The Sky’s the Limit With Wireless Processing
Business owners today understand the value of credit card processing. The more common means of acceptance generally include the traditional physical terminal for card-present transactions, and of course the widely used virtual terminal for internet sales. Now, the cellular technology that became so popular throughout the last decade is available for credit card processing. Wireless Processing is revolutionizing the credit card industry the same way cell phones revolutionized the age-old telephone industry.
Wireless terminals are becoming utilized more and more because of their flexibility. Simply put, you can use the same terminal to accept credit cards over the phone, in your office, at a client site, and even in the comfort of your own home. The convenience of taking credit card processing with you is invaluable and provides one of the greatest ROIs in the market. Wireless terminals are especially useful for the following:
- Trade Shows
- On-Site Workers (plumbers, electricians, etc.)
- Door-to-Door Salesmen
- Taxi and Limousine Drivers
- Events/Fairs
- Stadium Sales
- Food Delivery
- In-Home Massage Therapists
Other immediate advantages include a decrease in fraudulent transactions/chargebacks, an improved cash-flow versus accepting checks or money orders and increased security (less cash handling). Today’s wireless terminals are very compact and take portability to a new level. One of our most popular models is the Verifone Vx610. It has a built in thermal printer, pinpad and offers a true all-in-one solution. An alternative is the WaySystems MTT-1556 which is one of the smallest units available. It can comfortably be worn around the neck and also includes a wireless thermal printer with holster.
One important note about mobile terminals is that they actually transmit data on the same popular networks as mobile phones- specifically GPRS and CDMA networks. Terminals are actually available for each network type, but serve a similar function. To delve a bit deeper into the difference between the two you can check out our writeup, here.
A few suggestions about wireless processing:
- If you have a cell phone, it might be a good idea to take it to the location you wish to accept payments to see how good the coverage is. As with cellphones, an area with poor network coverage is going to impair your ability to accept credit cards. You can check your local coverage by using the following links:
GPRS Coverage (T-Mobile) CDMA Coverage (Verizon)
- Always arm yourself with an imprinter. They are cheap and provide a great backup solution incase you are in a low-coverage area.
- As with any other method of processing, before purchasing a wireless terminal you will need to setup a merchant account. It’s always a good idea to find out all the rates and fees before signing up. Luckily, our parent company MerchantPlus makes it easy. Click here for full details.
- Consider leasing before purchasing a wireless terminal. Leasing reduces up-front costs and offers a number of other advantages. We offer leasing on virtually ever terminal available on our website. Find more details here.
That covers all the basics. We hope you use this powerful technology to achieve your business’ true potential. Of course, should you have any questions please feel free to give us a call anytime at 800-546-1997.
