Credit cards can help your business make more sales, grow faster and spend less. That’s why they’re a smart business solution.
Credit cards have often been criticized for making it too easy to spend money. But this can actually be a benefit for small businesses. They are a helpful tool for most businesses, regardless of size or industry. A customer who uses a credit card doesn’t have to worry if they have enough cash on hand to pay for the purchase because they know they can just pay the bill later. This can lead to more sales, larger average transactions and happier customers.
That’s why so many businesses choose to use credit card processing. Nearly everyone has a debit or credit card these days, and many people prefer to use them over cash. If your business is not set up to accept plastic payments, you could be missing out on a lot of potential revenue.
Credit cards can help your business for many reasons. The most important thing to remember is that your credit card information will only be shared with the merchant you choose.
What makes Credit Cards a Great Business Solution
If you’re a small or medium-sized business, you don’t have the time or resources of big companies. So credit cards can help your business in lots of ways.
- Builds trust and increases credibility
When your website displays one of the major credit card logos, it’s a sign to customers that you’re trustworthy. It builds a relationship between you and your customers and helps them feel more confident about shopping online with you. It also gives consumers who don’t like to use Internet banking, cash or cheques an alternative way to pay for goods and services online.
- It can help you get paid faster
By accepting credit and debit card payments from customers, you could be paid instantly instead of having to wait for cheques in the post or bank transfers. You’ll also be protected against fraud and payment disputes with Visa’s Zero Liability policy.
- Credit cards make it easier to manage cash flow
When you accept credit cards as payment, you get paid straight away. Rather than waiting for a cheque to clear or an invoice to be paid, the money goes directly into your account. You can also use electronic terminals to enter card details over the phone or via the internet – so even if your customer isn’t in your store or office at the time, you can still take payment safely and securely.
These are smart business solutions that allow you to get faster payment and better cash flow, so you can take advantage of opportunities as they arise. You can also better manage your accounts receivable, and avoid having to wait for cheques to arrive before paying your own bills.
- It’s easy to keep track of expenses
When you use your credit card, you get a receipt that shows how much you spent, when and where. At the end of the month, you’ll get a statement showing all your purchases, which makes tax time easier. You can also call your bank and ask for a list of all your transactions.
- It’s convenient for customers
If you run a business in which customers pay at the point of sale, like a shop or restaurant, accepting credit cards is much more convenient than only accepting cash payments. This makes it easier for customers to purchase your products or services, which means they’re more likely to buy from you again.
- Accepting credit cards encourages your customers to spend more
If people are paying with cash, they may be thinking about how much they have in their wallet and how far they’ll need it to go. But when they’re using a credit card – which they can pay back later – they may be more inclined to make bigger purchases than if they were paying with cash.
Credit cards are smart business solutions that can help increase your sales. If you’re registered with Visa or MasterCard as an online merchant, you’ll find that many people will only buy from you if you accept credit cards. And because online purchases tend to be bigger than in-store purchases, your sales could increase significantly.
- It reduces the risk of fraud
The cardholder isn’t present when you make a payment by credit card over the phone or online. This can be risky as you don’t know who’s actually paying for your goods and services. But credit cards are protected by the card issuer and the card network (e.g. Visa or Mastercard) so you won’t lose out in these cases.
- You can sell online
If you sell online and want your customers to be able to pay quickly and securely, you’ll need to offer them the option of paying by credit card. As well as being convenient for customers, it’s also a great way of expanding your customer base because more people will be able to buy from you.
- It’s safer than carrying cash around
When you use cash, if it’s lost or stolen, there’s no way to track it down or replace it. With a credit card, if the card is lost or stolen, you can simply report it and get a new one in a matter of days.
- It gives you access to working capital
When you use your credit card purchases, they count towards your overall spending limit – giving you access to extra working capital. And if you pay them off in full every month by the payment due date, you won’t be charged interest on these purchases as long as they fall within your credit limit. This will help keep your costs down and enable you to take advantage of opportunities that arise without worrying about how much money is in the bank.
- It protects both you and your customers
Businesses that accept credit card payments are protected by the card issuer in the event that their customer doesn’t pay their bill on time. This means that businesses aren’t left out of pocket if their customer doesn’t pay on time and they don’t have to chase up late payments. In addition, if a customer spends over a certain amount with you, they can claim back money. This is called Section 75 protection (the name comes from the part of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 which enables it). It means that even if a company goes bust or stops trading, you will be covered.
- It makes it easier for your customers to pay
If your customers are already using credit cards and would rather use them than another payment method, then you should consider accepting credit card payments. Accepting credit cards also makes it easier for your customers to pay because they don’t have to carry cash around with them.
Conclusion
The credit card offers a unique opportunity to the business owner. It is a crucial tool in any situation where you need to make a payment quickly, efficiently and easily. This is why the credit card is an important business solution every business owner should take advantage of.
