Finding the perfect payment gateway and credit card service provider for business

It is next to impossible for not using credit card services in today’s tech-savvy world around us. All banks provide a credit card service with a credit limit for each individual. Purchasing a product using credit card means the payment can be made later on the date after the actual purchase.  Now, when doing online business there has to be a payment gateway to send and receive payments. Finding the perfect gateway is not a difficult task with so many service providers around the globe.

Now coming to choosing the credit card processing, one must choose a reliable service that is essential and is perfect for the business scenario in hand. A payment processor acts as a link between the merchant and the bank for accepting payments. Irrespective of the type of business before choosing the credit card processor/service provider the following points have to be considered.

1.    Pricing- 

this is the fee charged by the payment processor for every transaction that happens and which will be given to the respective banks. Few companies charge a monthly fee whereas most companies charge on the basis of per transaction basis.  The percentage usually ranges from 2.5% to 3.5% and the highest being 3.5%. The wiser option is to choose a service provider that charges a fixed monthly fee and also a small transaction fee.

2.    Time taken-

the merchant has to know what will the maximum time be taken to make the gateway operational. In other words the soon the merchant is able to accept the payments, the better the gateway service.

3.    Accepting digital payments-

it is always better to choose a payment processor that is ready to accept digital payments from e-wallets like Samsung pay or Paytm wallets. This is usually more convenient for the customers as they can do all the purchases with a touch of a button.  Retailers are all ready to accept such payments be it in a small business or a big showroom.

4.    Customer support- 

it is always better to be safe than to be sorry. When choosing a payment processor, the customer support should be there 24/7 to solve queries regarding card machine problems and fees queries. The representative should be responsive and should be able to explain the problems that are being faced. 

5.    Security-

the payment processor should be compliant with the PCI-DSS (payment card industry data security standard), all the payments should be monitored, documented and should be secured. When using the card machines that use magnetic strips at the point of sale, there are chances of data being exposed. In order to prevent this, the payment processor should hold CVV2 and SSL certifications. Most of the payment processors come with an in built tool to prevent fraudulent activities.

6.    Accepting global currency-

certain payment processors do not accept all currencies. When a seller plans to sell worldwide online, it is better to confirm with the processor if they accept all forms of currency. It is a daunting task to change the payment processor once the gateway becomes operational as the initial set up process itself takes 3 to 4 weeks.  So in order to prevent any sort of confusion and chaos, it is better to confirm beforehand.

So, finally, when choosing the processor, the above-said things are to be noted. People tend to switch the processor when they are unhappy with the service provided or when they do not get a proper customer support whenever crucially necessary. Even when the fee is high, it is better to choose the best payment processor in the industry after thorough research.