There was an example of customer relations that comes from the time before electronic payments. A gas station owner gave all the boys that operated the pumps stickers and a marker and told the boys to get to know the customer, and to write their name on the sticker and put it on the inside of the little door that covers the fuel cap. Then all they had to do when the return customer came back was to open up the door and say, “Fill ‘er up, Mr. Jones?” and the customer would feel good, and likely spend more, too.
Getting info and using it is as old a concept as customers themselves. What’s changed today is the number and sophistication of the tools available to us. With the best mobile POS systems (point of sale), you can truly leverage a dizzying amount of cloud-based tech, all of which can streamline and automate your daily operations. It can also help you know the people you serve. When you know a little more about your customer, your business thrives with more efficiency, and your customers end up feeling better too. Here are a few examples of what you can do with data to make your customers—and you—happy.
The right tools can help you with credit card payments for subscriptions. You’ll need to be able to securely store card data, based on the most recent PCI rules. When you do, you will then be able to automatically charge recurring payments, which is absolutely essential for anyone who charges monthly for subscriptions. There are even more little automations that become available with cloud-based business intelligence. For example, you can automatically send notices to update cards before they expire. Customers love this because it’s one less thing they have to think about to keep the many gears of their life turning as they should. You love this because it’s one less thing you’ll have to think about to keep the gears of your business turning as they should.
For invoiced payments that aren’t recurring, it can be a real pain staying on top of every unpaid invoice, and when to follow up about them. If you have 10 non-paying clients, you’d normally have to make 10 separate follow-up decisions, and send 10 separate follow-up emails. This takes time out of your day, and leaves room for forgetting and error. Cloud-based data and optimizations make it so that you simply have to make one decision, and set automated email follow-ups that get sent out automatically after a certain point that you decide. Your mind is thereby clear to make the dozens of other decisions that come with running a small business.
What about brick-and-mortar stores? Your relationship is especially important, because these are people that you see face to face. Just as with the marker and sticker at the gas station, collecting info can help you relate to your customer and tailor service to their needs. You can do this by enabling a rewards program that allows them to enter a phone number or otherwise sign in. You give them a discount or points, and then you in turn are able to see their purchases over times. The result? A better relationship, and an opportunity to check in, and upsell related items they might be interested in. Everybody wins.
The best first step to opening up the world of tech that’s available to you is to make sure you have the best mobile POS system. This becomes the hub of all the other cloud-based tech that your business depends on, and helps make sense of ALL your business sales. Want to learn more? Get in touch with Moolah today.
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A credit card surcharge is an additional fee added to a transaction when a patient chooses to pay with a credit card. The surcharge is intended to help offset the cost of credit card processing and applies only to eligible credit card transactions.
No. Debit card transactions may not be surcharged under any circumstances, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction or entered manually.
Yes. Credit card surcharges may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and are capped at a maximum of 3% of the total transaction amount, in accordance with card-network rules and applicable law.
Yes. Card networks require clear and transparent disclosure of any credit card surcharge. Practices must notify patients through appropriate signage at the practice entrance, point of sale, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, the surcharge must also be clearly disclosed on the practice’s website.
Yes. Some U.S. states and territories prohibit or restrict credit card surcharging. Practices are responsible for understanding and complying with their state’s specific requirements before implementing a surcharge.
No. While Moolah provides tools and general guidance to support credit card surcharging, compliance with all applicable laws and card-network rules is the responsibility of the merchant. Moolah does not provide legal advice and assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance.
Most major credit card networks permit surcharging when done in accordance with their rules, but additional requirements or restrictions may apply. Practices should ensure they have completed all required network notifications and disclosures prior to enabling surcharging.
Failure to comply with surcharging rules may result in card-network fines, required refunds, or other enforcement actions. Practices should ensure they fully understand all applicable requirements before applying a surcharge.
Flex does not currently offer built-in support for credit card surcharging. If a practice chooses to enroll in a surcharge plan, payments would need to be processed through Moolah’s payment platform, which is designed to support surcharging and integrates directly with Open Dental.
If you are considering introducing a credit card surcharge for your patients, it is important to understand that there are specific rules and regulations that must be followed when enrolling in and operating under a surcharge plan.
This article provides a general overview of common surcharging requirements. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. It is the responsibility of each merchant to review, understand, and comply with all applicable laws, card-network rules, and regulatory requirements, including notification timeframes, signage requirements, surcharge percentage limits, and jurisdictions where surcharging is prohibited.
If you are unsure about the laws or regulations applicable to your practice, you should consult with qualified legal counsel. Moolah assumes no liability for a merchant’s compliance or non-compliance with credit card surcharging rules or regulations.
Transparent Communication
Card networks, including Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express, require merchants to clearly and transparently disclose when a credit card surcharge is applied.
Practices must clearly notify patients of a credit card surcharge through appropriate signage placed at the practice entrance, at the point of sale or terminal, and anywhere payments are accepted. If payments are accepted online, surcharge disclosures must also be clearly visible on the practice’s website. All disclosures must inform patients that the surcharge applies only to credit card transactions.
Surcharge Limits
Credit card surcharges must comply with both card-network rules and applicable law. The surcharge amount may not exceed the merchant’s actual cost of accepting credit cards and may not exceed 3% of the total transaction amount.
Card-network rules cap credit card surcharges at 3%, meaning that if a merchant’s processing costs exceed this amount, the excess portion cannot be passed on to the patient.
Network and State Restrictions
The major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, impose specific requirements related to surcharge limits, advance notification, and disclosure.
In addition, several U.S. states and territories regulate or prohibit credit card surcharging. At the time of writing, credit card surcharging is prohibited in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Puerto Rico. Other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, and New York, impose restrictions on surcharge amounts or require specific disclosures.
If your practice operates in a state that restricts or prohibits credit card surcharging, you must fully understand and comply with those requirements before implementing a surcharge.
Debit card transactions may never be surcharged, even if the debit card is processed as a credit transaction.
Applicability
Credit card surcharges may be applied only to credit card transactions. Other payment types, including debit cards and alternative payment methods, are not eligible for surcharging.
Regulatory Compliance
Merchants are responsible for maintaining ongoing compliance with all applicable card-network and legal requirements. This includes meeting advance notification obligations, using compliant signage and disclosures, adhering to surcharge percentage limits, and respecting jurisdiction-specific restrictions.
By following these guidelines, dental practices can implement credit card surcharging in a way that aligns with card-network rules and promotes transparency with patients. Clear and upfront communication helps maintain patient trust and supports a positive payment experience.