Any small business owners here?

[soonermike81]

Was curious who you guys use for your credit card processor? My family currently uses Heartland, but we've been hit up recently by two competitors to switch our credit card system. After all charges, fees, etc., we pay a total of anywhere from 4.5-4.75% each month. Didn't know if any of you guys have been convinced to switch to another processor, and their promises of low rates held up. Or if you switched and are currently getting screwed. After looking at their contracts, it's almost impossible to determine if the overall costs will actually be lower or higher than oru current guys. And it's pretty annoying that they want you to sign up right there, and don't want you take home their numbers and do your homework to ensure that you'll be saving before switching. Thanks for any info!

[Jeepnokc]

We use United Bank Services. One thing to look at is whether the majority of your card charges are with the card present (swiped) or not present. There is generally a higher charge for non swiped charges. We have a lot of clients that call in their monthly payment so I was looking for lower non swiped charges. I am paying a set rate regardless of whether the card is swiped or not and it is somewhere around 2.25%. Depending on how much you run, Square only charges 2.75 swiped/3.25 non swiped. You run it through your ipad or iphone with a free card reader. Square has daily limits though and will hold over that for a few days. You can ask for the daily limit to be raised.

[mmonroe]

We also use Heartland (restaurant) and have been called twice now on trying to get us to switch. We're not switching. One of things you want to look for is how refunds are handled.

[kevinpate]

Just an FYI. Most such sales staff are largely, if not totally, commission based for income. And as with any sale ending in a written contract, not one word of what you are told means bupkus if it is not spelled out that way in the contract one signs. Want to know a sure sign something is amiss and your little head flags should be waving? Here's a few things:
A gotta do it right now, while I am here, commit immediately or it is gone forever attitude from the pitcher.
A contract that is longer than two pages with a lot of tiny font type.
Any vague Prego assurances, i.e., 'what about when you said X?" "yes, it's in there, sign right here." Ask where in there, and then read it word for word. It is quite amazing how little value people place on reading what they are asked to sign, even though what they sign controls the any later dispute.

If you feel pressured, you're being pitched by someone who needs X sales a week to make his nut or even to simply keep the gig. The pitchman is not likely to be who you deal with afterwards. Rather you will attempt to resolve issues with someone who has not only read the contract, he or she has canned ready answers for the top X number of complaints, none of which end favorably for he who should have read before signing.

I've known good hard working sales folks, and I've known ones who slither out from underneath rocks after being forced out (because even slimy rocks have standards.) And I've known sales managers who praise the latter while barely stomaching the former, because the latter make more dough for their supervisors.

Final note. Some of that tiny print can have some crafty language on what one owes when they have had enough and just pull the plug on a company.

[Easy180]

Should also keep in mind how quickly your transactions are credited. I know that varies between merchant service providers.

[soonermike81]

hey thanks for the input, guys!

[tomokc]

We're processed by PayPros which charges us 1.74%.

[Jeepnokc]

We're processed by PayPros which charges us 1.74%.

Is that set for swiped and non swiped? If so, can you share the contact info?

Thanks

[Jim Kyle]

I'm with Transfund, through my Bank of Oklahoma small-business free account. However my situation is somewhat unique, in that all of the charges are non-swiped (as in mail order) and many are international. My minimum charge is $125, and the average is more like twice that, so my discount rate is much better than the general average, down around 2%.

I don't know if this service is still available; I've had it for quite a few years and have been quite happy with it the entire time. My business is database recovery, limited to systems built on Pervasive Software's engines, and more than half of it comes from outside the USA so the automatic currency conversion that Transfund provides is quite important to me -- as is the fact that they put up with me even though sometimes several months go by without a single transaction!