[Scott Martin]

Hi,

Does anybody take credit cards etc for payment for services?

I am toying with the idea and their is quite a few handheld devices on offer via the bank for this service for people like us who live on the road etc.

Can anyone advise on pros and cons, charges with their banks etc.

Cheers

Scott

[ashplays]

i had a streamline machine from nat west  for two years, my idea was that if folks were skint they would use credit card i put it on my van on leaflets and yellow pages   and what was the result i never ever used it  and it cost me £22 a month i think its because most people who hav carpets cleaned earn a good wage and for sake say £60 would not bother using credit cards also if u use it for debit cards u hav fee to pay    so id say dont bother to get one in are game    p.s u hav to hav a contract with them as well

[Big_Fish]

I disagree, we are often asked if we take credit cards.
It is something we will be doing shortly.

We often survey/ quote for domestic cleans worth well over £250. Sometimes we do the work in 2 bits, other times people put it iff 4 or 5 weeks. If they could pay on a card, they'd have it all done at once and sooner.

It also comes into it's own when you get a rental clean to do and the owner lives a long way away. Instead of waiting for a cheque, they can pay over the phone.

Probably there isn't the need when dealing in small amounts of money. It once again depends on which end of the market you work at, market too and are successful with

BF Nicky

[ashplays]

yes u prob right it depends on type customer most of mine are what id say middle class and hav couple carpets cleaned and for sake of it pay cash  if i went for more upperclass in very big house then u would prob hav use for it  also in rental i recon but i try stay clear of rentals as some can be pretty bad

[Big_Fish]

Again, it depends on the type of rental.

We'd not get involved in a flat or student type let but the rentals we get asked to do are the 4/5+ bed house variety.

2 rentals over 2 Saturdays last month = £1000

BF Nicky

[Doug Holloway]

HiGuys'

I used to take credit cards about 14 years ago and it worked quite well.

One lady said she booked us becasuse of the creditability of having Access/Visa symbols on our leaflets!

I only stopped because I changed bank accounts.

The main drawback was having to pay 4% of value to the bank.

Cheers,

doug

[Big_Fish]

Hi Doug,

Nat West have quoted us 2.8% with a 35p charge per transaction.

This is revised after 6 months to stay the same or go down.

BF Nicky

[Big_Fish]

Many of our larger quotations £250+ for domestic cleaning are split into 2 or put off for a while 'til the customer can afford it.

I'm sure that displaying credit card logo's on literature and website will generate more business.

No, we don't intend to pass the charges onto the customer.
It takes away the risk of a bouncy cheque and some invoices will be settled before 28 days.

It's also expected and normal for customers to pay by card in 2004.

BF Nicky

[Nobby]

I used to accept cards but found that hardly anybody wanted to use them, I don't believe that it generated any new business and it cost too much to make it viable.  I was probably asked to take a card once or twice a year.

Nobby