Analog Credit Card Terminals and Digital / Voice Over IP (VoIP) Phone Service

As the popularity of digital and VoIP phone service in today’s business market grows, so do the communication issues with analog machines. As a payment-services, sales professional it is imperative that you are aware of the issues relative to analog equipment and newer digital phone lines to be able to recommend the appropriate alternative solutions.

Analog credit card terminal modems run on an analog frequency that is much slower than a typical digital phone line frequency. Analog equipment has difficulty communicating over the static, line noise and echoes caused by the vast frequency difference between itself and a digital phone line. Ultimately, duplicate transactions, multiple authorizations, transactions that never get processed and modems that wear themselves out are common results. Not-to-mention the initial download of the machine can be a problem.

In many instances, persistence or a DSL filter have become acceptable “work-arounds” for the problem and merchants with analog equipment and digital phone service continue to process. An issue that most merchants and many sales offices are unaware of is that utilizing a PCI Compliant terminal with a standard VoIP connection deems their processing “Non-compliant” with PCI standards.

A PCI Compliant terminal with encrypted VoIP may be compliant if the connection meets requirements of all published Visa and MasterCard (and any other types of cards that you are going to swipe) data security rules, including encryption and firewalls. It must also meet the standards as outlined for your type of business at https://www.pcisecuritystandards.org/.

This issue is obviously not limited to new business. Existing merchants who have upgraded their analog phone systems to digital are also experiencing frustration with this problem and should be informed of the issues and given the proper options for resolution.

So what are the options? The easiest, but not necessarily the least expensive, solution is to replace the old, analog credit card terminal with an IP-capable device running over an Ethernet connection. Examples of acceptable devices would include the Verifone Vx510 Dual-Comm (both 6 mb and 12 mb) unit or the Vx 570 DC terminals. In some instances it may make sense to suggest a wireless solution such as the Verifone Vx610, PAYware Mobile or Charge Anywhere products. Finally, in others instances a PC-based virtual terminal or client side software solution with a USB mag-card reader may be the best choice.

It is important that you understand the problem and are familiar with all of the possible solutions in order to help your merchants make the best choice. Please feel free to contact our offices to further discuss the issues resulting from digital and VoIP phone systems.

Regards,

ePay Management

The Social Media Marketing Difference

The sole fact that you are reading this off of a computer screen makes it very likely that you are familiar with Social Media websites like FaceBook, Twitter and YouTube. Chances are good that you even have an account with one or more of these services. Millions of people, just like you, use social networks as a tool for finding and staying in touch with old and new friends and family while some now use these services as their primary source of communication. Social networking has solidified it's place in our culture and is providing a new way for people to interact with each other. Savvy business owners see these social networks as a very effective and inexpensive form of marketing and advertising.

In it's most basic form, social media is simply a website that doesn't just present information or a product, it's a website that also interacts with the visitors and gives them a community feel. Some social media sites invite active comments and others are almost solely user driven.

Used correctly, social media marketing is a powerful way to convey your business or organization across the web and establish long term relationships with your clients as well as bring in new customers.

Your customers are social creatures. They like to feel comfortable with the places they do business. For website visitors, having social media applications on a company’s website is like having a really friendly cashier that knows you by name or the waitress that knows how you like your coffee. Social media brings a personal touch to a site through blogs, forums, Twitter posts, FaceBook and other forms of social interactive media.

Give your business the edge it deserves by taking full advantage of the friendly, online community that social media venues offer.

What are the advantages of Social Media Marketing?

Your Company Identity

We work with each client to develop a unique "voice" for their company's presence within the Social Media community helping to ensure a successful campaign. A successful Social Media Marketing campaign will increase the popularity of your website and strengthen your company's identity online. Your social media family will spread your message more effectively than traditional methods.

Quick Results

By working closely with each client we maximize the potential impact of each of phase of a Social Media campaign. Hitting a front page of a major social networking site like YouTube or StumbleUpon will send huge amounts of traffic, almost instantly, to your company's website. That traffic doesn't necessarily equate to sales, but it will generate momentum in the right direction.

Affordable Advertising & Marketing

Social Media Marketing can be used in place of or along side of traditional advertising and marketing at a fraction of the cost. We offer SMM campaigns with initial launch pricing and maintenance options for all types of budgets. What works for one company may not necessarily be a smart option for another so we work closely with each client, performing market research and proposing the strategies with the highest chance of success while still fitting in to a budget.

Come Recommended

Would you be more comfortable buying from a faceless company or from one that came recommended? Initiators and influencers play an important role in the buying process and you can reach these people with SMM. We monitor public Tweets for key words within your business' scope and reply on your behalf. We develop forums and blogs on Industry websites and respond to articles in relation to your business. We "Friend" and "follow" users of your competitors and vendors social media outlets to build a network of users ready to recommend your business.

Search Engine Rankings

A Social Media Marketing campaign will result in a large number of backlinks from referring sites, landing pages, forums, blogs and profile pages that will result in much higher search engine rankings for your website.

Advertising Compatibility

Social Media Marketing can often replace traditional marketing techniques however it is also often successfully run along side an existing traditional advertising campaign. Our goal is to develop the most successful SMM campaign on your budget. We are confident that once you see the results you will find it to your advantage to take Social Media marketing seriously.

So, what makes us different?

We have a long history of offering the highest quality product with a level of customer service and support that exceeds expectations. Our merchant retention percentages are amongst the highest in the industry.

We handle each client on an individual basis. We interview each business and take the time, first through an initial interview, to understand your business, your goals and your budget. We then perform stringent market research before our team sits down to develop an initial proposal for your company's new SMM campaign.

Our success is measured by the success of our customers. We take pride in every project and treat each client with great care. Your business is important to us so we keep you well informed every step of the way with development updates, topic calendars and monthly reporting and analysis.

Call us today at 1-877-493-EPAY to schedule a sales call. You'll be glad you did.

Secure, Affordable, Wireless Processing Expanded to Android, BlackBerry and Windows OS Users

The excitement surrounding the announcement of secure, swiped credit card processing through the Apple iPhone a few months back was very much warranted. The PAYware Mobile application from Verifone is being offered to the public by ISO’s like Tempe, Arizona-based ePay Management. It has been a welcome solution to a large market of mobile merchants using the iPhone and is still proving to be an ideal solution for those users. The feedback we have received from our merchant partners utilizing the PAYware Mobile solution has been extremely positive.

The most common objections we are experiencing during the sales process relating to the PAYware Mobile solution are:

1.) an incompatibility with the latest Apple release of the iPhone 4G
2.) The reluctance of switching to the iPhone primarily due to a dislike of the AT&T service
3.) A merchant’s affinity for their existing Android, BlackBerry or Windows OS smart phones
4.) The lack of a printing solution

With the recent announcement by ePay Management of their partnership with Charge Anywhere, 3 of these 4 objections have been nullified. The addition of the Charge Anywhere mobile payment solution is allowing ePay to market wireless payment processing solutions to Android, BlackBerry and Windows OS smart phone users as well as iPhone 3G and 3Gs customers.

The Charge Anywhere solution pairs the P25 BlueTooth printer/magstripe reader with a compatible device for swiping credit cards on-the-go. This increases business productivity by speeding up the transaction time and increases revenues by allowing users to take advantage of the lower Interchange rates assigned to swiped transactions. Authorizations are received in real-time and settlements occur daily, decreasing accounts receivable problems and increasing cash flow.

The Charge Anywhere solution is compatible with the most popular smart phone offerings from most carriers, including the Bold, Curve and Storm series of phones from BlackBerry. The Motorola Droid and HTC G1 and My Touch with Android operating systems and the HTC Fuze, Tilt & Pure along with the Palm Treo and Motorola MOTO Q utilizing the Windows OS.

Because the Charge Anywhere application is certified and written for the operating system, the Smartphone application can be installed on most Windows Mobile 5.0+, BlackBerry 4.1+, Android or J2Me devices.

The application is able to capture and download mission critical business data above and beyond traditional credit card data such as invoice number, employee number, tips, tolls and more. QuickBooks users can import data from the payment gateway, eliminating time-consuming data entry.

ePay Management is aggressively marketing the Charge Anywhere and PAYware Mobile solutions to the retail, restaurant, QSR, HVAC, Plumbing, Towing, Trade Show, Limo/Taxi and Delivery industries.

Please contact ePay Management directly at 1-877-493-3729 or sales@epaymanagement.com with questions regarding these or any other payment processing solutions.

http://www.smartphoneswipe.com/

http://www.epaymanagement.com/

Arizona chapter of Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA) Chooses ePay Management as its Endorsed Electronic Payment Processing Supplier

Tempe, Arizona - September 24, 2010 - ePay Management L.L.C. (ePay) announced today that it has been selected as the endorsed payments provider for The Air Conditioning Contractors of America, Arizona Chapter, a non-profit trade association with roots stretching back nearly a century. The ACCA is the only nationwide organization of, by and for the small businesses that design, install and maintain indoor environmental systems.

ePay Management will give ACCA Arizona members the ability to accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover transactions at a reduced negotiated price to the Association. ePay will also provide ACCA members with consumer financing options and mobile payment processing solutions.
“We are very excited about the addition of ACCA Arizona to the ePay family“ said Dave Wilson, Founder and CEO of ePay Management. “We have a full decade of experience providing quality, personalized merchant solutions to the home services industry. We pride ourselves on our extensive knowledge of the industry and our ethical business practices. ePay will provide secure, reliable equipment and service with aggressive pricing upholding our reputation as the HVAC Industry’s best friend.”

About ePay Management L.L.C. (ePAY)

Founded in 2000 by seasoned payment industry professionals, ePay Management has an impressive legacy of partnership with its customers in successfully applying technology-based, merchant electronic payment solutions and solving their toughest problems. The company supports sales offices nationwide and is a registered ISO/MSP of RBS Citizens, Providence, RI.
Website: http://www.epaymanagement.com

About The Arizona Chapter of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA)

A non-profit trade association for heating, ventilating, air conditioning and refrigeration contractors in Arizona, the ACCA works to give their members the tools they need to succeed in the HVACR industry. The ACCA represents and serves firms who design, install, service and repair air conditioning, heating, refrigeration, air purification and ventilating systems of all sizes and complexities. In addition, membership includes manufacturers of equipment, wholesalers and distributors of equipment, vocational and technical schools, utilities and others with an interest in the HVAC industry.
Website: http://www.acca-az.org

RBS agrees to sell 80.01% interest in Global Merchant Services to a consortium of Advent International and Bain Capital

August 6, 2010 -The Royal Bank of Scotland Group (“RBS”) announces today that it has agreed to sell a controlling 80.01% interest in its Global Merchant Services (“GMS”) business to a consortium of Advent International and Bain Capital for an enterprise value of up to £2.025 bn1.

RBS will hold a minority stake in the new GMS group of 19.99%. As part of the agreement, RBS will continue to promote and refer the GMS product suite as a valuable part of its offering to customers.

RBS continues to deliver strong momentum in relation to its disposal programme and the proceeds from this transaction will strengthen the Group’s already robust capital ratios.

The divestment will result in a gain of approximately £850 million after goodwill, separation and transaction costs. The net positive impact on the Group’s Core Tier 1 ratio is expected to be c30 basis points2 on completion.

Advent International and Bain Capital have committed to making substantial investments in the technology platform and the product offering. There will be transitional services agreements in place to cover the period from legal completion to final separation.

The sale is expected to complete in the fourth quarter of 2010 and is subject to certain conditions including approval by the European Commission, US anti-trust authorities and other regulators.

Bruce Van Saun, RBS Group Finance Director said: “The sale of GMS is another significant milestone in the Group’s restructuring programme. GMS is an excellent business. The transaction will be good for both staff and customers as the business implements its ambitious expansion plans.”

Choosing A Merchant Account Provider to Accept Credit Card Payments For Your Business

If we can assume that the purpose of your business is to generate revenue – it goes without saying that you will need to make it as easy as possible for your customers to buy your products or services. Since we know that most shoppers, both retail and online, prefer credit card transactions – you need to set-up your business to accept credit card payments. When considering a merchant account solution, there are many options for you to choose from and it is important to understand that not all credit card processing methods, or providers, are created equal.

If you are serious about your business and wish to succeed, then you need to set up a merchant account for credit card processing. As soon as you start your search for a merchant account, you're sure to be bombarded with offers and the process can be overwhelming. But, before you are persuaded by seemingly implausible low rates – bear in mind that there are many factors you should consider before choosing a merchant account for your credit card processing needs.

Hidden Fees

Beware any merchant account provider that sounds “too good to be true”. All merchant acquiring banks and Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs) have the same basic costs as they pertain to discount rates and transaction fees being charged. Offers of suspiciously low rates and fees are almost always offset by hidden fees. When considering a merchant account provider, you should consider the following:

• Application or Setup Fees – While there can be a hard cost involved with setting up and activating your new merchant account, most providers absorb this cost and do not charge setup fees for the merchant account itself.
• Equipment Costs – When being quoted equipment or software cost, do your research. Know what the fair market price is for the type of equipment you require and make certain that if you are being quoted a “new” price that you will be receiving “new” equipment and not refurbished.
• Lease Options – As a rule of thumb; if you are being offered a lease, beware. Many merchant account providers generate absurd profits charging 5-20 times the actual cost of the product being leased. Even with a fair lease contract you will pay 2 times the actual purchase price of the product.
• Lengthy Contract Terms and Early Termination Fees (ETF) – Most merchant account providers require their customers to sign a contract for a specific period of time with a penalty for cancelling the account prior to that term. When considering a provider, be wary of any offer that requires a term longer than three years with a termination fee of more than two or three hundred dollars.
• Introductory Offers – A common tactic used by some providers is a version of the “bait & switch” where an extremely low rate is offered to the customer (usually accompanied by a lengthy contract term and absurd ETF fee.) The acquirer then gradually raises the rate on a regular basis and before long the customer is paying extremely high rates and is locked in to a long contract.
• Proprietary Equipment – Many providers will sell or lease their customer equipment that has either been manufactured or manipulated to only work with their processing accounts. Proprietary equipment can be used by the provider as leverage against their customer should they try and convert to a competing provider.

Look for other "hidden fees" that may be lurking in the fine print of your agreement. The acceptable merchant account fees that you can expect include:

• Statement fee – an ongoing monthly charge to cover credit card processing costs each month, typically this fee will range between $5.00 and $10.00
• Discount rate – this is the percent of each sale that is given to the merchant account provider. If possible, request and “interchange-plus” rate which is transparent and is a direct pass-through of Visa and MasterCard interchange plus a small surcharge. Depending on your businesses volume, an ideal IC+ rate will fall somewhere between 0.10% and 0.35%.
• Transaction fee – a set charge for each credit card transaction that is separate to the discount rate and is not dependant on the value of the sale. Typically this fee should not exceed $0.25 for tiered pricing models and $0.10 for IC+ rate structures.
• Wireless or Internet Gateway Fees – This is the cost for using a gateway service required for processing via a website, virtual terminal or wireless device. Gateway fees typically range between $5.00 and $30.00 per month. There typically is a transaction fee also associated as well.

Make sure you check for other additional fees such as the charge for refunds. Good rates are important, but they are only a part of the merchant account selection process.

Flexibility

Low rates mean nothing if they restrict the growth of your business. You need to choose a merchant account provider based on your anticipated sales volume, and make sure there is room for flexibility to process more sales in the event of a promotion or dramatic increase in product demand. Make sure your merchant account fees are not tied to inflexible policies linked with low monthly limits or lock-in agreements. Also look at the hidden costs of exceeding your monthly limits and find out how flexible your merchant account provider is if you need to increase your credit card processing capabilities to meet new business growth.

Customer Support

Customer service is one of the most important elements to consider when choosing a merchant account. Completing the sales transaction is at the core of your business – so you want to make sure that if any hiccups occur in this process, you can reach your merchant account provider. It's not helpful to have low fees if something goes wrong and you can't get hold of someone for immediate resolution. Your revenue is dependent on credit card processing, so make sure that you can reach someone when your needs change or something happens that is hampering your ability to accept credit card payments. Many wireless and Internet-based solution providers have limited support on weekends which is often the busiest time for these types of businesses. Make certain your support options are in line with the way conduct business.

Technical Capabilities

Look at how easy it is to set-up the merchant account and make sure it can be seamlessly integrated with your existing equipment or software. Does your merchant account provider offer integration with QuickBooks, Oracle or other programs to make accounting easier? Can they support multiple users and credit card transactions at the same time? Review the methods of credit card processing and make sure it is flexible to meet your requirements – from individual real-time complete automation to end of day batch credit card processing. Also consider any additional merchant account features that you may need such as international capabilities or the ability to store customer information when you accept credit card payments.

Reputation and Guarantee

Choose a merchant account provider that has a proven track record and can demonstrate competence and reliability. How long have they been in business? Are they a registered MSP/ISO with Visa and MasterCard? How many complaints have they received? Make sure you investigate the reliability of service and guarantee for 24/7credit card processing. Ask how they monitor and respond to complaints and choose a merchant account provider whose credit card processing service package (and not just low rates) fits your business' needs.

Remember – your merchant account provider will be a long-term partner for your business' success. When choosing a merchant account, you will keep cost to a minimum if you find a provider that can integrate with your existing equipment and software. This merchant account provider should also provide strong customer service, a solid and proven reputation and competitive rates. Ensuring long-term service that meets demand is more valuable than a few weeks at a highly discounted rate.

ePay Gives Back

Quality solutions. Dependability. Processing with a purpose.

Merchants who choose ePay Management as their merchant service partner are making a difference in the community knowing that we donate 15% of the revenues generated from participating merchants to Cardon Children's Medical Center.
At ePay Management we are aware of the effects of our actions and choose to use our resources to benefit social and environmental efforts. It is all a part of the "ePay Gives Back" program.
In almost all cases we are able to offer a considerable savings to merchants in regards to their payment processing costs. Why not allow us to perform an apples-to-apples cost analysis on your existing merchant account? It's absolutely FREE and we are confident you will find our level of customer service to be exemplary.
Call us today to take advantage of the "ePay Difference" and help us give back to the community.