Did you know that 52% of United States consumers used a debit card in the last 12 months? That’s why it’s important to market your business to accept all forms of payment.
But, have you ever tried to process a credit card payment and there was no available credit card machine to swipe the card because it was down? Don’t worry, you’re not alone.
This happens and some places have no backup solution while others have a backup solution that works and doesn’t cause more problems.
If you are wondering how to process payments during a credit card machine outage, this short and simple guide is for you.
Contact Your Processor
The first thing you should do is contact your payment processing company. You can do this through the phone or email. Let them know what happened and that you need help. They’ll be able to give you tips on how to proceed with processing payments when your credit card machine is down.
If you need a payment processing company, visit here.
Cash-Only Transactions
If your credit card machine is down and you don’t have another way of processing payments, then you’ll have to do cash-only transactions. This means that if someone wants to pay with their credit card and they don’t have cash on them, they’ll need to stop by another location where they can use their card or get some cash out of an ATM.
Use a Check
If your business accepts checks, this is a great way to process payments when a credit card machine is down. Simply ask customers for a check instead of swiping their card.
Use an App for Mobile Payments
Many mobile payment apps allow you to accept credit card payments via phone or tablet instead of using an actual POS terminal at your location. This is another good option if your POS system isn’t working properly because you can still process payments without having access to the physical credit card reader at all times.
Use an Emergency Credit Card Reader
If you have a smartphone with a camera and a data plan, then you can use it as an emergency credit card reader. Just download one of the many apps that allows you to take photos of customer cards and then type in their account numbers. Some apps will even process transactions for free!
Hand Write Transactions
If all else fails, you can always hand write transactions for customers and accept cash or checks. This will slow down the checkout process considerably and is probably not ideal for most businesses, but if there’s no other option, it’s worth considering.
Follow These Tips When Your Credit Card Machine Goes Down
Hopefully, this guide will help you out the next time your credit card machine goes on the blink. The good news is that you have plenty of options, and they don’t have to be too complicated.
Don’t forget to browse our site for advice on business, products, services, and more.
