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Taking card payments by phone
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boisdevie1



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 3:28 pm    Post subject: Taking card payments by phone Reply with quote
    

Does anyone take credit/debit card payments by phone? Can anyone recommend a company that offers such a service?
Thanks.

Green Man



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 3:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Your bank should be able to set you up with a terminal. You can still do manual slips but they can still bounce.

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's not quite as easy as the bank just setting you up with a terminal. There's a set up fee of a few hundred quid and a monthly fee for the terminals. There's usually also a percentage taken of the sale.

Green Man



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

This is true, but well worth the benifits of getting that booking deposit in the bank. Build in any costs to your final price per night.

boisdevie1



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:07 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Problem is that most times I ask for a deposit by cheque and that works very well. It's only last minute bookings that I'd need to take a deposit by card over the phone so it wouldn't be something that I'd have to do that often. So I'm loath to spend a couple of hundred quid on something that I don't need to use intensively. OK, I could take all deposits like that but I'm not prepared to lose a percentage of my revenue.[/code]

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:09 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I think the cheapest way of doing it is via the federation of small businesses - I got told that on here IIRC.

Green Man



Joined: 23 Jul 2006
Posts: 5272
Location: Rural Scotland.
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

The ability to pay over the phone is a lot handier for your customers, and gives you a more proffessional service. You also have card details in case they do a 'Moonlight' or damage a room that you don't notice until they have booked out.
It will authorise good cards at time of booking out also, so you don't need to worry about bounced cheques.
You can also use it for selling on e-bay without the Pay-Pal fees.

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Agreed but you have to have the turnover to justify it IMO. I know I certainly don't.

dougal



Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

From when I last looked at this, the facility to process payments "customer not present" (ie by phone) was regarded by the banks as a big step beyond simply accepting card payments from the customer in person.

boisdevie1



Joined: 11 Aug 2006
Posts: 3897
Location: Lancaster
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

I just don't like the idea of banks taking say 3 percent of my business takings if I can do things another way.

sean
Downsizer Moderator


Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42207
Location: North Devon
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 5:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

dougal wrote:
From when I last looked at this, the facility to process payments "customer not present" (ie by phone) was regarded by the banks as a big step beyond simply accepting card payments from the customer in person.


I don't know about that, I do know from bitter experience that the Merchant Service Operator/Card Owner will rat you out on the payment at the slightest excuse if the cardholder is not present.

nettie



Joined: 02 Dec 2004
Posts: 5888
Location: Suffolk
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 5:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

As of June the law will be changing to say that companies cannot hold written details of credit card numbers. We are having to change all our systems at work and won't be able to take payment on the phone unless we directly input it into the computer while speaking to the customer. Something to bear in mind.

Stacey



Joined: 18 Jul 2005
Posts: 8380
Location: Kernow
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 5:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

boisdevie1 wrote:
I just don't like the idea of banks taking say 3 percent of my business takings if I can do things another way.


I think it adds up to a lot more than 3% when you factor everything in.

Penny Outskirts



Joined: 18 Sep 2005
Posts: 23385
Location: Planet, not on the....
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 7:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

It's unlikely they'd give you a cardholder not present facility unless you'd been with them for a year, were willing to part with about £100, and could supply profit and loss for the previous 12 months.

Quite funny really, as we found that our terminal would do it without going through all this - so we've been doing it for years now, they just think they've agreed it

dougal



Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent
PostPosted: Wed Mar 28, 07 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote
    

Penny wrote:
It's unlikely they'd give you a cardholder not present facility unless you'd been with them for a year, ...

I had that as "had a {plastic card} 'merchant account' for a year" - and that was from the bank I'd been with for twenty five years or so...

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