Elsier Otachi

Usability

Square has a sleek, easy-to-use and navigable interface. From the main dashboard, you can see your business at a glance and get quick access to various features. Once you set up your Square account, you can add items to your store and features like buy buttons and payment method badges.

You can customize the main menu to your needs by picking the tools you want displayed on the main screen for instant access. This is similar to what we found in our review of Helcim, whose dashboard allows you to pin the tools you use more often than for easier accessibility.

Square also redesigned its app so merchants can create and manage items, categories, discounts and more for a smoother checkout experience. To create or manage bulk items, you can still import and export them through your online Square Dashboard.

We particularly liked that Square offers a free website builder with beautiful, pre-built themes merchants can use to build and publish free sites easily and quickly. These tools are beneficial for merchants without websites as it only takes a few minutes to set up, publish and start selling.

If you need help with building or customizing your store, you can contact the Square support team or Square Seller Community, where you can connect with fellow sellers and ask questions about Square or your business needs.

Square’s custom API integrations provide greater flexibility and control over the customer experience. It’s a powerful tool you can use to create integrations with in-person, remote and mobile payments and accept payments securely.

Integrating with your existing business systems isn’t as seamless with Square as it is with other providers like Stax or Chase. You’ll need to use Square Bridge — a hosted integration application — with your Square POS or account, then sync the relevant data with your existing business system. Currently, Square Bridge only syncs data with enterprise resource planning systems like SAP Business One, Dynamics 365 Business Central and Oracle NetSuite.

We were happy that Square offers an Offline Mode feature for offline payment processing. With Offline Mode, you can take card payments securely anytime, anywhere, even if there’s no Wi-Fi and they’ll be processed automatically when you have connectivity again.

Square Features

POS

A POS is important to any credit card processing company as it lets you accept payments however you sell and manage your operations.

With Square’s POS, you can sell in-store or online while managing your inventory, sales and employees. It’s available for all sizes of businesses, particularly restaurants, retail and merchants offering professional services.

Each Square POS lets you:

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• Accept contactless payments
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• Take online or over-the-phone orders
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• Manage order pickup and delivery
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• Sync with Square hardware for payment processing
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• Integrate with other Square tools to manage operations
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• Manage the client booking experience using Square Appointments
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You can download the POS app for free and set it up within a few minutes. We like that Square is intuitive, so you don’t need to get trained on how to use its POS system. You can send invoices or estimates to clients and let them pay online.

Online Store

Credit card processors like Helcim and Shopify offer online stores as well, but Square makes it especially easy to use by incorporating a website builder and prebuilt themes.

You can build and launch your online store with Square Online’s free plan, then use the e-commerce tools to accept and manage customer orders and take payments.

We especially like the fact that Square offers merchants free ecommerce tools for:

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• Tracking customer data in a central directory
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• Syncing online and in-store items, inventory and orders
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• Managing staff access through team-based permissions
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• Driving customers to specific items you want to move
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• Scheduling discounts, product drops and flash sales to launch automatically
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• Taking orders on social (shopping on Instagram or Facebook Shop)
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With your free Square account, you can use the website builder to design a professional-looking site and start selling. There are no startup costs or monthly fees. You only pay when you make a sale.

Square Invoices

Beyond a POS system, we looked at providers that offer an invoicing tool or make it easy for merchants to send invoices to customers. We gave higher scores to providers who offer online invoicing along with payment links, which makes it easier for their customers to make payments without being physically present.

We were impressed by how fast it is to send digital invoices and estimates to customers using Square Invoices. It’s easy and fast to send invoices, take payments and track paid or unpaid invoices from anywhere. Plus, you can schedule recurring invoices and automatic payment reminders and save and charge cards on file.

Customers can pay in-store, online or from their mobile device using a card, digital wallet or ACH bank transfer. Alternatively, they can buy now and pay later with Afterpay.

Online Checkout Links

We weren’t able to find this feature with many providers we reviewed, except for Stripe, Merchant One, Stax and Clover. We liked Square’s online checkout links unique because you can:

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• Accept online payments easily
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• Set up and customize the links in minutes
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• Give customers more options to pay
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Unlike Stax, whose payment links are only available with its paid plans, Square’s online checkout links are free to use any of its plans. You only pay Square’s standard 2.9% plus 30 cents e-commerce processing fee when you make a sale, after which Square deposits the funds to your bank account.

Square’s payment links are easy to set up from the Online Checkout section of your dashboard or in the Square POS app. You can format your payment links as buy buttons or quick response (QR) codes and share them via text, email or social media. These links integrate with all Square solutions and come with built-in tracking and reporting so you’ll know when a customer pays your invoice, see transactions, orders and customer data.

Virtual Terminal

With a virtual terminal, merchants can take over-the-phone and remote payments whether their customers are present or not. It’s a useful feature, which we found in several providers we reviewed, such as Chase, Clover, Helcim and Payment Depot.

We found Square’s browser-based Virtual Terminal beneficial for merchants as you can process payments regardless of the operating system you use. The terminal works as a POS system on any computer, allowing you to itemize sales, charge customers and create recurring payments.

Square Marketing

This is another feature we think is important in our review. We didn’t find it with other providers like Stax or Helcim, so it was nice to see this thoughtful inclusion in Square’s ecosystem. Chase’s Customer Insights tool, which displays useful intelligence for marketing or retargeting purposes, comes close but doesn’t provide built-in email marketing or retargeting options.

Helcim has an encrypted card vault that stores customers’ card details. From here, you can see customers’ transaction history, but you can’t retarget them using email or text marketing like you would with Square Marketing. Instead, you’ll have to create marketing material or send individual emails to let them know of upcoming promotions.

With Square Marketing, you can choose text, email or social media campaigns based on your business goal to connect with your customers and promote your business.

You can try the service for free for 30 days, then pay $10 for text marketing or $15 per month for email marketing. Included with your subscription are customizable email templates, small targeting groups, on-demand reports and Square Customer Directory — a free customer relationship management (CRM) tool to build your opt-in list and see attributed sales and coupon redemption.

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Square Cost

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Many credit card processors we’ve reviewed offer a flat-rate pricing structure like Square, which keeps things simple for business owners. But we like that Square doesn’t have hidden fees, startup fees, refund fees or PCI-compliance fees. Unlike National Processing, which charges you for early contract termination, Square has no cancellation fees, either. You only pay when you make a sale.

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Funds are deposited into your linked bank account in one to two business days or immediately transferred to your bank account for a small fee (1.5% per transfer).

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Processing fees remain the same:

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• In-person: 2.6% plus 10 cents per transaction
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• Online: 2.9% plus 30 cents per transaction
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• Keyed-in/manually entered: 3.5% plus 15 cents per transaction
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• Invoices: 3.3% plus 30 cents per transaction
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Like Stripe, Square works with Afterpay, a partnership that has unlocked the Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) option for merchants. We didn’t find BNPL options in Helcim, Merchant One or Stax. Chase offers its own BNPL feature called My Chase Plan in certain Chase credit cards, which lets customers break up card purchases into equal monthly payments.

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Square Setup

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We found Square easy and quick to set up. Once you download the Square POS app and sign in to your account, you can start accepting payments within minutes of setting up the system.

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Square has no application and approval process and doesn’t run credit checks, but you’ll still need to verify your identity by providing your name, contact details (address and phone number), birthday and the last four digits of your Social Security number before processing payments.

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You don’t need any training to use Square. Its intuitive interface allows you to set up items and use Square’s suite of products to run your business. You can use Square POS without additional hardware, but you can still order or pick up a Square Reader to accept in-store chip and PIN or contactless payments. We also liked that Square Online lets you create buy buttons or QR codes as checkout links so merchants can get paid faster.

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Square Customer Service

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Square’s customer support team is available via phone, email or live chat. The messaging support team is available to assist Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Pacific time.

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We’re concerned that Square’s support is restricted to business hours, which could inconvenience merchants that need urgent troubleshooting support during the off hours.

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While Square aims to respond to emails within 24 hours, we sent out an email requesting assistance, but received a response after two days.

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Phone support is available for active Square account holders and even then, you’ll need to log in to your account to access the Call Support option and input your unique customer code to get help. Alternatively, you can use the chat option in the Square POS app.

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The Square chatbot offers near-instant responses. Live agents typically respond within five minutes during open business hours, but we were disappointed that it took more than two hours to get a reply. When we did, it was an automated chatbot response, notifying us that there were no available agents.

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Thankfully, there’s a Seller Community where merchants can connect with fellow Square sellers, ask questions and learn more about Square’s offerings. Plus, Square has various self-serve resources — how-to guides, articles, tips and video walkthroughs — its Support Centre, which you can access anytime.

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Square Drawbacks

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As with other credit card processors, Square has its share of limitations.

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While we like its quick setup process, its customer support can be a bit slow and unresponsive, which is an inconvenience particularly for merchants with complex issues.

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You can find complaints online about Square’s support being slow, unresponsive and difficult to get a hold of. If your business keeps regular hours and you encounter issues, you’ll have to email support and wait for a response, which may be frustrating. In addition, some users have complained about Square lacking certain capabilities, which are important for their businesses and the company isn’t forthcoming about it — something National Processing takes seriously for its customers by going the extra mile to get them what they need.

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We don’t recommend Square for businesses with high transaction volumes owing to the large fees they’d incur from Square’s flat fee per transaction, which can add up quickly for such businesses. Plus, its hardware and add-on services can be pricey for startups or very small businesses and Square Payments lacks some advanced features that other payment processing platforms provide, such as the ability to accept recurring payments or process payments in multiple currencies.

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Methodology

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We spent more than 30 days reviewing eight credit card processing companies through research, demos with company representatives and reading real user reviews. In addition, we compared providers based on features, transaction fees, setup processes, support options, knowledgeability, response times and their pros and cons to narrow down the best services available for different merchants types and business sizes.

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Overall Value

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We recommend Square for …

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• Low-volume sellers.
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• Merchants who need multiple payment processing channels.
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• Merchants looking for quick setup with no application or approval process.
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We do not recommend Square for …

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• High-volume businesses.
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• High-risk businesses.
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• Clover is our pick for the best credit card processor for new businesses in 2024.
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• In our test of Clover, we found it offers feature-rich POS software and equipment in addition to fast credit card processing.
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• When you sign up with Clover, you can access its credit card processing services and POS software for under $10 per month.
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• This review is for small business owners who want to learn about Clover’s credit card processing service and why it’s our best pick for new businesses.
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New businesses have a lot to manage, so it’s helpful to choose a credit card processing service with clear pricing, flexible terms and integrations with the other key software a new business is implementing. We chose Clover as the best credit card processing company for new businesses because of its flat-rate pricing, month-to-month contracts, and affordable POS software and hardware. With Clover, you can accept online orders and mobile payments, as well as create gift cards and loyalty programs – all without shopping around for separate POS and credit card processing vendors.

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Why Clover Is Best for New Businesses

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We chose Clover as the best credit card processor for new businesses because it features flat-rate pricing, doesn’t force you into long-term contracts, and offers robust point-of-sale (POS) software and hardware. This cost-effective and flexible structure gives new businesses exactly what they need to grow with confidence.

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With Clover, you get the ability to accept online orders, process mobile credit card payments, and create gift cards and customer loyalty programs, all of which can help a new business gain traction and grow quickly. We especially love that you don’t have to shop around for separate vendors for your POS and credit card processing needs, which is helpful for a newly launched company with limited funds and a long to-do list.

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Usability

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When it comes to usability, the primary way your team will engage with Clover is through the POS software interface, rather than with the credit card processing service itself. Except for the virtual terminal, Clover’s credit card processing abilities are not stand-alone and require users to purchase its POS hardware. For that reason, we examined the ease of use of the POS software alongside Clover’s credit card processing service.

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Clover’s POS system comes installed on its own hardware, but it is also available via its mobile app and virtual terminals. This gives business owners flexibility and access on the go without additional equipment. When testing out the platform, we found the interface easy to use and intuitive.

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In our review of Clover, we found it easy to accept credit and debit card payments from your Clover web dashboard. The system offers end-to-end encryption to secure transactions and stay PCI compliant. Clover has some of the fastest processing speeds we encountered in our review as well, purportedly running EMV chip transactions in less than 3 seconds. Through the dashboard, you can also send invoices and receipts, as well as store customers’ card information to speed up the checkout process.

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Clover enables you to accept multiple payment options, including swipe credit card payments, EMV chip cards and contactless payments.

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We don’t see any reason why employees would encounter difficulties or challenges when learning how to use the system. Clover offers several tools that simplify employee management, including an employee time clock for payroll tracking. We also like how the reporting tools provide analytics on employee productivity and customer foot traffic. This helps you identify peak operating hours and schedule shifts accordingly.

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Although Clover previously focused almost exclusively on brick-and-mortar businesses that require a POS system, it has expanded its capabilities to accommodate e-commerce businesses. It provides customers with tools to build a website, synchronize orders, and manage inventory and customer data. Through the Clover dashboard, businesses can sell products, accept online payments, create menus and allow customers to book appointments.

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Clover’s partnerships with e-commerce platforms such as BigCommerce and Ecwid give businesses with existing websites more reach. Clover also integrates with other online marketplaces such as Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Etsy and eBay.

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Clover Features

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Merchant account	Clover provides a merchant account, which is a necessity to accept credit card payments, through parent company Fiserv.
Fast processing	Transactions are processed within seconds, including on the go, which is important for managing cash flow.
Reporting	Clover can run reports from its processing terminal, including analytics on sales, products, inventory, and customer preferences, keeping you on top of data related to your business.
Payments	You can accept EMV chip cards, contactless payments, and mobile wallet payments, which are options that many customers have come to expect.
Customer management	You can set up customer profiles, send emails to clients, and create rewards programs, which can help cement customer loyalty.
Gift cards	The custom gift card templates tool is an uncommon feature among payment processors.
E-commerce	Clover offers integrations with major e-commerce platforms as well as website creation and management, making it something of a one-stop shop compared to alternatives without advanced functionality.
Merchant cash advance	Clover can advance cash – a great option for businesses that need a cushion for cash flow.

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Clover has several features that make it one of our best picks for a credit card processing service. Here’s a look at some that may be particularly useful to just-launched small businesses that want to process credit card payments.

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Merchant Account

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To accept credit card payments, you need a merchant account, which Clover provides through its parent company Fiserv. When you work with Clover, most sales deposits will show up in your bank account the next day.

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Want them even sooner? We love that Clover’s Rapid Deposit program lets you get money from your credit card sales in minutes. However, you must pay a 1% transaction fee for this perk.

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Fast Transaction Processing

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You can process credit card transactions in seconds with Clover. You also save time by setting tax rates just once; they are then automatically applied to all future transactions. There’s also the ability to accept payments on the go, even without Wi-Fi. The sales are processed as soon as the device is back online.

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Reporting

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Clover enables you to run reports from its processing terminal, including analytics on sales, products, inventory and customer preferences. Clover can also integrate with QuickBooks and Xero to expand its reporting data. See our review of Xero to learn more about this accounting software.

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Payments

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You can accept EMV chip cards, contactless payments and mobile wallet payments with Clover. The platform also supports online ordering for curbside and in-person pickup.

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Customer Management

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Through Clover’s customer engagement platform, you can set up customer profiles, send emails to clients and create rewards programs.

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Gift Cards

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An uncommon but delightful feature Clover includes in its platform is more than 70 gift card designs to offer customers gift cards for your business. If you want to include your company logo or you have a specific vision for your gift cards, you can design your own.

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E-Commerce

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E-commerce is driving a lot of growth for businesses, and Clover supports virtual transactions with e-commerce tools. You can use its services to build a website, sell online, and synchronize orders, inventory and customer data. You can also create menus, book appointments and accept payments. Clover has partnerships with e-commerce platforms BigCommerce and Ecwid and integrations with Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Etsy and eBay.

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Merchant Cash Advance

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Clover can advance cash to you if you find your funds are getting low. It will take a percentage of your credit card sales each day until the money is paid back. This is a really great benefit for new businesses that may be struggling with cash flow.

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Clover Costs

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When it comes to accepting credit and debit card payments, small businesses, especially new ones, are understandably focused on the cost of processing such transactions. After all, you don’t want to overpay for a service that’s supposed to be about you getting paid, or get stuck in a long-term contract with a high fee for early cancellation. New business owners must adjust to various fluctuating expenses, but Clover takes a lot of the guesswork out of credit card processing with its flat-rate pricing. How much you pay to process customers’ payments depends on the POS software capabilities you need.

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Clover offers two POS software plans with its credit card processing services. Register Lite is Clover’s plan for new businesses. The Register plan, for more established businesses, has more features, including inventory tools, employee and customer management, and reports.

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• Register Lite: This plan is $9.95 per month, following a 30-day free trial. You pay 2.7% + $0.10 per transaction for in-person purchases and 3.5% + $0.10 for payments taken virtually or entered by hand. With the software, you can set employee permissions, track sales, run reports and access the Clover App Market. The Clover App Market offers a ton of integrations that cover all aspects of operating your new business, from payroll to COVID-19 resources.
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• Register: This plan is $39.95 per month and includes everything in the Register Lite package, plus the ability to manage inventory, tools to create customer loyalty programs and advanced reporting capabilities. Transactions cost 2.3% + $0.10 for in-person purchases, and 3.5% + $0.10 for online and keyed-in purchases. We like that this plan has functionality specifically for restaurant and retail businesses, such as the ability to send orders directly to the kitchen, manage tables and staff, connect to a weight scale, allow customers to exchange items, and track products and profitability. However, some of these capabilities may require you to purchase Clover-specific hardware.
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For small businesses that accept payments online or by invoice, Clover offers a virtual terminal for $9.95 per month (though we appreciate that it’s free for the first 30 days). You can use it to accept payments without any POS hardware. Through Clover’s web dashboard, you can accept payments, send invoices and speed up checkout by storing customers’ credit card information.

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A really great benefit when you sign up with Clover is that contracts are month to month. You aren’t locked into a long-term contract, as you would be with some other credit card processors. (Check out our review of Merchant One for an example of one such processor.) To cancel your service, you need to provide written notice 30 days before your next payment is due.

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For more information, refer to Clover’s pricing page and contact a sales rep for a quote.

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Clover POS Hardware Costs

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One of the main reasons Clover is a great option for new businesses is that it makes and sells a lot of POS hardware. It also has a team of resellers, which means you can shop around for your Clover POS equipment to find the best price. Here’s a look at what Clover charges if you purchase your equipment directly from the company. [Check out our reviews of the best POS software if you prefer a stand-alone system.]

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• Clover Go: This entry-level card reader lets you accept payments on the go. It works with iOS and Android devices and can be used on either of Clover’s POS software plans. The Clover Go costs $69.
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• Clover Flex: This is Clover’s handheld device that can be used to take payments at checkout or tableside. Clover Flex costs $499, or three monthly installments of $166.
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• Clover Mini: The Clover Mini is a small POS you can use to accept payments, manage inventory and handle payroll. It costs $749, or three monthly payments of $250.
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• Clover Station: This all-in-one POS is designed with restaurants in mind. You can create custom orders, split checks and support online ordering with this terminal. The Clover Station costs $1,349, or three monthly payments of $450.
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• Clover Station Pro: The Station Pro is Clover’s most advanced credit card terminal, with features such as the ability to create loyalty programs and preauthorize bar tabs. It costs $1,649, or three monthly payments of approximately $549.
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Setup

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To apply for Clover’s services, you must contact the company by phone or through its website. We liked that you can use the site’s online calendar to schedule a date and time for a sales call, or you can call the sales department directly.

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When you connect, a Clover rep will review your business’s needs to determine the best package for you. Solutions and pricing are tailored to your business, taking into account these and other criteria:

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• Type of product or service you sell and your average sales
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• Inventory automation (if applicable)
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• Counter service or table service and customizable menus (if you run a restaurant)
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• Sales tax calculation or itemization of customer receipts
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• Type of Clover device you prefer
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Customer Service

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Clover has 24/7 customer support by phone and email. You can access live help on its website and via Clover POS devices. Clover also offers fraud protection of up to $100,000.

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For this review, we contacted a representative through the live chat option on Clover’s website with numerous questions about Clover’s features. Within 10 minutes, we received a reply with answers. We found that representatives typically responded within 10 to 20 minutes of each question. Be prepared to present information about your business’s sales volume, products and what you want out of the Clover system.

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We found that Clover’s representatives were knowledgeable, but because the company offers many custom business solutions, it can be difficult to obtain an easy answer.

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Drawbacks

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Clover has a lot to offer small businesses that want one vendor for all their credit card processing and POS needs, but there is a potential downside to that: You can’t use Clover for credit card processing alone. Apart from relying solely on the virtual terminal, you must use its POS hardware. This means that if you already have a POS system that you like and just need a credit card processor, Clover isn’t for you.

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We wish Clover’s pricing was more transparent online. You must contact a sales rep to get a quote, which is inconvenient compared to competitors that simply list price points on their website. Clover offers customized solutions for different business needs, which may mean higher pricing or termination fees.

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Methodology

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To conduct our review of Clover’s credit card processing service, we arranged a live demo with the Clover team, which gave us a walk-through of the product and conducted a thorough question-and-answer session. In addition, we analyzed Clover’s website, marketing materials and customer reviews. To make our decision, we zeroed in on criteria such as affordability, ease of use and relevant features to small businesses. In the end, we chose Clover as the best credit card processing service for new businesses because of its rates, flexible terms and associated POS software, which can help new businesses get up and running quickly.

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Overall Value

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We recommend Clover credit card processing for …

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• New businesses that want to avoid long-term contracts.
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• Businesses that require robust features and functionality beyond a simple POS system.
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We don’t recommend Clover credit card processing for …

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• Businesses that already have a POS system that they don’t want to abandon.
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• High-volume businesses that process a large number of transactions.
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Lori Fairbanks and Donna Fuscaldo contributed to the writing and research in this review.

\n"}},{"_index":"wp-index-bnd-prod-content","_type":"content","_id":"28933","_score":2,"_source":{"canonical":"https://vaylees.com/na-bancard-review","displayModified":"2023-10-12T00:00:00Z","docType":"review","editorsPick":null,"href":"na-bancard-review","id":"28933","ID":28933,"isSponsored":false,"published":"2023-05-11T14:22:53Z","site":"bnd","stream":"","subtitle":"","title":"North Payments Review","author":{"displayName":"Elsier Otachi","email":"ElsierOtachi@gmail.com","thumbnail":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2023/05/10084136/Elsier-Otachi.jpg","type":"Senior Analyst"},"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Find A Solution","slug":"find-a-solution"},"sub":{"name":"Financial Solutions","slug":"financial-solutions"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"This review examines North Payments' business loan offerings and which are best for small businesses."},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2023/05/22054414/Screen-Shot-2024-08-22-at-8.41.30-AM.png","caption":"","alt":"North Payments logo"},"content":"\n \n\n\n\n

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• North Payments is our choice for the best credit card processing company for high-risk merchants.
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• Its free equipment, multifaceted solutions, easy onboarding process and low rates help merchants get set up quickly, seamlessly and securely accept payments, and grow their businesses.
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• North Payments works with high-risk merchants in different verticals, which most credit card processors don’t support.
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• This review is for merchants in the high-risk category who are considering North Payments accounts to process their customers’ transactions.
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We chose North Payments as the best credit card processor for high-risk businesses because it serves merchants of any type, size, industry and high-risk vertical. Besides free equipment, the company offers a full suite of products, services and multifaceted payment solutions, such as credit, debit, online payment gateways, recurring payments, gift and loyalty cards, and reputation management.

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Why North Payments Is Best for High-Risk Businesses

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We chose North Payments as our best pick for high-risk merchants looking for a processor that can support their operations. The company serves merchants of all sizes, types, industries and specific high-risk verticals — something most processing companies aren’t able to do. Onboarding high-risk merchants sets North Payments apart from big-name competitors like Worldpay and Elavon, which won’t touch any of those verticals.

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We love that North Payments offers free equipment — terminals, card readers, point of sale (POS) systems, and mobile POS (mPOS) — that saves you money in the long run. Not all providers offer truly free hardware, as some are associated with exorbitant costs or other drawbacks. For instance, you may get a “free” POS app or virtual terminal, but the equipment is tied to a contract. We found this in our review of Chase, which requires merchants to sign a long-term contract to use its free Chase Mobile Checkout app. That’s why it’s important to read your contract’s fine print.

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North Payments also offers invoicing, inventory management, customer and employee management, check services, gift card and loyalty programs, simplified PCI compliance, and reputation management.

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North Payments’s invoicing tool lets you create, schedule, send, and manage onetime or recurring customer invoices that are customized with your brand and business information. Source: North Payments

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Usability

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North Payments works with Payanywhere — a one-stop payments platform — and PayTrace for its hardware and software. If you want to set up a North Payments merchant account, you’ll go through its all-in-one Payanywhere platform’s equipment options and feature set to determine what works for your business.

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Hardware offered through North Payments also comes from Payanywhere. You can access a free card reader, terminal, and app to accept credit card information. We found the Payanywhere interface easy to navigate with options for printing receipts for each sale, customizing your inventory using custom or specific menus for your type of business, and in-depth reports on your customers and employee activity.

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We also liked its robust smart POS system, which is similar to Clover POS. This system is available for free once you sign up for a North Payments account.

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North Payments Features

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\n Point of SalNorth Payments \n	\n ’s free, versatile POS and omnichannel mPOS modernize your storefront, streamline your business, and help you expand sales. You can accessorize with add-ons such as a barcode scanner, cash drawer and printer connectivity, and access to North Payments’s secure online merchant portal. \n
\n Credit card reader \n	\n North Payments offers a free wireless credit card reader that works with mobile devices and takes magstripe cards, Europay, MasterCard and Visa (EMV), and NFC contactless payments. You can also use the Payanywhere Smart Terminal for countertop and on-the-go acceptance or Smart Keypad for EBT and PIN debit payments. \n
\n Invoicing \n	\n Create automated emailable invoices, send reminders for overdue invoices, and use autopay for recurring billing so your customers can pay promptly and you can keep your cash flowing. \n
\n Check services \n	\n North Payments has a customized solution for merchants who already accept checks and ACH payments or who want to expand their payment options. \n
\n Loyalty and gift card program \n	\n With North Payments’s loyalty and rewards program, you’ll ramp up consumer spending, drive repeat visits, and increase cash flow. \n
\n Business management tools \n	\n Use North Payments’s business management tools from its merchant portal or your payment hardware to manage your inventory, customers and employees. \n

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Point of Sale

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Part of North Payments’s free equipment is its standard POS system, which offers value-adds such as recurring payments, gift cards and loyalty and reward programs, and reputation management. So, North Payments is not just a credit card processor but also a software solutions company.

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We love that its POS systems can be further accessorized with a cash register and printer, barcode scanning, and access to North Payments’s secure merchant portal.

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Restaurants, in particular, can benefit from North Payments’s premier MICROS partner status to maximize their profitability. By using innovations, such as the MICROS RES 3700, they can get detailed reporting and analytics, enhanced security, real-time business intelligence tools and more.

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Credit Card Reader

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During our demo, we learned that North Payments’s POS, credit card readers, and terminals run on the Payanywhere system. This allows the company to offer merchants software solutions such as gift cards, reputation management, a virtual terminal and more. These free terminals and card readers include the following:

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• Bluetooth credit card reader
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• Smart Terminal
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• Smart Keypad
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• Smart PINPad Pro
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• Smart Flex
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North Payments’s wide selection of card readers and terminals let you accept magstripe, EMV, EBT, PIN debit and NFC contactless payments. Many of them also come with a built-in printer, cameras for barcode scanning and internet connectivity.

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North Payments also offers the Ingenico iCT 220 — a small, light payment device that takes EMV chip card and magstripe card payments.

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Merchants will benefit from these terminals and mobile card readers because they simplify payments by offering business-specific solutions along with dedicated support in case you encounter any issues with the hardware.

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Invoicing

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Invoicing is a key feature with many credit card processors. It helps them create automated, emailable invoices from North Payments’s app or merchant portal and send reminders for unpaid or overdue invoices.

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We love North Payments’s autopay feature, which lets your customers pay recurring invoices automatically using the card you have on file for them. It’s a fast and convenient feature with configurable frequencies and due dates that ensure you get paid so your cash keeps flowing.

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You can create one-time or recurring branded invoices with itemized or custom amounts and send them to customers via SMS text or email so you never miss a payment.

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North Payments offers free dispute management tools within its Payments Hub portal so you can respond to cardholder and card-issuer disputes while mitigating chargebacks.

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Check Services

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While most merchants accept cash, card or mobile wallet payments, some — like North Payments — still take check payments, even though these are considered outdated. We were impressed by North Payments’s fast, reliable ACH payment processing and electronic check. This method means you can increase sales and reduce losses from returned checks, credit card processing expenses and chargebacks.

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Loyalty and Gift Card Program

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A loyalty and rewards program is a great way to attract new customers, ramp up consumer spending, encourage repeat business, and drive incremental revenue to your store. North Payments supports merchants by providing a loyalty and rewards program suited to their business needs. The program is available for multiple locations, works with most credit card terminals, and can be customized to different point and reward levels.

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Business Management Tools

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A credit card processing company wouldn’t be complete without business management tools. North Payments provides the following:

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• Inventory management tools. Stock tracking, barcode scanning, low stock alerts and exportable reports help get your inventory in order.
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• Customer management. Receive insights on your number of visits, total sales amounts, customer spending, first-time or repeat buyers, and more to know your customers better.
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• Employee management. Get employee flash reports on volume and number of transactions, net sales, discounts, taxes, tips, voids, labor costs, and payment methods to keep your business humming.
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North Payments Cost

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North Payments doesn’t publish its processing fees on its website. However, the company offers different pricing options and models:

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• Dual pricing or Edge, which covers 90% to 95% of your processing fees
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• Interchange-plus tiered pricing
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• Flat rate pricing
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Its processing fees are a bit higher than other providers like Square, Helcim and Stax, which means it’s expensive for high-volume merchants. But you can get custom pricing based on your processing volume and transaction amounts.

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• Card-present transactions: 69%
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• Keyed-in (virtual terminal and invoices and recurring payments): 49% + $0.19
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• Apple Pay invoice payments: 69%
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A monthly $3.99 inactivity fee applies for merchants who don’t process transactions for 12 months. Once they resume processing, the inactivity fee will no longer be charged. If this fee is a dealbreaker for you, we recommend using Square for its pay-as-you-go structure.

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North Payments offers competitive same-day or next-day funding, weekend settlement, and risk-free service agreements. There are no hidden fees, no forms and no third-party requirements. Plus, you can securely accept payments online, at the counter, or on the go with hassle-free PCI Plus compliance of up to $100,000 in breach forgiveness protection.

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We also liked North Payments’s flexible terms, which allow merchants to pay monthly or sign a three-year contract. Through its Edge program — a comparable version of cash discounting, which is compliant in all 50 U.S. states — North Paymentscan reduce interchange rates for certain payments by including supplemental transactional data for commercial or corporate cards.

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North Payments Setup

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We liked North Payments’s simple onboarding process. You can complete the merchant application on the company’s website or work directly with one of North Payments’s customer service representatives, who will walk you through the process.

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North Payments’s onboarding process is simple and straightforward. Source: North Payments

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If you choose to onboard yourself, you’ll start by filling out and submitting the online form. North Payments will send an automated email acknowledging receipt of your submission. Its payments experts typically reach out within 24 hours, but if you need immediate assistance, you can call their customer support team.

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You can complete your application either online or call North Payments’s support team for assistance. Once you provide some personal and business information to the account manager, you can select the type of equipment and pricing to complete your application.

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You’ll receive an email to review your order, which includes the equipment type and shipping method, as well as a link that you’ll click to agree to the company’s terms. After signing up, you’ll get a free POS device with software solutions for accepting payments and managing your business.

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North Payments Customer Service

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As a business owner, you need the peace of mind in knowing your processor is easy to reach when you have a query or problem. North Payments understands this need, which is why it offers 24/7 customer service for its merchants to get assistance day and night. The processor provides dedicated account managers to walk you through every step, from setup to onboarding to business management, and more.

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We tested North Payments’s response times by filling out the online application. We received an automated acknowledgement email within a minute or two, followed by an email from an North Payments sales representative 10 hours later. This is within the company’s 24-hour response window. However, we found this response time much longer than Helcim’s — which took six to seven hours — but better than Square’s, which took two days.

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Unlike Square, North Payments doesn’t include a live chat feature nor does it maintain a knowledge base of FAQs. We think this is a limitation for merchants who need urgent assistance.

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North Payments Drawbacks

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We like that North Payments works with every business, including high-risk merchants that are prone to chargebacks and fraud and who may have a tougher time finding a processor for their needs. Although North Payments stands apart as one of the few processors that accepts high-risk businesses, they charge more in processing fees and chargebacks to mitigate some of the risk.

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On the Better Business Bureau’s site, some merchants report being charged termination or cancellation fees, while others complain about the company imposing unexpected fees.

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While North Payments offers 24/7 support (day and night), it’s characterized by long wait periods between messages, which may frustrate merchants when they run into an issue and need urgent assistance.

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Methodology

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To conduct this review of North Payments’s credit card processing service, we spent 30 days researching and conducting interviews and product demos with company representatives. In addition, we trawled review sites to find user sentiments and reviews about the company and its offerings. To make our decision, we used various criteria, such as ease of use, features and processing fees relevant to high-risk merchants. We also reviewed North Payments’s hardware and software for usability and reliability; scrutinized its contract terms, pricing model, processing fees and payouts; and compared them to other processors we’ve reviewed. Finally, we tested the company’s customer support, evaluating available support channels, agent (chat bot or human) availability and knowledgeability, and response times.

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Overall Value

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We recommend North Payments for …

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• High-risk merchants.
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• High-volume businesses.
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We don’t recommend North Payments for …

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• Businesses with tight startup budgets.
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• Low-volume businesses.
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• Seasonal businesses.
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\n"}},{"_index":"wp-index-bnd-prod-content","_type":"content","_id":"28900","_score":2,"_source":{"canonical":"https://vaylees.com/national-processing-review","displayModified":"2024-01-03T00:00:00Z","docType":"review","editorsPick":null,"href":"national-processing-review","id":"28900","ID":28900,"isSponsored":false,"published":"2023-05-11T13:20:18Z","site":"bnd","stream":"","subtitle":"","title":"National Processing Review","author":{"displayName":"Elsier Otachi","email":"ElsierOtachi@gmail.com","thumbnail":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2023/05/10084136/Elsier-Otachi.jpg","type":"Senior Analyst"},"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Find A Solution","slug":"find-a-solution"},"sub":{"name":"Financial Solutions","slug":"financial-solutions"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"This review examines National Processing's business loan offerings and which are best for small businesses."},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2022/08/01033535/nationalprocessing_logo.png","caption":"","alt":"National Processing company logo"},"content":"\n \n\n\n\n

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• National Processing is our top pick for the payment processor with the best customer experience.
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• It’s favored by merchants of all sizes and multiple industries for its interchange-plus pricing model, transparent charges and inexpensive services.
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• National Processing’s in-house onboarding, underwriting risk and customer support team ensure merchants get everything they need under one roof.
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• This review is for small business owners from multiple industries looking for a reliable payment processor with transparent pricing, low rates and quality customer support.
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We chose National Processing as the credit card processor with the best customer experience. The provider has an interchange-plus pricing model with low, transparent rates, and it offers reliable custom-tailored support regardless of your business size or request.

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Why National Processing Is Best for Customer Support

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National Processing takes a human approach to customer support, such as what we found in our review of Helcim. But, instead of outsourcing this function, the company equips its in-house onboarding, underwriting risk and customer support teams to handle its clients’ requests.

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During our demo, one of the company’s reps divulged that the entire business is based around customer experience so merchants can draw more value from the business. If you have an issue with integrations, risk or any other query, you can reach out to a sales representative or the customer support team directly, and they’ll try to assist.

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National Processing’s custom-tailored touch is more focused on its customers. In one instance, a merchant needed a special point-of-sale (POS) software that works only in grocery stores. The company found a way to integrate with that software company to meet its client’s needs. Its commitment to ensuring merchants are satisfied goes beyond the typical customer support to connecting with other POS systems or applications its customers use to run their businesses.

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National Processing offers its clients a multitude of integration options with different processing solutions and platforms. Source: National Processing

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Usability

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National Processing makes it simple to accept credit card or ACH payments. We like the innovative interface design elements and functionality, which offer critical functionality for handling any of your business needs.

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A restaurant table interface layout option is available along with order grouping and delivery management, which we recommend for food service businesses. If you want more convenience and flexibility, the system also supports tableside ordering and provides different item categories, custom menus and in-depth reporting, among other tools.

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Retail businesses will find National Processing’s fast and accurate proprietary barcode scanner useful. The scanner works with built-in inventory control tools and a weight scale and printer for fast, accurate product labeling, making it easier to run your store.

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From the demo, we found the virtual terminal easy to use and access from a browser on a computer. Besides getting a full overview of the last 31 days of activity on your transactions from your merchant dashboard, you can also:

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• Input customer information
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• Create recurring payment plans
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• Take MOTO ACH payments
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• Upload batch files
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• Import customer data through tokenization
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• Track and categorize inventory
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• Pull up reports with different date ranges
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• Search transactions with different date ranges
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• Send out email notifications for recurring payments
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• Create and manage user role and access permissions
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We were impressed by National Processing’s high-risk merchant account features, which include cutting-edge digital tools for preventing risks like data breaches or fraud that your business might be vulnerable to. You also get chargeback management integrations for easier credit card fraud prevention, chargeback dispute resolution, and refund automation to avoid chargeback (and related) fees.

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We like how National Processing checks all the boxes when it comes to how and where merchants accept card and ACH payments.

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National Processing Features

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POS system	\n National Processing offers a simplified way to accept cash or credit and debit card payments through its innovative POS systems. They’re flexible and seamlessly integrate with your tech stack so you can process more payments, track inventory, view reports, handle loyalty and promo rewards, manage employees, and offer your customers a delightful experience. \n
\nSmart terminals\n	\n Whether you need a full POS station for your retail store or a tabletop unit for your diner, National Processing’s smart terminals offer an intuitive user interface and flexible payment processing options for all business needs. They also integrate with your favorite apps so you can keep your business running. \n
\nVirtual terminals\n	\n National Processing’s virtual POS and virtual terminals are ideal for phone order and online businesses so you can accept payments without hardware. These virtual solutions integrate with popular e-commerce platforms, but you can still use its easy-to-follow API to link your online store. If you operate a phone order business, you can send invoices, hand key transactions, and create recurring payments or payment links. \n
\nPayment gateways\n	\n National Processing offers payment gateway options so you can process credit card payments. From keyed-in transactions to simple payment links, the processor makes it simple to connect payments to an e-commerce gateway or other software so you or your employees can take customers’ payments easily. \n
\nMobile processing\n	\n This innovative mobile solution is designed for various types of businesses, including mobile delivery and food service businesses. You can process payments on the go while tracking your sales and managing employee attendance and time from your mobile device. \n

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POS System

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At the very least, a good POS system should let you process payments easily, know how much you’ve sold and tell you how your employees are doing. We found National Processing’s proprietary POS system to be beneficial for all types of merchants, as it offers not just payment processing features but also detailed sales reports to help you improve your business- and employee management tools.

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We particularly liked its sales module, which displays your sales reports in an easy-to-use interface by customer, device and payment type.

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The proprietary National Processing POS has an easy-to-use menu system plus inventory management, staff scheduling, loyalty/rewards program, and cloud-based online reporting and control.  Image source: National Processing

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National Processing also partners with several companies that provide hardware, including Ingenico, Clover and Dejavoo, and offers special connections to other service providers to enhance the customer experience.

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Smart Terminals

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National Processing’s smart terminals fit all business needs and provide a flexible way of processing customers’ payments. The terminals include an intuitive interface and integration capabilities. You can also use them to create customer loyalty programs and improve marketing opportunities.

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We found smart terminals particularly helpful for restaurant businesses and retail stores, as they allow you to print multiple receipts and reduce employee errors.

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Virtual Terminals

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As more people order and shop online, it’s becoming increasingly important for businesses to offer virtual payment options. National Processing’s virtual terminals ensure merchants can accept card payments without a physical terminal and offer customers who prefer using a card for purchases a convenient way of paying other than cash. The software system works best if you’re going to a trade show or local event and want to take orders, but you can also accept orders via mail or by phone.

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Virtual terminals are quick and easy to set up, and they provide the same level of security as smart or traditional terminals. Other things you can do with virtual terminals include taking MOTO (mail order/telephone order) ACH payments, viewing your transactions, pulling up reports and customizing your dashboard to get any kind of reporting access.

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National Processing’s virtual terminal lets you accept payments without hardware for your online or phone order business. Image source: National Processing

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Payment Gateways

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Many other payment processors offer payment gateways, but National Processing provides its own ACH platform and NMI gateway, which are customized for its merchants.

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We like that the company’s payment gateways can integrate seamlessly with your existing tech stack, including e-commerce, CMS and QuickBooks. That way, you can offer a seamless process for your customers, from shopping to order placement to making payments.

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These gateways also solve multiple needs at once, particularly tracking all your transactions, inventory and orders. Whether you take phone orders or online orders, you or your employees can take keyed-in credit card payments or use payment links and quickly accept customers’ payments.

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National Processing also offers easy-to-follow APIs for custom integration. If you want to build a custom website, for instance, you can program the APIs into it with either ACH platform payments or credit cards and start processing transactions.

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Mobile Processing

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We think you’ll find National Processing’s innovative mobile solution useful for your business, especially if you process payments on the go. This feature is ideal for businesses in different types of industries, including food service and delivery. It also comes with essential tools for tracking your transactions, sales and orders; processing card payments; and monitoring your employees’ time and attendance from a mobile device.

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National Processing Pricing

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We looked further into National Processing’s pricing and rates, merchant account application process, and additional fees. National Processing offers transparency in its pricing. The processor uses an interchange-plus pricing model, meaning you’ll pay a margin on top of the interchange rate. So, you can set prices accurately and know where you’re making money.

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The company clearly lists its pricing so merchants will know how much to pay. You’ll pay a low monthly fee and low flat transaction fees, which we think favor large-volume businesses.

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National Processing offers various rate plans based on function and industry, each with interchange-plus pricing and a monthly fee. Image source: National Processing

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If you don’t want to do the math, National Processing’s process fee savings estimator removes a lot of the guesswork by giving you an estimate of how much you’ll pay and save with its interchange-plus fee structure.

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To see how much you could save with the processor, just input:

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• Your industry
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• Last month’s processing volume
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• Last month’s number of transactions
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• Last month’s total processing fees
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The pricing calculator lets you know how much you’ll pay and save by using National Processing’s interchange-plus fee structure. Image source: National Processing

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National Processing’s merchant account includes interchange-plus rates and a fee of about $9.95 per month (for most accounts) as part of the terms of service. We found this fair compared to a processor like Square, which lacks merchant accounts and charges a flat fee per transaction.

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Another National Processing feature we liked is its cash discount program, which we recommend for merchants taking cash and debit card payments, as it gives you more opportunities to save money.

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New merchants can expect a bit of a wait before their first payout, after which the processor usually deposits payouts in one to three days. However, this is a little longer than some other processors, which offer same-day deposits. See our Clover review and Stax review for examples of such processors).

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Setup

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Getting set up with National Processing is a straightforward and easy process. Once you provide the relevant information and submit the online application, the approval can take a couple of days, depending on your industry and the structure of your business.

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If you need more help, schedule a same-day call with a sales rep or speak to their helpful or customer support team via the company’s website.

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Small business owners want freedom and flexibility without being locked into long-term contracts with expensive cancellation fees. National Processing has two- and three-year contracts and charges $495 and $595, respectively, in termination fees for canceling a contract before the end of its term. In contrast, we found in our review of Stripe that this rival processor doesn’t charge account fees or lock businesses into long-term contracts.

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What we like about National Processing’s contract setup is your rate is locked in for the contract term. Other payment processors can change your rates at will, which can be frustrating and confusing for merchants. Plus, National Processing promises to waive the termination fee if your business is sold or closed or if National Processing can’t meet or beat a competitor’s rates.

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We were impressed by National Processing’s Referral Program and Merchant Services Affiliate Program, which give merchants opportunities to earn residual income. Such programs are particularly rare, as most providers offer similar programs in the form of independent sales agents. National Processing offers this to merchants with a quality business network and access to influence the marketplace.

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Customer Service

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Besides flexibility, low rates and essential business tools, merchants also want quality support. National Processing’s 24/7 support is available via phone, email, online form and live chat. Live agents are available from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. MST, then automated chat bots take over outside of business hours.

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For this review, we contacted a National Processing representative through the live chat option on the company’s website, asking about features and support. Within 18 minutes, we received a reply with answers, which aligns with the typical response time of less than 30 minutes. We found human agents replied within 2 to 5 minutes of each question, but you’ll still need to present your merchant account details to get the most out of the support session.

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Although the customer support agent was helpful and knowledgeable, they still prefer to connect customers with a sales rep or implementation team for further assistance. As of right now, National Processing’s chatbots share most of the information a live agent could give you, but the company is continually making improvements and updates to them.

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Drawbacks

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National Processing can save you money if you run a business with a high processing volume. Smaller merchants with an irregular or low monthly volume may not enjoy similar savings, so you’ll need to review your figures and use the pricing calculator to determine whether the processor’s pricing model is suitable for your business needs.

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Another limitation is that National Processing charges high termination or cancellation fees and higher rates for merchants in high-risk industries. Check its pricing before applying for a merchant account to make sure it serves your industry and the rates are cost-effective for your business.

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National Processing is transparent compared to its competitors, so you’ll always know exactly what you’re getting to help you make more feasible business decisions.

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Methodology

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We spent 30 days researching and interviewing company reps through product demos of the top credit card processors. We reviewed the companies’ hardware and software for usability, availability and reliability; checked their contract terms; and examined the types of businesses and industries they support. Plus, we explored their pricing models, rates and fees so you can easily compare our recommendations and pick the most suitable provider for your business size and processing volume. In terms of payouts/deposits, we focused on the time processors take to deposit money into a merchant’s bank account. Finally, we tested their customer support, evaluating them for ease of use, agent knowledgeability and response time.

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Overall Value

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We recommend National Processing for …

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• Merchants who prefer short-term contracts.
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• E-commerce or phone order businesses.
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• Businesses processing more than $10,000 in transactions.
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We don’t recommend National Processing for …

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• Merchants who prefer long-term contracts.
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• Businesses that don’t want to pay monthly fees or an early-termination fee.
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• Seasonal businesses or those with a low or irregular sales volume.
\n

\n"}},{"_index":"wp-index-bnd-prod-content","_type":"content","_id":"10668","_score":2,"_source":{"canonical":"https://vaylees.com/8062-best-credit-card-processor-overall.html","displayModified":"2024-04-11T19:50:15Z","docType":"review","editorsPick":null,"href":"8062-best-credit-card-processor-overall.html","id":"10668","ID":10668,"isSponsored":false,"published":"2019-08-08T16:44:00Z","site":"bnd","stream":null,"subtitle":null,"title":"Helcim Review","author":{"displayName":"Elsier Otachi","email":"ElsierOtachi@gmail.com","thumbnail":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2023/05/10084136/Elsier-Otachi.jpg","type":"Senior Analyst"},"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Find A Solution","slug":"find-a-solution"},"sub":{"name":"Financial Solutions","slug":"financial-solutions"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Helcim is the best credit card processor for established small businesses because of its transparent rates and rate-lock guarantee."},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2022/08/01033414/helcim_logo.png","caption":"","alt":"Helcim company logo"},"content":"\n \n\n\n\n

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• Helcim is our pick for fast-growing businesses, especially those processing high-volume transactions.
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• Its interchange-plus pricing model and automatic volume-based discounts help high-volume merchants save more money.
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• Helcim offers a suite of free tools to grow your business, such as invoicing, payment links, and a virtual terminal for taking secure payments online on web-enabled devices.
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• This review is for small business owners who are considering implementing Helcim to get online easily and start accepting payments from more customers. 
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We chose Helcim as the best credit card processor for fast-growing businesses — particularly those that want to accept payments from more customers. Helcim charges low, transparent rates in its interchange-plus pricing model, and offers automatic volume discounts, which help high-volume merchants save more money. There are no contracts or separate fees for gateway access or PCI compliance.

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Editor’s note: Looking for the right credit card processor for your business? Fill out the questionnaire below to have our vendor partners contact you about your needs.

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Why Helcim Is Best for Fast-Growing Businesses

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Helcim prides itself on its quick and easy approval process, transparent pricing, and its human approach to customer support. Its interchange-plus pricing model scales with the size of your business, rewarding merchants who process $25,000 or more in monthly sales with automatic volume discounts, so they can save money as their businesses grow.

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On Helcim’s virtual terminal, you can key in or void transactions, accept ACH payments, and issue refunds. Image source: Helcim

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A wide range of free tools are available to help you manage your business. We particularly liked the virtual terminal, which allows merchants to process payments from any location via a smartphone, tablet, or computer without needing a physical terminal or any additional hardware. We also found its round-the-clock, hands-on, live customer support beneficial, which other vendors in our review, like Chase, didn’t offer.

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Usability

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During our demo of the Helcim software, we found its interface easy to use and navigate. You can sign up directly on the Helcim website from your mobile phone or computer without filling out and signing lengthy, complicated contract paperwork. If there are incomplete, missing, or outdated details in your application, you’ll receive prompts to complete each required action. That way your account settings will be correctly configured and your deposits won’t get delayed.

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Upon completing Helcim’s easy onboarding process, you’ll be taken to the merchant dashboard where you’ll find the built-in Helcim shop. From here, you can use the available self-service options to link a bank account, order equipment directly, view your statements, manage employees and more. You can pin the tools you use more often than others to the left side for easier accessibility.

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We were impressed with how easy it is to add employees as users and assign default or custom roles and permissions. Helcim intends to expand this function to accommodate merchants in the restaurant industry, so their employees can easily access their accounts and authorized role-specific tools. And if you no longer want an employee to access your account, you can easily deactivate or delete them using the provided options.

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Whether you accept and process payments in-store or on the go, you can connect Helcim’s card reader to any device you already own and accept tap or chip and PIN payments quickly and securely. Though optional, you can add Helcim’s lightweight thermal printer to provide customers with receipts.

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Helcim’s lightweight, portable card reader connects to multiple devices so you can accept payments wherever you are. Image source: Helcim

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Helcim’s integration options are limited for now, as it’s smaller than vendors like Square, Stripe, or Chase, which have more dedicated time to build out their integrations. However, the company plans to build out its hardware, technology, and current integrations to make them a bit more robust.

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Helcim Features

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\n Automatic volume-based discounts \n	\n Helcim offers discounts based on your business needs and the volume of transactions you process. \n
\n Virtual terminal \n	\n A secure way to accept payments online using a web-enabled mobile device or computer. \n
\n Point-of-sale software \n	\n Helcim’s POS software helps you accept in-person payments through a workstation or mobile device. \n
\n Invoicing \n	\n Free invoicing software that simplifies billing and payment management and saves money. \n
\n QR code payments \n	\n Print and display unique QR codes customers can scan to access your quick-service menu or make payments. \n
\n Payment pages \n	\n Add Helcim’s hosted payment pages to your website to accept online transactions. \n

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Automatic Volume-Based Discounts

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Transaction and processing fees can rack up quickly, which is why we think this feature, along with Helcim’s free business management tools, gives it an edge over other providers. It favors high-volume merchants processing over $25,000 monthly in sales, helping them lower their processing fees as their monthly transaction volume increases.

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Virtual Terminal

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A really great benefit when you sign up with Helcim is that you can log on to the virtual terminal and accept payments from any smartphone, tablet, or computer. You can manually enter your customer card or invoice details to your payments, set up onetime or recurring payments, and accept multiple currencies.

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Point of Sale

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Helcim offers a standard POS software, such as what you’d see at a restaurant or coffee shop. You can: key in different prices you’re looking to charge customers; add tipping and payment tracking options; and perform manual entry, credit and debit split payments, and more. It works on any device or workstation so you can accept in-person payments, saving more time and money.

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Invoicing

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Invoicing is a critical part of any business, and we like that Helcim offers free invoicing software, complete with templates that can be customized with your branding.  You can create professional invoices, quotes, and purchase orders while managing and tracking your payments in real time.

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Add your logo, brand colors, or custom greetings to Helcim’s invoice templates to create invoices that reflect your business. Image source: Helcim

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From our Helcim demo, we also found that you can add payment links or a “Pay Now” button to your invoices and send them to your customers via email or SMS. Plus, you can print off 1099s for tax purposes and track everything to ensure all your finances are in order.

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QR Codes

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Many credit card processing services we’ve reviewed offer this feature as well, but Helcim uses a unique approach to QR codes by allowing you to create a code for different denominations or link to a blank payment page with tipping options to meet different business and customer needs. This makes the checkout experience smooth, more convenient, and fast.

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Payment Pages

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This feature isn’t available on many other providers we reviewed — except Stripe, which offers prebuilt, checkout payment pages. But we like it because it lets you create payment links, turn them into QR codes and buy buttons, and link them to ACH and credit card purchases. So, you have more ways to accept payments online securely.

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Helcim Cost

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Helcim offers an interchange-plus pricing model, which displays how much you’re paying the credit card processor. We like the company’s transparency and honesty in the rates and margins they charge merchants, which you can always find on its website.

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During our demo, a Helcim representative explained to us how they implement the interchange rates. Merchants pay a certain portion — the interchange rate tied to the credit card company — while the Plus portion or margin goes to Helcim. These rates typically vary across different credit card companies, the individual cards they offer, and rewards programs, among other factors.

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Helcim only takes the rate on the merchant’s card at the time of the transaction and passes it on to them, along with a small margin. Here’s a breakdown of the pricing and terms:

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• In-person processing: 0.3% + $0.08 above interchange (average 1.56%)
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• Online (online invoice payments or e-commerce sales) and keyed-in processing (over the phone or via virtual terminal): 0.5% + $0.25 above interchange (average of 1.9%)
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• In-person and online international transactions (ACH bank payments): 0.5% + $0.25 above interchange
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Helcim automatically lowers your rates as your transaction volumes increase, helping you save money. Image source: Helcim

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The platform is good for ACH payments because there’s no credit card or interchange rate associated with it, so merchants get lower fees. Its online payment processing option also offers a low barrier to entry because there are no contracts or monthly fees.

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We found Helcim’s automatic volume-based discounts beneficial for growing businesses, which vendors like Stax don’t offer, and instead add the processing costs to your monthly subscription fees.

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While Helcim takes two business days to deposit funds to your account, compared to Clover and Stax, which offer same-day fund deposits, you still benefit from lower, transparent rates and round-the-clock support.

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Helcim Setup

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We found Helcim’s merchant three-part sign-up process simple: apply, get verified, and get approved. This process typically takes about a week, depending on how quickly you’re onboarded.

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When applying, you’ll first create your login credentials (username and password), then fill out an online form, which takes about five to 10 minutes.

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Helcim’s onboarding team will email you requesting some business information, such as your tax ID, DBA, processing history, and more. After about two days, the team will manually review your application to verify your details and perform a soft credit check just to make sure they can work with you.

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U.S. merchants will need to provide a Social Security number, which helps Helcim’s trust and safety team with their due diligence — especially for new businesses with no processing history. It also helps ensure they’re not bringing on a lot of fraudulent businesses.

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Standard approvals take two business days, but the timings can vary depending on the information you provide and the nature of your business. At this point, you’ll be prompted to link your bank account and begin processing online. You can also order equipment like a credit card reader or thermal printer, which typically arrives in about one to two business days (depending on the weather).

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Helcim Customer Service

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Helcim’s friendly merchant experience team is available seven days a week (Mon-Fri 7.00 a.m to 7.00 p.m MT and weekends 9.00 a.m to 5.00 p.m.). You can call (877) 643-5246, email, or submit a support ticket through Helcim’s mobile app.

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We found the email option slower than calling support directly, as we received a reply about six to seven hours later. Helcim doesn’t offer a live chat option either, which other vendors like Stax, Square, and Chase (via the Chase Mobile app) provide.

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Fortunately, Helcim scores well in its human approach to customer support in what’s often considered an “inhuman” industry. Instead of chatting with a bot, you’ll speak to a friendly human agent from the company’s merchant experience team. We appreciated how friendly, knowledgeable, and their readiness to help with any troubleshooting issues.

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Helcim Drawbacks

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While we love Helcim’s simple and quick signup process, transparent pricing, and volume-based discounts, it has a few limitations you should consider before deciding whether it’s right for your business.

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One major drawback is Helcim’s third-party integrations. The company is still quite small, so you won’t get robust integrations with popular software as you would with vendors like Chase or Square. However, the representative we spoke to during our demo said they’re looking to build out their integrations as they move forward and grow their merchants.

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Also, Helcim isn’t favorable for low-volume merchants processing small regular payments or transaction volumes below $5,000. And, like other vendors, Helcim doesn’t work with high-risk businesses.

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Methodology

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We spent 30 days researching eight credit card processing companies. We looked closely at each company’s hardware and software offerings, considering their usability, target audience, contract terms, rates, fees, and transaction volumes. Plus, we tested each vendor’s customer service, evaluating their available support options, response times, and knowledgeability.

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Overall Value

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We recommend Helcim for …

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• Fast growing businesses that expect transaction volume to increase.
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• Professional service businesses.
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• Seasonal businesses with high-volume transactions for part of the year.
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We don’t recommend Helcim for …

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• High-risk businesses.
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• Businesses that need POS hardware and equipment.
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• Merchants processing small regular payments or low-volume transactions.
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\n"}},{"_index":"wp-index-bnd-prod-content","_type":"content","_id":"21605","_score":2,"_source":{"canonical":"https://vaylees.com/jobs-at-risk-of-layoffs","displayModified":"2024-06-14T20:29:57Z","docType":"article","editorsPick":false,"href":"jobs-at-risk-of-layoffs","id":"21605","ID":21605,"isSponsored":false,"published":"2023-01-18T14:03:33Z","site":"bnd","stream":"Some industries and roles have a greater risk of layoffs than others. ","subtitle":"Some industries and roles have a greater risk of layoffs than others. ","title":"These Workers Are Most Worried About Layoffs","author":{"displayName":"Elsier Otachi","email":"ElsierOtachi@gmail.com","thumbnail":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2023/05/10084136/Elsier-Otachi.jpg","type":"Senior Analyst"},"channels":{"primary":{"name":"Grow Your Business","slug":"grow-your-business"},"sub":{"name":"Your Team","slug":"your-team"}},"meta":{"robots":"index, follow","description":"Layoffs are picking up in multiple industries. Discover the most impacted roles, how economic downturns impact small businesses, and tips to avoid letting workers go."},"thumbnail":{"path":"https://images.vaylees.com/app/uploads/2022/04/04080549/Quit_Getty_Miljan_Zivkovic.jpg","caption":"Miljan Zivkovic / Getty Images","alt":"Midsection close up of unknown caucasian man holding a box with personal items stuff leaving the office after being fired from work due recession economic crisis downturn losing job company shutdown"},"content":"\n

Massive layoffs have rocked the workforce within the past few years, with X, Meta, Salesforce, Goldman Sachs, Amazon and other high-profile companies laying off thousands as businesses scramble to get ahead.

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Although small and midsize businesses (SMBs) have also seen layoffs, the layoff rate for SMBs declined from 1.4 percent to 1.3 percent between August 2022 and August 2023, according to pay and hiring data from Gusto. Additionally, in 2023, there was an 81-percent increase in hiring freezes due to rising inflation and labor costs, higher interest rates, reduced revenues, and fears of an impending recession, Glassdoor’s 2024 Employee Confidence Index found.

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Despite these stats, some industries have been resilient, and the unemployment rate is near a historic low, at around 4 percent. Read on to discover which industries and roles have been affected most by recent layoffs.

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Where have layoffs occurred already?

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Although it’s hard to determine the exact number of layoffs in each sector in recent months, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that 1.5 million people were laid off in March 2024 alone.

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While layoffs in the arts and entertainment industries are declining, there has been an increase in layoffs within the private educational sector. Layoffs.fyi, a crowdsourced database that’s been tracking tech layoffs since the pandemic, reported that over 320 tech companies have laid off nearly 100,000 workers in 2024 alone. That number includes employees at major tech companies such as Intel and Google.

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But the reductions aren’t entirely in the tech sector. Several other industries were affected by layoffs, including finance (Citigroup, PayPal) and fintech, media (Time, the Los Angeles Times), durable goods and information services.

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Where are layoff concerns the strongest?

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Although there has been some improvement, workers are still concerned about job cuts. Glassdoor’s 2024 Employee Confidence Index captured the anxiety levels among workers of various roles. Although actual layoffs are currently at a historical low, workers are more worried than they’ve been since 2019. Mention of layoffs in Glassdoor reviews increased 27% year-over-year as of January 2024. Overall confidence is low across the board, with less than half of employees reporting a confident business outlook for the next six months.

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In 2023, 240,000 jobs were lost in the tech sector alone. According to Revelio Labs, there was also an uptick in layoffs at the beginning of 2024. Employees in the construction, transportation and information services industries remain at the greatest risk of future layoffs.

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What is the economic outlook for small businesses?

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Despite the cuts, the overall economy is still creating jobs, with the labor market boasting roughly 8.5 million job openings and 5.1 million hires. However, while the overall job market remains resilient, companies are still planning for a downturn.

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JPMorgan Chase’s 2024 Business Leaders Outlook survey found that 31 percent of midsize business leaders in the U.S. were optimistic about the national economy.

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Rising inflation remains top of mind among leaders when it comes to hiring. In NFIB’s May 2024 Small Business Optimism Index, 25 percent of small business owners cited inflation as the single most important problem in operating their businesses. Other factors included dramatic interest-rate hikes and rising input costs (supplies, inventory, energy and labor).

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Despite these challenges, 56 percent of the businesses surveyed are continuing to hire. Still, after accounting for seasonal adjustment, the report found that only 11 percent were planning to create new jobs within the next three months. This is the lowest this figure has been since May 2020.

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Tips for small businesses to avoid layoffs

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Traditionally, employers resort to cutting business expenses and jobs to save money. However, layoffs have detrimental long-term costs, including tarnishing a company’s reputation, creating knowledge gaps, lowering employee engagement and customer retention, and diminishing trust among workers and customers.

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“Our team of employees is the lifeblood of our business, and we’ll run a loss before laying anyone off,” said Carson Lang, co-founder and chief operating officer of Test Prep Insight. “Other small businesses might not have that luxury, but to the extent you can weather the storm and keep people employed, I believe you’ll be better off for it in the long run.” Lang added that when you keep your team intact, you won’t be scrambling to hire at the same time as other companies when conditions improve.

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Like Lang and other midsize business leaders who expect to hire new staff or keep their current teams, small business owners can take these steps to avoid layoffs:

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• Apply for funding for working capital. Leverage the many government programs available to individuals and businesses, such as crisis assistance funds, SBA small business loans, tax deferrals or government grants.
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• Cut business expenses. Consider cutting expenses that don’t contribute directly to your return on investment (ROI). Review your discretionary spending, and trim peripheral perks — such as office snacks, social events or free laundry services — without affecting your positive company culture or employee productivity.
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• Generate more leads. Focus on marketing campaigns to generate leads and support sales. Update your marketing strategies, and ramp up efforts to boost demand and reach new customers in different markets. Before you invest, perform a thorough analysis to ensure your marketing campaigns will generate an acceptable ROI.
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• Renegotiate terms with suppliers. Renegotiate contracts with your contractors, suppliers, vendors and other associates to create cost savings for your business. If possible, consolidate as much of your purchasing as possible to a single supplier to obtain the best deal possible.
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• Enact a hiring freeze. Think twice before recruiting new hires and replacement hires. You can reallocate staff to other areas in the organization that have a greater impact on customer value or revenue, thereby protecting your most loyal employees.
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• Pivot to a remote-first policy. Implementing a remote work policy can save money on recurring costs such as rent and utilities. Additionally, remote workers may be more productive and happier, boosting overall company productivity.
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How to lay off employees if necessary

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No business owner wants to lay off workers. However, layoffs are sometimes necessary to ensure a business’s survival. The goals are to let workers go as painlessly as possible and to avoid public blowback. Consider the following best practices for laying off employees:

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• Inform employees directly and privately. Giving layoff notices is always tough. Let your employees know it’s not their fault, and share as much information as you can. Meet each employee directly and privately, whether in person or via a video conferencing service. Make it short and polite, and give them a day or so to process the news and discuss it with their families.
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• Make decisive personnel cuts. You don’t want a second round of layoffs, so don’t procrastinate over the decision or overpromise employees that their jobs will return. Try to make your first layoff round your only one. Otherwise, morale could take a big hit, and the remaining employees could look to jump ship.
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• Explain what’s happening to your remaining team. Your remaining employees may be frustrated and concerned as they see their co-workers leave. Recognize their feelings, and communicate transparently about the company’s situation. Listen while they process “survivor guilt,” and help them shift their focus to their jobs by connecting work to purpose.
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• Support laid-off employees as much as possible. If you’re in a position to help, offer outplacement services, severance packages, health coverage assistance and help with navigating unemployment benefits. Some employers offer retention bonuses for employees who continue to perform their job functions as they look for work.
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Lighten the load of the layoff process

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Layoffs are always bad news for everyone involved. Before you lay off staff, consider your options thoroughly to ensure you exhaust all alternatives. That way, you can make the process easier for everyone while minimizing damage to your leadership and business.

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Natalie Hamingson contributed to this article. 

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