
If i accepted cash & cheque for the first few months until i get off my feet would this be reasonable? Is it difficult to confirm if a cheque is legit?

Bandara

Son wrote: »

Starting up a mobile business early next month.I was going to go ahead with a mobile gprs terminal but now after seeing the charges involved im not sure i want to pay that much for something that might not be used very often for the first few months at least.
Obviously i don't want to just accept cash as thats not very professional or flexible but what choice's do i have considering nobody accepts cheques now?

I would be providing a service then taking payment at the customers location after the job is complete.....what options do i have?

its a bit caveman but the old swipe cc machines will do the job for you until you can justify the cost of the wireless/gps options



You can accept the cc/laser payment from the customer while onsite and when you return to base you can manually put the sale throught your phone line based terminal as a "customer not present transaction" and attached the approval receipt to the manual slip that your customer signed.

In the evert of a customer trying a fraudulent chargeback you do have enough to have a very strong case to defend yourself.

Bandara

Son wrote: »

Well i could..... but from the advice im getting is that not many businesses are excepting cheques anymore for security/fraud reasons.
If i accepted cash & cheque for the first few months until i get off my feet would this be reasonable? Is it difficult to confirm if a cheque is legit?

another option is to use the cheque guarantee services of Transax, how it works is a customer pays you by cheque, you immediately ring Transax they ask for the customers details etc and then they will guarantee the cheque for you, in return they get a small commission % of the cheques value.

http://www.fidelityinfoservices.com/FNFIS/Markets/International/EMEA/Portfolio/PaymentSolutions/Transax/

Son

Thanks a lot......
Have you any idea what the charges are involved with the old CC machine where i would get one,cost etc?

Also Transax looks good,do you know what or how much they charge approximately?
Edit; got in touch with them.

Darragh29

If you have other people working for you OP, I'd advise based on my own hard experience in this area, to avoid contact with cash where ever possible. A GPS Visa machine might not be cheap but it's a lot cheaper than some c*nt pocketing your money and lying to your face about it...

Another solution that I'm implementing in my business right now is pre-pay through our website. We offer a mobile service also and the way we have decided to approach all transactions now is on a payment through the website basis... Cuts out all the messing and excuses and also eliminates you calling out to do a job and someone not being there or you basically being stood up on a job.

Bandara

Son wrote: »

Thanks a lot......
Have you any idea what the charges are involved with the old CC machine where i would get one,cost etc?

Also Transax looks good,do you know what or how much they charge approximately?
Edit; got in touch with them.

you should be able to get an old cc machine off your bank, have don't do them much anymore but if you get stuck into them they will be able to get you one done up. Should be free.

Were Transax any use to you?

Son

Darragh29 wrote: »

If you have other people working for you OP, I'd advise based on my own hard experience in this area, to avoid contact with cash where ever possible. A GPS Visa machine might not be cheap but it's a lot cheaper than some c*nt pocketing your money and lying to your face about it...

Another solution that I'm implementing in my business right now is pre-pay through our website. We offer a mobile service also and the way we have decided to approach all transactions now is on a payment through the website basis... Cuts out all the messing and excuses and also eliminates you calling out to do a job and someone not being there or you basically being stood up on a job.

I thought about the pre pay alright but i think most people would prefare to have a service done then pay as they might not be sure what they are getting for their money?
How much would it cost to add that onto a website....roughly?

Son

Hammertime wrote: »

you should be able to get an old cc machine off your bank, have don't do them much anymore but if you get stuck into them they will be able to get you one done up. Should be free.

Were Transax any use to you?

I must mention it to them and see what they say.

The girl in transax wasn't the most helpful person but from what i can understand it is €20 a month plus 1-1.5% of the cheque,still pricey enough!?
Im torn now,don't know what to do,waiting to get some more prices on merchant accounts,i still might just go with the credit card terminal as their doesn't seem to be a whole lot of choice.

drunkmonkey

Darragh29 wrote: »

Another solution that I'm implementing in my business right now is pre-pay through our website

it that like relex or go&pay or something on those lines...i'm about to implement realex as pay pal has been a complete joke so far...

Darragh29

drunkmonkey wrote: »

it that like relex or go&pay or something on those lines...i'm about to implement realex as pay pal has been a complete joke so far...

Yeah I'm working with Realex at the moment but am slowed down a bit at the moment on the site design. They seem on top of their game. Everything I sell now will be on a pre-pay through website basis, as it will involve mechanics out on the road providing a mobile service and I don't want any cash changing hands because I've been stung before.

I'm also selling car parts online and again, payment will be handled the same as above. The way I see it is I'd rather pay a few quid on the infrastructure and pay some commission on payment handling and know the money is going directly into my account and be able to see exactly what I sold in a month, than having to constantly worry if the reason my sales are down, could be because one or two people are putting my cash into the arse pocket.

Darragh29

Son wrote: »

I must mention it to them and see what they say.

The girl in transax wasn't the most helpful person but from what i can understand it is €20 a month plus 1-1.5% of the cheque,still pricey enough!?
Im torn now,don't know what to do,waiting to get some more prices on merchant accounts,i still might just go with the credit card terminal as their doesn't seem to be a whole lot of choice.

Just factor the cost into the invoice. I know there are charges involved but the money goes straight into your account and you don't have to worry about cheques bouncing or "I'll sort you out next week"...

drunkmonkey

that's not a bad idea, I wondering how I was going to collect payment with reps on the road.....If i could send all cc, laser, payments through the website that would be ideal (why didn't I think of that:))....still probably have to take the odd cheque or cash......
I'm all excited about starting with realex after 4 hard and expesive years with paypal..