Wednesday, August 17, 2011

What Are Merchant Account Chargebacks?

If you are planning on using merchant account services in order to collect money for your business, you will need to be aware of how your merchant service works. This will allow you to collect payments with ease and have little difficulties in your financial aspects of your business.  One thing you will need to be wary of is chargebacks. Take a look at the following information, to learn more.

A chargeback occurs when there is an issue with payment. This allows for a reversal of the payment to occur, which means that the payment will not go through. In some cases, a customer may have been unhappy with the service or product that was purchased. If this is the case, he or she can make a claim with their Credit Card Company or financial institution. Additionally, this may occur if fraudulent activity occurred. This may mean that a card holder's credit card was stolen.  In these situations, the card holder is making a claim so that he or she will not be held accountable for the purchases that were made. This puts your company at risk.

If a chargeback occurs, you may not get your money. This means that your company can suffer due the irresponsibility of another person. If you are not fully prepared, you will not be in control in these types of situations. It is important to understand how the chargeback process works as well as how your merchant services company handles these situations. This will allow you to protect yourself and can make it possible for you not to lose money. This is the only way to have control.

It is important to protect yourself against these situations this website explains why. Before choosing a visa processing or credit card processing company, you should look into additional security services that will protect you from chargeback’s. Some companies offer additional security measures against fraud and other situations. This can allow you to have a plan in place, so that you can win any future chargeback cases. It is a good idea to ask around so that you can understand the security methods that are available. It is possible to fight a chargeback case if you understand your merchant technology and have fraud prevention techniques in place.

If you want to keep more money in your company's account, you need to be careful when making your financial merchant account selection. There are many companies to choose from, but you need to make sure that you are working with a reliable and reputable company. You will find that some companies take extra steps to protect against fraud and chargeback’s, while others do not. Taking the extra time to research can protect you from future problems.

You do not have to put up with chargeback’s. Make sure that you understand your MasterCard processing company's terms and services so that you can protect yourself against theft and other unwanted chargeback’s. If you do your research and understand your options, you can be in full control of your company's financial future.

A Brief Overview of Card Processing

A merchant account is a credit extension provided by a financial institution that allows your business to accept credit card payments from customers. Whether your business is large and well established or small and just getting started, a merchant account may prove to be extremely beneficial. While this method of handling business transactions is not new, changes in credit card processing may help you attract and retain customers, and handle payments in an efficient and secure manner.

How Card Processing Began

When the first revolving charge cards were introduced in the late 1950s, cardholders could make instalment payments to repay their credit card balances. Unlike the electronic processing devices that are currently used, manual imprinting machines were used to process such payments. Many merchants retained these machines even when the telephone payment system debuted, and the manual imprinters often served as an excellent backup when problems occurred with electronic processing methods. Current merchant account processing may result in:

Improved customer service
Secure payment processing
Streamlined procedures that benefit customers and merchants

Improvements in merchant services have made establishing a merchant account increasingly attractive to many business owners. Highly trafficked retail establishments are less likely to lose business due to a slow or cumbersome checkout process. Likewise, online transactions can be handled relatively quickly and securely with a merchant account in place.

Businesses that may benefit from a Merchant Account

Larger and more established department store retailers have long offered their own cards and accepted instalment payments. In exchange for paying a monthly charge, many customers have long been satisfied with being able to acquire desired items and pay for them over time. Technological advancements in general, however, have also made credit card processing advantageous for:

Grocery stores
Doctor’s offices
Restaurants
Independent vendors
Mobile merchants
Web-based businesses

Businesses as varied as midsized retail outlets, small retail establishments owned by families, franchises, and large corporate conglomerates may better serve customers by using a merchant account. Even fair and craft show vendors may securely accept credit card payments with a merchant account. As more and more consumers rely on paperless transactions, this sort of payment processing may be especially attractive for seller and buyer as well.

A Sampling of Merchant Account Processing Options

Visa processing
MasterCard processing
American Express
PayPal
Google
Yahoo

It is important to note that only a reputable business like this website may legitimately acquire a merchant account. Accordingly, misgivings about paying for merchandise or services electronically may be resolved by consulting agencies or reports dedicated to consumer protection and retail fraud. As merchant account services have evolved from relatively cumbersome manual processing, telephone and point of sale payment systems and to more sophisticated electronic methods, secure handling and storage of information must necessarily remain a priority.

Making the most of Merchant Services

The increasing use of electronic payment methods by so many consumers speaks to the apparent convenience and relative safety of such transactions. Accordingly, many people looking to improve their perceived legitimacy and ultimately increase their business revenue are more likely to take steps to expand their merchant services. Even if this is new territory for you, working with a reputable card processing company can lead to establishing a payment system that benefits your business as well as your customers.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

An Overview of ATMs

Many people may find it hard to remember a time when they conducted most of their banking transactions with paper checks, withdrawal slips, and deposit tickets. For those who have literally grown up with electronic technology, ATM services have likely always been a part of their lives. Going to the bank for many people, in fact, rarely refers to actually stepping inside the financial institution and interacting with a teller, but in fact means using automated teller machines. Financial institutions completely without ATMs would be anomalies, as full service now includes comprehensive ATM services.

The ATM Predecessors

Long before the current network system that most people are familiar with, ATM predecessors were installed at some of the larger banks in various locations around the world. While not true automated teller machines, they nonetheless paved the way for the devices and ATM services currently used. Highlights of ATM history include:

The Bankograph, installed in 1960 in First National City Bank, New York City
A Cash Dispenser, installed in 1967 in Barclays, London
A Card-Eating Machine, installed in 1968 in Barclays, London

The idea behind the aforementioned devices was to provide another way to complete at least some routine transactions. The Bankograph was conceived as a way for people to pay their utility bills and receive a paper confirmation without interacting with a teller. The cash dispenser, however, required the use of paper vouchers that customers had to buy from bank tellers before using the machine. Likewise, the card-eating machine left customers needing teller assistance to get new cards for their next transactions.

The Next Wave

By 1969, ATM services were increasingly moving in the direction that most people who use ATMs are accustomed to. This included changes in the plastic cards and new ways of advertising ATM services. The next round of developments included:

Magnetically encoded ATM cards
Ad campaigns focusing on ATM services
Patent applications by Docutel

While many people debate when the first true ATMs came into existence, the Docutel machine installed at Chemical Bank in New York was the first to use plastic cards with the familiar magnetic stripes. Perhaps not surprisingly, Chemical Bank soon began marketing this new addition as a means of providing banking services well beyond traditional business hours. Despite the other manufacturers that looked to provide ATM services, Docutel is widely considered to be the inventor of the automated teller machine, as they were the first to apply for an ATM patent. Other early manufacturers included:

Diebold
Fujitsu

The Docutel machine, developed by Donald C. Wetzel, was not well received initially, as bankers worried about the higher annual cost of operating such devices. Bankers worried that their customers would not be comfortable allowing a machine to manipulate their money as well. In spite of these valid concerns, ATM services were advanced by:

The Total Teller, unveiled by Docutel  in 1971
Proliferation by Docutel and Diebold in 1973
On-line ATMs introduced in 1974

A Final Word on ATM Services

Improved production techniques, lower costs, and the potential to provide innovative ATM services saw a rapid increase in the manufacture and sale of ATMs throughout the 1970s, leading to the highly serviceable machines consumers are now used to. Any financial institution looking to grow their business and provide superior customer service would likely benefit from working with a professional ATM provider like this website, to ensure that their ATM services meet consumer demand.

Monday, August 15, 2011

ATMs and Credit Card Usage: Will it Work for You?

In keeping with the steady demand for remote or non-traditional access to financial services, ATM services have likewise been expanded to handle more than just the occasional withdrawal of small sums of cash. Having a debit card can certainly make things easier when you need quick cash after normal banking hours have ended, but being able to use a credit card at ATM may allow you to complete many routine but important transactions. Likewise, financial institutions that accept credit cards at their automated teller machines may garner new business and customers as well.

Credit Cards and ATM Services

Your credit card may give you greater financial flexibility, particularly if your work or personal life frequently takes you away from nearby bank branch locations. Accordingly, you may have a much easier time of finding an institution that accepts your credit card as well. While your debit card may have a relatively low daily withdrawal limit, using your credit card may allow you to perform ATM services such as:

Cash advances
Deposits
Bill pay

While performing a large cash advance may mean paying a fee, the amount may be considered nominal depending upon the circumstance and need for the cash. Likewise, being able to complete more complicated deposits at a machine that is part of an integrated network may be invaluable as well. Some ATM services even allow cardholders to use their machines to pay phone, utility, and other customary but important bills. Fully integrated networks may let you complete sophisticated ATM services including:

Accessing bank statements
Transferring funds
Updating financial records
Buying train tickets
Securing movie or concert tickets
Adding credit to prepaid cell phones
Initiating loans

Being prepared to use ATM Services

While all automated teller machines may not be equipped to handle such impressive ATM services, being able to use your credit card for basic transactions may be especially advantageous during an emergency. Accordingly, you should verify what you can and cannot do with your credit card before you travel or intend to rely on it for cash. You may be able to easily access your available funds if you have:

Your personal identification number  
A customer service phone number or contact
An undamaged card

Many companies assign PIN numbers along with their cards, allowing customers to use ATM services as soon as possible. If you do not have a PIN or need a new one, requesting one in as far advance as you can would be strongly advised, as such sensitive information is often delivered only through secure and potentially slower channels.

Making the most of ATM Services

As this website stated, one of the best ways to make using ATM services with your credit card less costly is to avoid machines with low withdrawal limits and ideally get the cash you need in one transaction. Machines that accept credit cards are often sought out and are increasingly popular with consumers. Accordingly, many financial institutions would likely benefit from working with a reputable ATM provider that offers as many enticing ATM services as possible as a way to increase revenue and expand their customer base.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Looking At Wireless Credit Card Terminals

Owners of mobile businesses have come to understand how important and necessary cellular credit card terminals and wireless credit card terminals have become for them. It is a simple fact of today's life that people are simply bringing less cash with them when they are out shopping, particularly at those locations and places mobile business has a strong presence. So many places such as outdoor kiosks, street fairs and farmer's markets today have little use for the conventional credit card machine or debit card machine.

Positives Of Credit Card Terminals That Are Wireless

There are truly quite a few benefits and positives of the use of a credit card terminal that is wireless. Following are some of the more important ones to look at.

- Because less cash must be handled, security is much greater.
- Sales will be increased
- Processing and transaction times will be faster
- Transacting business will be much simpler to do
- Due to cell service disruption processing will be delayed.

The reality of the business world today is that everything is becoming more and more mobile. Because of the cellular credit card terminals however, the business owner is able to finish successfully any sale wherever the business takes them. Merchant services and merchant account companies now fully understand the need for mobile processing and have started to greatly lower any fees connected with the use of credit card terminals which are wireless.

If you click this website they will offer a reputable, honest and caring merchant account provider that will provide those users of the wireless credit card terminals a very high degree of mental and physical security by offering to them:

- Data encryption at a very high level
- Rather than voice transmission, data link processing instead
- Transaction fees that is similar to those of a traditional credit card
- Processing that is instantaneous
- Same day funds deposits in almost all cases
- Transaction logs and web based statements

Doing business on the run certainly requires reliable and strong credit card terminals which are wireless. And one of those excellent merchant services companies will help one locate the best wireless credit card terminals to fit their own special situation. It is important for one to keep a few things in mind when looking over the various kinds of hardware that will be used to put through one's mobile transactions:

- Will most transactions be conducted outside or inside?
- Will there be a lot of different people using the same equipment?
- Will a physical printer be needed or will customers take email and text receipts?
- Will it be necessary to batch one's transactions to be able to process them, or can they be done one at a time?

There is a bit of planning and thought that must be put into making a success of one's mobile business to be sure. Once it is in place however, the benefits start rolling in immediately.