There are paperless terminals, and others which are set up to "plug and play" when connected to your store's computer. Usually your bank's merchant account manager will assist you in selecting the proper terminal. In some cases, they will provide you with a standard terminal that suits the size and nature of your business.
Supplies, Supplies!
Depending on the type of point-of-sale terminal you're using, you'll have to stock some of the following supplies. You'll also need other supplies so you're ready to respond to other types of payments.
- Paper and Ribbon Kits
- Paper Rolls
- Printer and Ribbon Kits
- Cleaning Swipe Cards for Card Readers (Cleaning Swipe Cards keep your Credit Card Readers clean and efficient. Swiping the cleaning cards through the magnetic strip readers removes residue build up. Cleaning Swipe Cards will also clean POS terminals, hotel door locks, and key card readers.)
- Smart Card Cleaners (Cards themselves need to be cleaned occasionally to remove dirt, metal, magnetic oxides and other contaminates.)
- Check Reader Cleaners
- Counterfeit Money Detector Pens (These pens feature a special patented formula that detects counterfeit bills when they're written upon.)
- Badge Reels (Badge Reels help keep Swipe Cards attached to your belt or pocket at all times.)
- Point-of-Sale Printers
- Credit Card Imprinters (Imprinters are used for manual point-of-sale transactions.)
- Sales Slips (Used with manual Imprinters, these come in 2-part and 3-part formats.)
Give yourself some credit...
...for having all your ducks in a row when you throw open your doors to do business. Nothing frustrates customers more than glitches during the payment process. The first thing people think is, "oh no, did I go over my credit limit?". When the fault turns out to be yours, their anxiety will turn to anger and it'll be directed at you.
Stock up on your credit card supplies, and avoid an unpleasant surprise!
By Steve Levenstein
