When it comes to taking credit and debit card payments directly into the software, no-one does it better than Flobot.
What makes this such a great thing to do is that unlike taking a payment into a chip and pin machine or even a smart phone app like Zettle, the payment is badged directly to your customer and an instant receipt sent out to them - so no double entry because the information is already there.
Taking card payments is simple and secure. Flobot uses the industry standard gateways such as SagePay and Worldpay to process your customer payments. That means you can take payments online, over the telephone, in the app and even face to face.
If you are not taking card payments yet, well then you should be. Let us tell you why (It's a pet peeve of ours).
...and I'm not going to take this anymore!
A great line from a great film. And if you're not mad, you jolly well should be!
We're talking about payments. Payments for services provided by you to your customers. And payments that take 30, 60, 90 days to get paid. A practice that has absolutely no reason to be in existence in the 21st Century. So why is it still happening?
Of course, we are assuming you have done a great job and of course there might be some issues at the end. But for the most part you do a great job and still have to wait for payment. Well, there are two reasons for this.
OK, we hear you. Sometimes this is not their fault as it goes right up the chain - but it shouldn't be your problem either.
The simple answer to both is to tell the client you only take card payments. Then take a deposit on a card and take the final balance on the card. No ifs and no buts. Change your terms to reflect this and get on and do it.
No-one should be waiting for payment from a successfully completed job anymore - from anyone. Estate agent won't pay by card? Drop them! Business wants to pay 30 days on bank transfer - nope. They will put their card on file for the deposit if they need it quick enough we can promise you that. Take the card details into the system and use it at the end for payment. Automate your payment process.
Get paid right away - because you deserve it!
You don't need a chip and pin terminal if you have Flobot because you can take the card payment straight into th system. That saves you printing paperwork and any stapling.
It also means you have already reconciled that payment with the correct customer and sent them a receipt for the payment. Again there is no waiting to get paid if you take a card payment over the telephone.
But even taking the payment over the telephone is a little old fashioned these days...
The easiest way to take a payment from a client is to send them a payment link. That way you don't have to speak to them at all! The invoice goes out and they can pay online, just like they do at say Amazon.
And once they have paid you get an email to say they have paid and the system moves on to the next stage. So once again there is nothing for you to reconcile because Flobot is doing it all for you.
And the really good thing about this is that the client has accepted your terms and conditions by default and you have their card details on file (not held by Flobot by the way but at the card processor) for peace of mind that you are going to get paid when you have finished your job.
You can always take a payment into the app when you are on-site. And once again Flobot will reconcile the payment automatically in the system and send the customer a payment receipt so you don't have to.
Taking payments into the app is quick and simple but probably best left to the smaller business, like a one man band. Or perhaps when you need a time and geo-location stamp for your payment records.
Finally, you can take a payment from the card automatically when the client has signed the electronic jobsheet. A small amount of text in the app confirms their acceptance and boom, job signed payment taken, job reconciled, customer receives payment receipt (and warranty if you want), project closed. Onto the one.
So four ways to get paid right away, save your cash-flow, your temper and your sanity. What are you waiting for?
Sage Pay is Europe's leading independent payment service provider (PSP) and is one of the most trusted payment brands. They are part of The Sage Group, a FTSE 1000 listed Global accounting software company. Every year, they process over 4 billion payments securely online, over the phone and through card machines. Over 50,000 businesses across Europe rely on Sage Pay to process card payments securely and help prevent fraudulent transactions.
All Sage Pay transactions are encrypted to the highest global standards. Their payment systems are monitored and audited regularly by world leading Qualified Security Assessors (QSA), so you can be confident that their services and by association Flobot's are completely secure. Frequently Asked Questions about Sage Pay and Fresh Milk Software is a Sage partner. We do like the Sagepay gateway at Fresh Milk Software.
Worldpay trades across the world, supporting over 120 currencies. So you can accept payments around the world with the same excellent service you give customers at home.
To be honest they are not that cheap but they are pretty secure which is why we have integrated their payment gateway. As far as we know they pay out relatively quickly and most of the customers we have with them quite like them. And they do have a lot of customers so they mjst be doing something right. So not a ringing endorsement but it is a merchant bank at the end of the day, so what can we tell you?
Man Friday Services is a handyman and property maintenance company covering London and the surrounding areas in the UK. They use Flobot to manage their business work-flow and field service contractors and Sage Pay to process the customer card payments.
Sky Giedraityte-Gilbert, Operations Director says 'It is essential for us to be able to take payments from our customers and to keep a card on file for security. We operate in a fast and dymnamic environment and we need reliable systems to enable us to service our clients effectively. Flobot works perfectly for us and combined with the Sage Pay payment processing system means we can invoice and take payment quickly, increasing our cashflow and keeping us competitive.'
It's never been easier to take payment. Flobot allows you to take payments from your customers over the telephone, and securely store the card details ready for when the job's done. Gone is the requirement for a field engineer to walk around with a hand-held payment terminal. You can take payment in the field or back at the office and most importantly reconcile that payment onto the customers account instantly - no more collecting card receipts.
Taking payment on a chip and pin device means paperwork - reconciling the payment with the customer's account is time consuming and prone to mistakes. With Flobot, there's no paperwork - your customer's card is charged instantly while your engineer is on site. Even better, payment data is stored against your customer's account so you never have to tie up payments with jobs - it's already done for you.
Flobot allows you to safely and securely store encrypted customer card details before the job has taken place meaning there's no need to chase customers for payments and issue invoices - especially for a reactive job. You can simply charge the card once the job has been completed by letting FieldNet do it for you, or letting your admin team process the card payment in one click. Simple and instant.
Just taken a payment? Now is the ideal time to offer your customer a promotional voucher for repeat custom or display your monthly deal. Flobot enables you to maximise business opportunities and sell more of your services by allowing you to build your own loyalty schemes and even build customised discount codes.
Flobot is simple to learn but why not save time? Find out it will work for you with a real-time demo. What are you waiting for?
