For just a few paragraphs I want you to get into your own customer mindset. Forget for just a bit that you own a business and think about your needs as a customer.
Okay, are you in that customer spot? Good, let’s proceed.
How many of you charge almost everything to your credit card? Show of hands…that’s a bunch of you. A huge bunch of you.
How many of you would be put off if the company you frequented didn’t take credit cards? Hands up…tons of you.
Last question. How many of you would think it’s insane to not take credit cards on a website shopping cart? Right…every sane 21st Century modern punter.
All right, you can put your business wing-tips and stiletto slippers back on.
Here’s our point…there’s an intersection at which our passion for our business, done our way, intersects with our customers demand to do business with us their way. Their way is credit cards, so accepting credit cards makes for an easy Y-E-S!
Accepting credit cards continues to become more and more important to any business today. If you have plans for a website and a shopping cart, you should be planning to take credit cards. A whopping 80% of on-line purchases—books, coaching services, workshops, cars, linens, hand-made clothing, wine, network marketing products, groceries, business services, you name it–are made with credit cards.
Your goal is to always give your customers what they want and how they want it. That means taking credit cards because it’s all about your customers, after all.
However, all merchant services are not created equally. How do you decide not only who is right for you, but also who makes it easy for your customer? How do you decide if it’s time to change your provider?
Here are some questions to get you thinking in the right direction as you investigate credit card merchant services:
- There are a number of moving parts in a merchant system—a special bank account, a verification gateway and processing company. Which merchant company has the easiest system for you and your customers? Particularly if you’re not technical and don’t want to be.
- Do they have a demo account you can play around with? That’s a great way for you, or your team, to get acquainted with the system.
- Do you know what functionality you “have to have” versus “nice to have”? Sit down and create your list so you know what you’re shopping for.
- What kind of help can you get after you open your account? Check out if they have on-line, phone and email support. How about training? Do you need training on the system and do they provide it…included in the fees or extra?
- What are the costs? All of them. Who charges a fee and what are they based on?
- What levels of security do I need and what do the companies offer?
The next time you whip out your credit card to make a purchase, think about how much easier your “yes” became because that business took a credit card. The same thing is true in your business.
An easy “yes” from your prospect will make your day. Accepting their credit card just might be one way to make your day…and theirs.
Go forth and do great things,
Martha Hanlon and Chris Williams