Can Our Customers Pay Us with a Link?
Accept Credit Cards and ACH Payments via a “Payment Link” Instead of over the Phone
A common request we hear from businesses is to have a “link” or button where customers can securely pay without having to call in their credit cards. The great news is that there are many “out of the box” solutions available today that allow businesses of all sizes to accept payments electronically and in a more secure way that is better for themselves and their customers!
Why You, and Your Customers Will Love the Ability to Pay with a Link
If you don’t have the option to see your customer face to face it presents several challenges when it comes to getting paid. Fraud becomes more of a threat when you cannot verify an ID or signature with a credit card and accept payments on a website, through the mail, or over the phone. Moreover, for many merchants it can be a challenge just to get in contact with the person who is responsible for payment.
Customers love the ability to pay via a secure link because they often pay bills on their own schedule. With more and more people working flexible hours from home, the ability to let your customers pay via a link in an email or on a website at 11PM after the kids are asleep makes their life a little easier. Many solutions like CardConnect’s Hosted Payment Page and Paycove allow customers to choose whether to pay via Credit Card or ACH. Those options can be customized to help incentivize clients to pay via ACH or eCheck, which have substantially fewer fees. Businesses love these solutions because they help them get paid quicker, with far less effort and at a lower cost!
Secure Links for Payment can Help Reduce PCI DSS Scope
Another way to reduce or eliminate PCI scope is to use a PCI compliant payment link and send it to your customers to complete the transaction. Having customers pay via a secure link instead of over the phone or through the mail helps reduce liability and threats from hackers, making payments more secure for you and your customers.
When you take a payment over the phone, it can bring not only the device you use to take that payment, but your entire office and network into PCI DSS Scope. In order to be PCI compliant, all devices that are used to accept payments, including a keyboard if you use your computer to “key-in” a credit card, must be segmented on your network and follow strict guidelines and scans. Another solution to take cards over the phone is a verified Point-to-Point Encryption (P2PE) pan pad, key-pad or device.
