Merchant Accounts: Now You Can Accept Credit Cards Quickly and Easily

Thinking of accepting credit cards at your business? The steps you need to take are simple, thanks to today’s new generation of merchant accounts. In the past decade, many new account providers have started offering services, meaning competition among account providers has become much more intense. As a result, fees have been lowered and the approval process has become even more streamlined and simpler to complete.

Most merchant account providers offer an online application and approval system that allows you to simply enter information that can have you approved in as little as two days. Even more complicated applications can be approved within two weeks. If you’re considering accepting credit cards for your business, you’re taking a step in the right direction. The following tips will help ensure you select the best merchant account provider for your business.

Pick a Merchant Account Provider with a Proven Track Record

Check with the Better Business Bureau to determine if any complaints have been lodged. Visit online forums and websites devoted to business owners that use merchant accounts to see what others are saying about the account providers you may be considering. And call and email account providers to see how well they respond to your requests for information.

These simple steps help to ensure that the account provider you choose offers customer service you can depend on. This is especially important when you are first beginning to use the account and accept credit cards.

Pick a Merchant Account Provider that Offers Widely Available Tech Support

Your credit card sales rely on a merchant account system that is available and always able to handle transactions. If the system experiences an error or an interruption in service, sales cannot be processed and profits – and even customers – can be lost. Your reputation can also suffer.

Be sure technical support is available for extended hours, and look for an account provider that offers a toll-free number for technical support. Some account providers also offer an online chat option to reach a technical support representative.

Gather Your Financial Documents before You Begin Your Application Process

By making sure you have all of your materials together before you begin applying, you can ensure the process is simple and straightforward, and save time, too.

Compare Fees Carefully

Many merchant account providers refer to the same fees by different names, so be sure you understand all of the fees of the accounts you’re considering. Also be sure to ask for a complete list of any and all fees – even penalty fees – you might encounter over the life of the account.

And don’t be taken in by companies offering suspiciously low fees; these companies may be less than honest in dealing with their clients.

Pick a merchant account provider that allows you to accept a variety of cards – especially the top four cards that are used most often: American Express, Discover, Mastercard and VISA. Accepting more cards means you can acquire a greater number of customers.

Pick a Merchant Account Provider that’s Versed in Small Business Needs

Be sure to select a merchant account provider that has experience dealing with small businesses, and one that is positioned to help your company grow. Because the needs of small businesses differ distinctly from those of larger and more established businesses, selecting an account provider that has experience dealing with small business and the issues they can face means you’ll have access to a larger variety of services and more applicable options than if you choose a company that specializes in big corporations.

Pick a Merchant Account Provider that’s Familiar with Your Business Sector

For the same reasons listed above, choosing a merchant account services provider that has experience with similar types of businesses can help ensure you get the help and attention you need to keep your business operating smoothly, and to help it grow in the future.

Merchant Account Providers and POS Terminals

Choose a merchant account provider that will allow you to purchase your point of sale (POS) terminals rather than rent or lease them. While low monthly lease payments may seem attractive initially, over time – and quickly – those monthly costs will exceed the costs of buying the equipment outright.

Pick a Versatile Merchant Account Provider

Pick an account provider that offers different types of accounts – retail, Internet, mail-order/telephone order (MOTO), and mobile – to make sure you have access to all of these services as your business grows.

Sound good? Signing up for a merchant account takes only a few moments of your time, but the effects can last for the life of your business. Take some time today to begin reviewing account providers, and focus your efforts on finding the best merchant account services provider for your own business needs.

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Make Your Accounting Records Perfect With Accounting Outsourcing

Since accounting is all about perfect handing of financial transactions, every business needs to give special treatment to its accounting section. However, most of the businesses try to handle their accounting tasks through their available accounting staff but in cases where this staff is not sufficient enough to tackle this tedious task, help from an accounting outsourcing service provider can be taken. At present, most of the businesses are outsourcing their accounting functions to achieve the desired profit level, as this external help not only saves their time but also allows them to perform other relevant tasks on time. It is quite true that accounting is considered as the most tedious task, as it demands a lot of time and concentration of the concerned person, as slight mistake in any transaction can cause major blemishes in final accounting records. Although, business owners put every possible effort to make their accounting records perfect, but since cash in any organization flows in various directions and sections, tracking cash flow on regular basis becomes quite hard-hitting task for the accountant. On the contrary, taking help from an outsider firm relieves the business owner from this worry and provides him or her with ready to use accounting details.

Accounting records portrays the financial condition of any business; hence it is required to pay special attention to accounting and bookkeeping tasks. Business owners, who cannot make it possible through limited accounting staff, can get great help with accounting outsourcing. Blemishes in accounting records can affect the position of the business, as all decisions are taken only after analyzing accounting and other financial details. Accounting outsourcing helps businesses in crushing such accounting flaws and developing precise and updated accounting records, so that the business owner may better concentrate on his or her core business functions.

Accounting outsourcing is all about perfect management of accounting details and data that are used for making crucial decisions and evaluating the exact position of the business. Basically, outsourcing refers to a process that employs human resources from outside to perform any specific task; in fact, when it comes to faultless accounting management, every business owner considers outsourcing as a beneficial move. Accounting professionals that are hired through this process, do not occupy any place in the client’s organization and work independently from their own office that not only makes the accounting process hassle free but also trims down the operational cost of the client’s company.

Professionals hired through accounting outsourcing process, perform every accounting task on daily basis and also prepare weekly and monthly reports to keep the business owner informed about every accounting transaction. Basically, this process includes daily accounting tasks such as listing of day-to-day transactions, keeping record of daily transactions, reporting and recording. Since all accounting records are used for tax assessment, well maintained accounting section helps the business owner in arranging all necessary records to file his or her business tax on time. Therefore, it can be said that outsourcing your accounting task to an efficient firm can add more value to your business efforts.

Financial Accounting ACG2021 SFCC Spring 2008 Crosson Chapter 2

The Unplanned Business Exit

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For some, planning a business exit can be a predictable, methodical process. We know the competition; we understand market demands, know when we want to sell and might even know the actual date. But for far too many business owners, the business exit comes as a harsh reality and often unplanned event.

Protecting your business and assets against the dreaded six D’s of an unplanned business exit can give whole new meaning to the term “Disaster Management”. While every business may experience unexpected pitfalls, careful planning to ensure risk exposure is minimized can assist in keeping you in the driver’s seat when it comes to managing your company. Familiarize yourself with the six D’s of an unplanned business exit: debt, death, disability, divorce, departure and disaster. Know the enemy and look to address all six D’s in your operating and buy / sell agreements.

The Six D’s of an Unplanned Business Exit

Debt:No one goes into business and plans on it not succeeding, but 40,000 businesses fail every month in the United States. When debt exceeds revenue, it is critical to exit timely in order to minimize loses. Understanding limitations and protecting critical assets are key to successful divesture.

Death:Many businesses are solely dependant on their owner’s abilities, relationships, and passion to drive success, and when there is a death of an owner or partner of a business, it can have significant impact to a business almost immediately. While no one wants to consider their own demise, the strength and longevity of a business relies on being able to plan for such a critical loss even if it means downsizing or reorganization. The survival of a business in relation to key individuals needs to be evaluated and exit strategies planned accordingly.

Disability:Unbelievably, death is not as likely to end the business as a disability. A disability to a business partner can put a significant drain on cash flow, daily workloads, and excess down time, all of which can be devastating. Insurance and financial planning towards alleviating such an impact needs to be carefully evaluated especially when dealing with small business start ups where funding and resources are limited.

Divorce:No one wants to plan for a business or personal divorce, yet while Pre-nuptial agreements may be gaining in popularity many people never look to manage such impact to their businesses. What happens when the partners cannot get along? Or worse, you inherit another partner due to a personal divorce settlement? Exiting the business might be the only alternative you are provided.

Departure:It does not sound as bad as death, but it can wreak the same results. A partner, key employees, or other resources decide to go to the competition, retire, burn out, or win the lotto. When they leave, how does this impact your business going forward?

Disaster:If the five D’s above where not enough to impact your business, there are no limit to the other disasters that may occur that were never planned on: robbery, sickness, employee theft, employee turnover, natural devastating events, etc. In today’s post Katrina, 911 world the impact of the chaos theory is enough to keep even the best business minds awake at night. Plan for the worst; strive for the best and know when to get out if need be.

For the typical business owner, each one of the six D’s has special demands on the family, income, taxes, and control of assets. An agreement, commonly called buy/sell agreements, can be used to plan for the impact associated with the dreaded six D’s. A successful sustaining business exists as a separate entity from personal concerns and risk can be reduced by developing mutually fair and equitable agreements prior to these events occurring.

Business is an evolution and travels a diverse path. While some may look on an unplanned exit as a failure others may see an opportunity for growth and freedom.

www.WeBuyYourBusiness.com

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More Business Articles

Is Selling Your Business the Best “Exit Plan”?

My neighbor asked me, “Why would anyone sell a successful company?”. He could not understand why anyone would leave a business that was doing well. Of course successful companies get sold all the time.

So why do these business owners sell? The short answer is that most closely held businesses sell for human reasons, such as burn out, retirement, illness, partnership disputes, family issues or other personal reasons. Usually the business is fine but the human being running the business needs a change. To understand this better it is key to understand the other options for exiting a business.

Close the Business/Liquidation

Closing a business that is profitable never makes sense. Even if the assets are liquidated the price is likely to be pennies on the dollar versus selling the business as a going concern with employees, customers and a reputation that is intact. Not only does the business owner get the lowest value but the employees, vendors and customers are hurt by this type of exit.

Accident, Illness or Death

No one wants to exit their business this way, but many do. The loss of an owner not only creates tremendous issues for the family but also creates a leadership void in the business. Even the most competent management can struggle when a key business leader is lost to a serious accident, illness or death. No one plans for this type of exit but many end up exiting the business this way because they failed to create an alternate plan.

Succession

Succession by a family member or key employee has its benefits. They know the business, its product or service, employees, customers and vendors. Succession can be operationally successful for the exiting owner if they make sure the successor is carefully selected, qualified and groomed for the position. The owner must be careful not to make an emotional choice of a relative or favorite employee but instead choose the successor with the right skills to lead the company into the future. You are not seeking an “Employee” mentality but an “Owner” mentality. If that rare person can be found in the business who can make the transition to Owner, they often do not have the cash needed to purchase the business. They are also likely to want to pay less for the business as familiarity will blind them to many of the value drivers of the company. So although succession can be operationally successful it is rarely a financial success for the outgoing owner.

Sell

Closing or liquidating the business minimizes the value to the owner. Accident, illness or death forces the issue on the owner. Succession provided a very limited pool of options with limited financial reward.

Selling on the other hand allows the business owner to decide their ideal timing, maximize the value of the business they worked so hard to build, coordinate the use of the sale proceeds for financial planning and align their personal goals with the sale of a business. Selling the business allows the business owner to create a wealth event and often significant on-going passive income without having to run their business.

Whatever they are, human reasons are always pushing and pulling on a business owner. Burn out, stress, divorce, illness, partner disputes and limited growth capital are some of the human reasons that push owners out of the business. Retirement, enjoying life, relocating, a new business opportunity and passive income are some of the reasons that pull a business owner out. Whatever the motivation, the fundamental reason a business owner chooses a sale as their ideal exit plan is control. The business owner chooses to understand the value of their business and to proactively pursue the right buyer and the right price. By selling a business you choose to exit your business by choice, not by force.

The professional team at Sunbelt Midwest can help you confidentially sell or buy a business in Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Chicago, and surrounding areas. For more information check out our site at http://www.sunbeltmidwest.com.

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Related Business Articles

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Getting out of business is a process. The length of time required to complete the process is directly related to the complexity of the business, and the circumstances underlying the decision to get out. Planning how you exit your business is just as important as how you started it.

The exit process, timing of events; and tasks associated need to be tailored to the type and complexity of the business. Each case is individual because reasons for dissolution differ, and problems that arise are unique to each circumstance. The following checklist contains key elements that should be evaluated as early in the exit process as possible to eliminate pitfalls later on.

The process for exiting a business should include evaluation of the following points:

1. Engage Professionals & Consultants as Team Members.

2. Prepare a List of Assets & Perform a Physical Inventory.

3. Perform a Valuation of the Business.

4. Prepare Detailed Plan & Assign Responsibilities.

5. Release Announcements & Notices.

6. Conclude or Transfer Contract Obligations.

7. Dispose of & Transfer Assets.

8. Settle Accounts Payable & Debt Obligations.

9. Prepare Final Financial Statements & Tax Returns

10. File Articles of Dissolution.

11. Prepare & Issue Special Filings, Notices, Informational Returns, & Taxes.

12. Receive Tax Clearance Notice.

13. Close Bank Account.

14. Store Business Records

The process for successfully exiting a business requires the same amount if not even more planning as starting the business. While the process may be easier, it is likely to be less enjoyable and more stressful. The best advice for business owners is to incorporate potential exit strategies in the early stages of setting up their business. Vigilance and diligent managerial oversight is needed to ensure that complications and problems which could affect dissolution, and net value, do not develop into roadblocks. When the time comes to divest or sell the business, be sure to engage the relevant expertise needed, and prepare an action plan.

We Buy Your Business enables clients an opportunity to sell businesses and business assets fast for cash. If your exit strategy requires a quick divesture option Contact WBYB for cash offer NOW. Website: www.WeBuyYourBusiness.com