For businesses of all sizes and risk levels, your payment processor plays an integral role in your operations related to sending and receiving payments, mitigating fraud, and managing compliance. Read on to learn more about how to choose a payment processor and start earning more money.

1. How Does Payment Processing Work?

First, you’ll need to create a merchant account to receive payment. When customers pay for goods or services, your CRM will submit the information to the payment processor, who then relays it to your customer’s banks. From there, the issuing bank authorizes the transaction, and if there are adequate funds in the customer’s account the money will be transferred and eventually deposited into your merchant account.

2. How do I Select a Payment Processor for My Business?

Consider the industry experience and availability of compliance expertise, commitment to data security, transparency of pricing structure, and quality of customer support offered by the payment processor. Besides acting as a financial gateway, your payment processor is your first line of defense in mitigating fraud, reporting valuable portfolio information, and managing compliance issues like chargebacks – so you want to select a processor you can trust.

3. How Much Does Payment Processing Cost?

Payment processing costs vary from one merchant services provider to another based on pricing structure. Valmar Merchant Services utilizes Interchange Plus pricing which is the most transparent pricing model. And unlike many others in this space, Valmar does not include any hidden fees within merchant processing statements. Be sure to carefully research the pricing model of your payment processor to ensure that your monthly costs are reasonable, that your rates are predictable, and that you’re not locked into a model that might not be able to grow with your business.

4. What Payment Processing Methods Can I Accept for My Business?

The payment processing options you can accept depend on your needs, business model, and regulatory compliance obligations. Valmar Merchant Services offers ACH processing, debit and credit card processing, eCheck/Check 21 processing, and push to card/instant funding all of which provide great flexibility for your customers and convenience for you as an operator. If you’re not sure which forms of processing are right for you, please get in touch with our team of experts and we’ll help point you in the right direction.

5. Is my Business Required to Comply with the PCI Standard?

Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) compliance is a non-negotiable requirement no matter the size of your business. Card brands are mandated to protect credit, debit, and cash card transactions and card users from fraud. Staying compliant protects you from hefty fines and penalties that could affect your business along the way.

Conclusion

Your choice of payment processors, in terms of both merchant services and customer support, is an incredibly important decision for the well-being of your business. Valmar Merchant Services is a trusted payment processing partner, providing our customers a level of comfort, clarity, and peace of mind unrivaled in payment processing. We can serve customers in almost any industry–even the “high-risk” ones our competitors won’t touch–with no downtime or disruptions. Have more questions? Reach out to us for expert help.