credit card machine

[afranz]

I've read a few posts about the use of credit card machines. I have received my Nurit 8000 recently and have had the chance to use it on a few inspections. Since the Nurit 8000 is wireless it has been a great tool in my area. A lot of people feel better paying my charge with there credit card opposed to writing me a check. It is paid for on the spot and they don't have to worry about whether or not there check is going to bounce on them. Lets face it how many inspectors out there have done an inspection only to find it a headache when they receive a check. Waiting for the check to clear or trying to find the bank it was drawn from????????? It just makes sense to me. By excepting credit payments you avoid all that headache. And from looking at this forum it appears other people have had some success with it as well. If you are undecided on the issue, just do it!!! The charges for the machine are minimal compared to the headache of dealing with a bad check. The person to call to get set up is Bill Janis, he is our representative and the goto guy for any information you want and need concerning the use of a credit machine. Call him today and you will have your machine at you front door in a matter of days. His Email address is wmjanisjr@yahoo.com. Call today and I promise you wont be sorry you did.

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by afranz

By excepting [sic] credit payments you avoid all that headache.

Actually, you don't avoid all headaches.

Credit card payments can be contested for up to six months, depending on the bank and the fine print. If a Client decides to contest the charge, it's my word against the Clients, and the bank goes to bat for the Client. So if the Client ultimately says that he is totally pissed and that he can't get any satisfaction from me, the bank reverses charges without informing me. So I might have $1,499 from a PREMIUM inspection in my bank account one day and gone the next. At least with a check, if it clears, and I've found in 5½ that it clears 99.90542244640605296343001261034% of the time. Presuming, then, that credit payments would also "clear" because I do such a thorough job on my fly-by and drive-by inspections, the only disadvantage is the credit card set-up fee, swipe fees, discount rates, and monthly fees. All those fees can be significant for a company just starting out.

With that said, I started taking credit cards through PayPal this year, and I'll be set up to take credit cards as a merchant shortly. Quite frankly, however, I still would not be taking credit cards if I didn't have a new venture, About Homes, going on where credit cards will be important.

[tmattingly]

Russel,

I agree on credit cards. I have, until today probably, never received a bad check. I will collect the money of someone writes me a bad check. The paypal option is a little intriguing for that very occasional out of town client. Is it easy to use paypal? I have sent many payments through but never received any.

Tim

[tneumann]

The neat thing about Payfuse and Paypal is that the customer has to actually input the info....a bit more fraud protection then just taking the number over the phone and punching it into the machine...which I also do for my other business(es). I like Payfuse though, it shifts the liability to my client..plus I can force payment, meaning they cannot view their completed report until they pay.....I think that is neat.

[Russel Ray]

I've never heard of Payfuse.

At my point in business (HomeTeam and About Homes), I'll be signing up for all options to make it as convenient as possible on visitors to About Homes.

I'm off to check out Payfuse.

Thanks, Tony.

[Russel Ray]

Well, if it had been payfuse.com, they would have had an instant new subscriber.

With PayPal, one simply says, "Go to paypal.com."

With Payfuse, one would have to say, "Go to firstnationalmerchants.com and click on Products and then click on Payfuse."

Doesn't work as well.

I'd bet that probably all the major banks have something like Payfuse. If, indeed, they do (and I shall be researching that), then I would sign up with all of them to provide that extra level of convenience for that bank's customers.

[jthalmann]

Has anyone tried propay.com ? You just take down their credit card number at inspectioin and punch it in at home later. I'm thinking of giving it a go. No monthly fees and no minimum. Just slightly higher percentage per use.

[Russel Ray]

So what happens if you punch it in at home later only to find out that it is stolen, declined, etc.?

[Jae Williams]

I doubt anyone would use a stolen credit card for a home inspection. If these folks are planning on buying a house, it should be not difficult for the nice policeman to locate them.
If the card is declined, the report is not issued.
The only concern with credit cards is that they may be challenged later. However, it is not as easy as stated earlier--the issuing bank will be very thorough in determining fault.

[jthalmann]

Originally Posted by rray

So what happens if you punch it in at home later only to find out that it is stolen, declined, etc.?

The same problem with a check. What if it's rubber ?

[Jae Williams]

...or counterfeit cash...or the horse they traded for your sevice died...?

I suppose there is a downside to any form of payment--
ya just gotta takes ya chances.

[Michael R. Boyett]

Jae, I agree. I did have one credit card declined a few months ago due to being max'd out (I presume), called the client, got another card number and went about my business. No big problem.
Over the last few months I have migrated almost exclusively to PayPal instead of my bank issued merchant account. That's for several reasons, one PayPal is cheaper @ 3%, period. My merchant account can be as high as 10-12% in those months that I only have a couple of charged inspections. That percentage includes the processing fees, minimum fees, statements fees, blah, blah. In any case, PayPal is a fixed % that is reasonable. I also like, & so do my clients, the simple PayPal interface. I downloaded a PayPal applet that generates an icon that is then embedded in an e-mail. I put my words to the e-mail and send it. Client opens e-mail, reads it, clicks on icon and enters their CC info. That's it, it's done and the money is then in my PayPal account immediately. I never have to get their CC number and I like that for security reasons. I then simply transfer money from my PayPal account to my business checking account about once or twice a week as needed.
Other than the Wow factor I can't see the benefit of a wireless, on-site credit card device. Seems like a dramatic overkill to me. 95% of my credit card customers are out of state anyway so I'd just be impressing myself with an expensive wireless device.

[tneumann]

With Payfuse, one would have to say, "Go to firstnationalmerchants.com and click on Products and then click on Payfuse."

Nah....I send them an invoice straight from HomeGauge, they click on it and go directly to the area they need to be in......1 click..poof!

[Dale Duffy]

Originally Posted by rray

I've never heard of Payfuse.

At my point in business (HomeTeam and About Homes), I'll be signing up for all options to make it as convenient as possible on visitors to About Homes.

I'm off to check out Payfuse.

Thanks, Tony.

I also use Payfuse linked to my websites, as Tony said, one click and payments are made by the customer. The money is transferred automatically to your bank account within two business days. The fees are lower than PayPal. Most of my clients are out of towner's so it is necessary. Generally I never meet them face to face.

Clients cannot view an emailed report until payment is made, the report is in Lock mode.

[breynolds]

i just recieved a nurit 8000 from bill janis i havent gotten a chance to use it but there was good communication, fast delivery and a good tech support team. brandon