Selecting the Best Integrated Payment System
There are many credit card integrated payment system options to consider when switching or getting set up for accepting credit and debit cards for the first time. It’s often confusing to know how to select the best choice for your business. Since there are so many options, we will highlight 3 top benefits to look out for when selecting a fully integrated payment system. Of course, you want to get the lowest rate and keep your fees down but what else? Here are 3 basic items to look for in a payment system provider.
3 Things to Consider when Selecting an Integrated Payment System
1. Integrated Payments Processing
- Does the provider have an integration with your current accounting system or point of sale? An integrated payment system lets you easily collect credit card payments and reconcile the transactions in your accounting system. This helps you get paid faster and reduce double entry. Your team will save time and money with an integrated system.
2. PCI Compliance
- The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of security standards designed to protect customer credit card data by maintaining a secure credit card processing environment. Businesses that are not PCI compliant may be subject to fines, sanctions, and loss of privileges from the clearinghouse that processes credit card payments. Businesses that fail to protect customer data can also be subject to lawsuits and governmental prosecution. Build and maintain a secure network:
- Avoid discontinued credit card processing solutions that are no longer supported and maintained to meet PCI compliance standards, such as PC Charge.
- Develop a relationship with a trusted contractor.
- Do not try to install you own network that will store customer data. This could expose your business to vulnerability if mistakes are made in the installation or update process.
- Change passwords often.
- Do not disable firewalls and keep them operational and current.
3. Level 3 Credit Card Processing
- Does the provider have the ability to help you save using Level 3 credit card processing functionality?
- Merchants who process Level 3 credit card processing transactions using the customer data in their accounting system will benefit from lower interchange rates that are available for Level 1 or Level 2 purchases. In addition, you have detailed reporting that allows you to track transactions from beginning to settlement. American Payment Solutions reporting options can also be tailored with up to 60 different data points. Level 3 transactions typically cost a merchant 0.50-1.50% less than a standard Level 1 transaction, amounting to huge savings for B2B companies.
- Level 3 processing requires the capture of specific line item data (available in the accounting software) in credit card transactions. These additional data fields include merchant name and address, invoice number and tax amount, plus line item details such as item description, quantity, unit of measure, freight amount, and commodity and product codes. The extra reporting we provide makes it easier for corporate and government customers to monitor and track internal spending.
- Level 1 - “Level 1” card data is typically associated with consumer transactions (B2C) and provides limited purchase data back to the cardholder.
- Level 2 - Level 2 credit card processing requires less data than Level 3 but more than Level 1. Just like with Level 3 data, merchants are required to input additional data fields thank they are in Level 1. The required fields are easier to enter and there are fewer fields to manage. Level 2 processing still provides a savings compared to Level 1 but not as much as Level 3.
- Level 3 - “Level 3” (also known as Level III) line item detail is equivalent to the information found on an itemized invoice. Here's a comparative example:
American Payment Solutions enables you to cut costs and offers the following streamlined credit card processing features:
- Convenient 24-hour access to payment processing and reporting
- Automated recurring billing
- Improved cash flow
- Fraud detection and prevention (volume thresholds, risk parameters)
- Reduce invoicing costs
- No additional licensing fees
- Virtual Terminals (no integration needed, no software to install, simply use your web browser to securely log in to process transactions)
- Credit card tokenization for secure access to future customer transactions
- Real-time Payment Gateway
- Level 3 supported gateway for US accounts, (significant savings for business to government or business to business transactions)
- Batch processing when real-time approvals are not required
- 100% PCI-DSS compliant at no additional cost
- Some of the lowest American Express fees in the entire industry!
- Next Day Funding including American Express making reconciliation process easier
Another version of this blog 3 Critical Items to Look For in an Integrated Payment System on August, 16, 2018 by APS Merchants