In today’s market, more and more consumers use credit/debit cards. This industry has seen exponential growth in recent years and the use of cards continues to grow. This has led businesses that traditionally didn’t accept credit cards to start taking a second look at merchant services.

We typically think of accepting credit cards as a practice used only by retail stores and restaurants. However, the speed and security of card use have made it a necessity for many other industries as well. Today, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, trade businesses and just about every other industry we can think of are starting to accept credit cards and for some it’s becoming so commonplace that not accepting plastic is holding their business back.

Many service professionals like to accept cash, but were previously forced to accept checks due to the high average price of the ticket or job. Checks can create a number of problems, from taking too long to process and deposit, to sometimes “bounce” and getting these funds back is often more trouble than its value. With credit cards a consumer now has various payment options available and the business has the advantage of having funds deposited electronically and more securely. With debit card usage continually reaching new all-time highs, it has become the consumer’s preferred method of payment.

Most of the time I hear from some businesses, especially those that don’t traditionally accept credit/debit cards, that decided to make the investment to accept cards, but saw little use and felt it was unsuccessful. First of all, I use the term “investment”, because that is exactly what we are doing to increase sales, security, etc. However, I have found that many business owners do very little to make customers aware that they even accept credit cards and it is not surprising that they do not achieve the desired results. For many service companies, accepting credit cards is something that can give them access to more customers and differentiate them from the competition. Actually, promoting that customers can easily pay with their credit or debit cards is something that companies should consider, because it can be the difference between a customer choosing your company or that of your competitors.

So, to summarize, if your business makes the investment to accept cards, then start thinking about what you can do to get the most ROI from your investment!