How to Find the Right Payment Processing Provider
May 4, 2020
Having the ability to accept payments on your website has never been more critical.
A lot of businesses have had to make the transition to doing business online because of the coronavirus pandemic, and a key part of making that transition successful is choosing the right payment processing provider.
Having the ability to process payments on your website means that your customers will be able to make purchases when it’s most convenient for them, and it also means the potential for you to make sales around the clock. By providing your customers with a quick and easy transaction, they’re more likely to actually follow it through to the end, but, not all payment processing solutions are created equal.
As a business owner, you are in the business of making money. But, how you go about actually collecting that money can have a big impact on your bottom line. Your ability to collect the money you make online, in the fastest and easiest way possible, comes down to the payment processing provider you select.
Check out these five things to look for in a payment processing company!
#1. Pricing plans to match your business needs.
Every business is different and has different payment processing needs. One size fits all does not work when it comes to credit card processing!
A company that processes only a few credit cards per month may benefit from a fixed-rate structure, and a company with consistently high processing volumes will see significant cost savings with a custom rate plan.
If a payment processing company only has one plan to offer, keep looking. You’ll save more and be better off with a payment processing company that will evaluate your business and match you with the best fit for your needs.
#2. Easy integration with your ecommerce solution.
If you sell online, you need a credit card processing company that will easily integrate with your ecommerce system — whether that is on an existing site or POS system, or on a new website you are building. Look for a solutions-based option that will work seamlessly with the system you already have in place.
Once you find a solution that will integrate with the system you have, make sure to ask if there are any extra fees associated with doing so. The last thing that you want is to be surprised with hidden fees after you’ve put time and energy into researching payment processing providers.
#3. Point of sale solutions.
In addition to payment processing, you need a provider that can offer you the point of sale solutions to actually accept payments. It’s a hassle to have to work with two separate companies for your payment solutions.
Making the payment process convenient for your clients will only help your conversion rate. Any payment processing system you select needs to be able to accept payments anywhere — that means online, in-store, or on the go.
The company you work with should be able to offer all of these solutions through ecommerce gateways, complete point of sale systems, and mobile card reader options. Look toward the future. As your business grows and your needs change, you want a payment processing provider with plans that can grow with you and meet your evolving needs.
#4. Marketing solutions.
You can have the best payment processing system and easiest checkout process in the world, but if your business isn’t visible online, it won’t matter. Look for a payment processing company that offers tools and marketing integration to help your business grow!
Look for a system that offers tools and features that will enable you to drive more customers to your store and website, and ultimately, more dollars to your bottom line. A few examples of those tools include advanced reporting, a comprehensive CRM, enhanced customer loyalty programs, integrations to your vendors so you are never out of inventory, and integrated marketing tools to help reach your customers when you want, and search for new ones.
The system you choose also needs to provide you with information about your revenue that you can use to enhance your strategy going forward. You’ll be able to figure out what’s working and what isn’t, as well as where to invest your money.
#5. Reliability.
Work only with a business you can trust to be there for you when you need them. But, what exactly does reliability look like in a payment processing provider?
If your system goes down while you have a line of customers, can you rely on your provider to get the support you need promptly? The last thing you need, in an already stressful situation, is to be put on hold for an hour or to be passed around from person to person.
Look for a company that offers in-house customer support and is committed to customer service. You don’t have to take the company at its word either. Test their customer support system before making a purchase by calling a few different times per day.
When your payment processing system goes down, your business grinds to a halt. You want to know that any company you work with will be there for you when you need them most and be willing to do whatever it takes to get your system back up and running again, and fast!
I hope these tips can help you in selecting the right payment processing company for your business. Happy marketing!
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