Business as usual is anything but. COVID-19 is disrupting behavior across commerce as businesses and consumers seek interactions that deliver personalized experiences while reducing contact.
What are the keys to a successful payments acceptance program in the new normal? Here’s a checklist to help get started.
1. Accept online payments quickly and easily.
Online payments are a surefire way to keep transactions contact-free. Make the process intuitive and hassle-free by offering options including user account creation (to save customer preferences and payment methods), guest checkout (to provide an alternative to logging in), and integration to digital wallets (to make payments via mobile devices). For businesses that issue bills or invoices, an e-invoicing solution can reduce or eliminate paper-based processes by moving the entire process online.
2. Implement physical safety measures for in-person payments.
Clear signage and physical barriers can go a long way in making payment experiences safe. Floor signage encourages physical distancing, plexiglass separates employees and customers, and protective covers provide a barrier for customers interacting with card terminals. Payment terminals that accept contact-free payments via digital wallets and contactless cards should also communicate these options to encourage touch-free payments.
3. Evaluate how payments are integrated at the point-of-sale (POS).
Now more than ever, every penny counts. When card readers are not integrated with the POS system, manual entry by employees can open businesses to costly errors. If payments are non-integrated, consider moving to semi-integrated payments to avoid mistakes that can negatively impact the bottom line.
4. Understand payment pricing models.
Accepting payments can be expensive, and there are many factors that impact the price that businesses pay. Shifting to a pricing model like interchange-plus can provide more transparency and help businesses avoid overpaying for payment processing.
5. Be attentive to chargebacks.
The shift to online payments may also lead to a surge in disputed charges. Chargebacks can be costly and challenging to manage, so be sure to implement chargeback prevention techniques that can help avoid them from becoming a problem. Remain vigilant in monitoring chargebacks and get support from a payment processor for additional expertise.
6. Get the right support.
A successful payments acceptance program is multi-faceted and requires expert guidance to keep costs low and customer satisfaction high. Be sure to work with a payments partner that can successfully optimize payments programs during these unusual times.