For many home-service professionals, there’s no better feeling than getting paid for a job well done. And although many business owners would prefer to exclusively accept cash as a form of payment, today’s consumers often opt to use credit cards due to the abundant benefits they offer.
Accepting credit cards as a form of payment is essential in order for a home-service business to survive in today’s marketplace. However, the world of credit card processing can seem incredibly confusing for professionals whose businesses are still getting off the ground.
If you’re unfamiliar with the ins-and-outs of accepting credit cards as a form of payment for your services, this overview can shed some light on the subject and help you make informed decisions about your company’s finances.
Credit Card Processing Terminology
Before delving into the dirty details surrounding credit card processing, here’s a quick glossary of industry jargon business owners are likely to encounter while learning about this facet of business finance.
Aggregators — Credit card processing services such as PayPal, Square, and Stripe that aren’t considered banks or financial institutions, yet which can create merchant accounts and process credit card transactions on behalf of businesses
Card Payment Brands — In the U.S., these include Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express
Payment Gateway — An e-commerce service provider that authorizes online credit card payments by transmitting a transaction from a merchant to a credit card processor
Issuing Bank — Any financial institution that issues credit cards to consumers
Merchant Bank — A financial institution that provides an array of merchant account services to facilitate transactions to bank accounts
POS Payment — Point-of-sale transactions that occur at a business’s physical location
Processor — A third-party that assumes the responsibilities of a merchant bank by conducting credit card transactions and routing payment details to an appropriate merchant account and payment network
How Small Businesses Can Accept Credit CardsWhen it comes to accepting credit cards from customers, modern businesses have several options regarding the method they choose. Here’s a quick look at the most common types of processing and how they compare.
Mobile Processing — Mobile credit card processing allows small businesses to accept credit or debit card payments via a smartphone or tablet instead of a traditional terminal or POS system.
Benefits
Mobile processing is far more versatile than its in-store counterpart.
In general, mobile processing is more affordable for businesses than systems tied to a specific location.
Business owners that use mobile processing have the freedom to accept credit cards from virtually any location.
Brick-and-mortar businesses can use mobile processing to establish additional checkout areas without requiring additional cash registers.
Mobile processing companies generally charge fewer and lower fees compared to traditional credit card processors.
Mobile processing makes it easy for customers to tip home-service professionals by providing preset percentages at the time of checkout.
Drawbacks
Mobile processing devices without printers could negatively affect the user experience by requiring customers to type in an email address or phone number in order to receive a receipt.
Although mobile credit card processing devices are usually less expensive than standard terminals, some processors charge several smaller fees that can quickly add up to a significant sum.
Online Processing — This safe and reliable method allows merchants to easily accept payments from buyers anywhere in the world, giving business owners more resources to devote to their companies’ growth.
Benefits
This option gives consumers a convenient way to pay for a product or service without requiring them to travel to a specific physical location.
By making it incredibly easy to pay for services, business owners can reduce — or even eliminate — the likelihood that customers will consider competitors.
Drawbacks
It’s possible that sensitive information, including credit card numbers, can be accessed — or even stolen — leaving businesses responsible for their customers’ security.
Cloud-based POS Processing — This flexible and affordable form of payment processing usually involves a combination of scanners, printers, and cash drawers as well as internet-connected devices such as smartphones and tablets.  
Benefits
Small business owners that use cloud-based POS processing can access sales data regardless of their location, and they can view the status of their inventory in real-time.
Most POS systems allow employees to split checks for customers and this technology makes it possible to establish and maintain loyalty programs, which can improve customer retention.
Drawbacks
If a company relies on a POS system that is hosted in the cloud, a poor internet connection could cripple its ability to process payments.
Traditional Terminal Processing — The standard method of payment processing used by businesses across various industries, traditional point-of-sale terminals allows customers to make everyday purchases using credit or debit cards.
Benefits
By leveraging digital wallets and contactless payments, business owners can use terminal processing to speed up the payment process by giving customers an effortless way to pay for products and services.
Drawbacks
Credit card fraud is still a common problem in today’s marketplace.
Terminal processing is often more expensive than other methods of payment.
The Best Ways for Small Businesses to Accept Credit Cards
So what’s the best way for home-service businesses to accept credit cards? The answer depends on a few different factors.
If, for instance, you’d like your workers to be able to accept credit card payments anytime and anywhere, your best bet is likely to be a mobile credit card processor. On the other hand, if you’d prefer to collect payment from your customers via your website (either before or after the services are rendered), an online processor is an ideal solution. And if your business sells products as well as services — a cloud-based POS processor might be an ideal fit. Also, if you desire to sell products alongside your services, a cloud-based POS system may allow you to integrate credit card transactions with your accounting software and CRM software to seamlessly merge data from offline and online sales.
Regardless of which method you choose to implement for your small business, it’s important to note that online payment processing systems are becoming increasingly necessary for home-service companies. If you want your business to remain relevant and competitive, a cloud-based processing solution can help your company appear every bit as efficient and professional as larger organizations.

Looking for a free credit card processor? At ZeroPoint, Our merchants are the reason we exist We understand the complex nature of running a business. We know at the end of the day we are all trying to what is best for our company and customers. Credit card processing is an overly complex system designed to confuse to the point of giving up trying to understand. At ZeroPoint we make it easy to accept credit cards with he best and most user-friendly Point of Sale, Credit Card Terminals, and Gateways for online orders. Having a safe and secure credit card processor that makes the entire process from start to finish easy and secure is what ZeroPoint strives to achieve every day.


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