Is your credit card processing company letting you down when it comes to integrations with your other business systems?
Are you researching key ways to use payment processing services with systems for a new business?
Either way, you have come to the right spot! We won’t waste your time either because we are listing the three most important reasons to focus on smoothing out your integrations so your business runs efficiently. Then, we will fill you in on more details regarding:
- Integrating credit card processing in small businesses
- Streamlining business transactions with credit card processing
- The best credit card processing systems for efficiency
Why Focus On Integrating Credit Card Processing In Small Businesses?
#1 Pivot on the fly: With seamless integrations, you can make changes using real-time payment data.
#2 Increased business via satisfaction: When payments complete quickly and reliably, your customers are delighted, so they will keep doing business with you (for years, maybe decades!).
#3 Efficiency means time and money saved: Manually entering data in today’s age is overwhelming and causes business owners to work more hours than they already do.
All three reasons are pretty compelling, right? Less work for you since the systems do much of the work for you. Being nimble and able to pivot will help you serve customers at a higher level and stay ahead of competitors. As for increasing business through customer satisfaction?
It only takes small inconveniences for a customer to start shopping elsewhere. So, the smoother the shopping experience, the better your business performs.
Proof’s in the stats below:
78% of customers have given up on a transaction because of a negative customer experience (HelpScout).
You’ve likely witnessed this yourself in a store where someone leaves items on the counter because the payment terminal has a couple of glitches or won’t connect. This happens every minute of every day in offline and online checkouts!
Customers will tell an average of 16 people about a negative customer service experience (Zippia). Businesses have to work harder for positive word-of-mouth, as good customer service experiences only get relayed to 9 people, on average.
This can be frustrating for business owners like you. It is unfortunate that human nature tends to focus on and remember the negative. Luckily, you can increase positive experiences without much effort if your credit card system is designed to enhance all aspects of your business.
Are there steps you can take to achieve this? Yes…
How To Improve Business Operations Via Payment Platform Integration
- Choose a highly-rated credit card processing company that focuses on world-class customer service.
- Ask your processor sales rep if the company offers help connecting their system with your existing software / platforms.
- Consider customers’ perspectives as they check out so you can empathize with their shopping experience.
- Ask your sales rep to demonstrate features and for extra resources to become comfortable using their platform.
- Take advantage of automations like automated invoicing (start with one automation, then expand – since automation can seem complicated initially).
When your business is shopping for the best credit card processing provider, there are clues as to which one has your best interests in mind. The biggest clue? Their employees are willing to explain everything clearly.
Avoid companies whose staff seem only in a hurry to get a contract signed!
Moving on to more details on efficiency.
The Best Credit Card Processing Systems For Efficiency
Efficiency is often the difference between a business that fails and one that thrives. And to show you how costly inefficient systems can be, let’s start there. Then, we will highlight the top credit card processing systems for efficiency.
Hidden Costs: Your processing reports should clearly show all transaction fees (ideally in easy-to-digest reports).
Payment Disruptions: This can range from defective components, software glitches, or service interruptions. Worse? Processor issues that delay your deposits!
Unexpected Expenses: Poor integration with accounting software, for example, may conceal unusual expenses. Also, credit card processing systems without security features that fully integrate with other systems leave you open to fraud and chargebacks.
Moving on now to what an efficient payment system entails.
Mobile: No modern system should be without capabilities for integrating mobile payments.
Scaling: Robust data from your payment platform helps inform businesses seeking major growth.
Welcoming: Diverse customers expect diverse payment options (credit, debit, e-checks, digital wallets, wearable paytech, QR codes, etc.).
Tailored: For businesses with a wide array of products and services, a tailored option from the payment platform is a must.
Affordable: Efficiency means more than time savings. Processing fees must be easy to understand so business owners save money, too.
Niche: Not every credit card system is a fit for every business (i.e., a food truck has different needs from a chain restaurant).
Global: Accepting international payments comes with unique challenges. In those cases, you want to ensure your provider can handle global payment acceptance.
*Considering accepting international payments? Risk varies from country to country. Examples: Mexico (2.82%) and Brazil (3.55%) have notably high chargeback rates for online transactions.
Time to conclude with points to consider.
Streamlining Business Transactions With Credit Card Processing
Anyone can streamline their business if they have a reliable payment processor. Yet, there are points to consider when determining your needs.
Will you be selling online only or offline only? Is this likely to change in the near future?
How many payment terminals do you need? Is your customer base able to navigate touchscreen payments, or would they prefer the staff handle the credit card swipe, tap, and dip?
Is your business in a high-risk category? If so, are you comfortable with the fraud-prevention tools available from the merchant services company? Have they explained how their security tools work and how they compare to industry standards?
Once you answer those and other questions, you can make wise choices when it comes to payment gateway, e-commerce solutions, POS options, mobile card readers, and more.
Sound like a lot of information? Don’t worry… a quality payment provider will walk you through any concerns.
Get started with no risk when you choose National Processing.
Our reputation speaks for itself. We are highlighted in US News Best Credit Card Companies 2024, and our $500 Guarantee for the lowest rates makes us an obvious choice.
Thanks for reading, and if you have more questions, we have you covered below.
Frequently Asked Questions: Streamlining Business Transactions
Are there real-world examples of streamlining business transactions?
Yes. Automated marketing emails based on recent customer purchases using your credit card processing data. This can also be done in real-time as customers put items in their cart on your website (Amazon does this with “product recommendations”).
What is one small thing businesses can do to create more online sales?
Remove friction during the shopping experience. A concrete example is giving buyers an option to store their credit card information for seamless online checkout next time they purchase.
How costly can downtime be to a business?
The following example shows an extreme cost due to downtime – and highlights how reliable technology from your credit card processor protects your revenue. “Losses were estimated at $1.14 million per hour due to the Apple Store being down for about five hours in 2015!” (source: CBS News)
