Reduce the risk of accepting credit cards with these tips for summer resident camps. How many people who handle credit card processing really understand PCI Compliance? Below I list some do’s, dont’s and solutions that really work.
Best practices for payment PROCESSING TIPS FOR CAMP ORGANIZATIONS:
DEPOSITS: To accept reservation deposits, the merchant must clearly state the rules for refunds whether online or via mail in form. Does your system allow refunds to occur without a corresponding sale? Ask me about solutions that block this type of transaction and also control who can perform refunds. Do not refund a credit card if the original transaction was a check.
MAIL IN FORMS:
- Do not ask customers to put their security code on the mail order form. It’s just too high of a risk. Remember, the 3-4 digit security codes (CVV, CID) never affects your credit card processing costs.
- Create a form that enables you to shred the card data, yet still maintain the rest of the information you need, including signature.
- If applicable, ask the customer for permission to allow you to rebill their credit card with whatever terms you want to create. A simple check box works great. Instead of storing card data, use Tokenization for recurring billing or rebilling.
PHONE ORDERS AND COLLECTIONS
It happens all the time. The date when final funds needs to be received has arrived. Who calls who is irrelevant. If the customer wants to give you the information over the phone, how are you obtaining it? In most cases, the phone order taker simply writes it down on a piece of paper. The information is then used to process the payment later, whether after hanging up or by someone else in the office. How often is that card data then immediately put into a cross cut shredder to destroy it?
RECOMMENDATION: Have the phone operator enter the card data into a virtual terminal (VT). The VT is a secure web page in which you enter transaction information. If that person is not authorized to run transactions, we have a solution that enables the operator to enter the card data and get an immediate authorization, and the proper personnel can process the transaction later. The receipt can be automatically emailed to the customer, or you can print and put in the mail.
ECOMMERCE: Don’t choose a payment processor just because they have a solution for your ecommerce needs. There are several excellent gateways to choose from for online payments, so the processor and gateway need not be the same and in my experience they almost always have higher costs. Even though I could offer a single solution myself, I never tie the two together. Keeping them separate gives you the most flexibility over time. I liken it to getting free equipment. There’s a catch and it’s usually not to your benefit.
COSTS: Is your account set up the best way to qualify for the lowest rates for your type of organization? How do you know? In most cases you need a MOTO account, which stands for mail order, telephone order. Did you know it’s a violation to accept payments on your web site with a MOTO account? Merchants are required to have an ECOMMERCE designated account to accept payments online.
Payment processing is very complex and the nature of a business that gets the bulk of its payments in a short window only makes it harder for personnel to keep up with all the latest information.
Our team can help you with data security, compliance, cost control, and any other issues you face regarding payment collection, especially with temporary summer personnel.
Related articles:
Should you require CVV or AVS for phone orders?
2009 story on credit card processing for summer camps.
Want a FREE Camper Reservation Order Form makeover? Fax your existing form with FREE MAKEOVER on the cover sheet to 954-942-9804 and I’ll mark it up with recommended changes to improve your PCI DSS Compliance at no cost! Include your merchant statement(s) along with total annual volume and I’ll send you a video report you can view at your leisure that clearly identifies areas for improvement including cost savings.
