Frequently Asked Questions
Merchant Services (Credit/Debit Payment Processing)
Q: What is a merchant account and why do I need one?
A: A merchant account lets your business accept card payments and receive deposits to your bank. It’s the behind‑the‑scenes account that moves money from your customer’s card to your business after fees and risk checks.
Q: How are processing fees structured?
A: The most transparent model is interchange-plus: network interchange (set by Visa/Mastercard/Amex/Discover) + a small processor markup. Alternatives include flat-rate and tiered pricing. We’ll estimate your effective rate (total fees ÷ total card sales) and optimize based on your ticket size and industry.
Q: What’s the difference between card-present and card-not-present?
A:Card-present (in-store, tap/insert/swipe) typically has lower risk and lower interchange. Card-not-present (eCommerce, keyed entry, phone orders) has higher risk and higher fees. Using tokenized invoices or secure checkout can reduce risk and cost.
Q: Can I add a surcharge or offer a cash discount?
A: Surcharging (adding a fee to credit card payments) and cash-discount programs are regulated and vary by card brand and state. If offered, they must be disclosed clearly and configured correctly. We’ll help you choose a compliant program or alternate savings strategies.
Q: How fast do I get my funds?
A: Standard funding is T+1 or T+2 business days. Same‑day and next‑day funding may be available based on risk profile and cutoff times.
Q: Do you support contactless (tap) and digital wallets?
A: Yes—Apple Pay, Google Pay, and NFC tap are supported on compatible terminals and POS.
Q: What security measures do you provide?
A: EMV chip, PCI compliance guidance, point‑to‑point encryption (P2PE), tokenization, and fraud tools like AVS, CVV, 3‑D Secure for online. We also assist with PCI SAQ completion annually.
Hardware for Credit Card Processing
Q: Which terminals do you offer?
A: We support popular EMV/NFC terminals and smart terminals (e.g., countertop, portable/wireless, and PIN pads). Options include Wi‑Fi, Ethernet, and LTE models.
Q: Should I buy or lease hardware?
A: Buying typically costs less over time. Leasing can spread costs but often exceeds hardware value. We’ll provide both options and a total cost comparison.
Q: Can I use my existing terminal?
A: Often yes if it’s EMV/NFC capable and not processor‑locked. We’ll check firmware compatibility and certification.
Q: Do you support mobile readers?
A: Yes—Bluetooth or Lightning/USB‑C readers for phones/tablets are available for on‑the‑go or line‑busting needs.
Q: What about receipts and connectivity?
A: We offer terminals with built‑in printers, external printers, and emailed/texted receipts. Connectivity options: Ethernet, Wi‑Fi, or cellular. We’ll match the device to your environment and backup plan.
Point of Sale (POS)
Q: What’s the difference between a terminal and a POS?
A: A terminal is primarily for taking payments. A POS includes inventory, customer management, staff permissions, reporting, and integrations (accounting, online ordering, etc.).
Q: Do you have industry‑specific POS setups?
A: Yes—for retail (SKUs, barcodes, exchanges), restaurants (menu, modifiers, coursing, KDS, tipping), services (appointments, memberships), and nonprofits (donations).
Q: Can my POS work offline?
A: Many POS systems support offline mode for queued transactions; they process automatically when internet returns. We’ll configure safe limits and risk settings.
Q: Do you integrate with eCommerce and online ordering?
A: Yes—options include native web stores, third‑party carts, QR ordering, and delivery integrations. Inventory sync keeps stock accurate across channels.
Q: What about tipping, service charges, and taxes?
A: We configure compliant tip workflows, automatic service charges, and sales tax settings per location—including tip pooling and tip‑out reporting if needed.
Accounting & Bookkeeping
Q: Do you integrate with QuickBooks, Xero, or other accounting tools?
A: Yes—we set up automatic reconciliation for daily batches, fees, and chargebacks to reduce manual entries and errors.
Q: What bookkeeping services do you provide?
A: Monthly/weekly bookkeeping, bank/credit card reconciliations, A/R and A/P, financial statements (P&L, Balance Sheet, Cash Flow), and close support.
Q: Can you clean up historical books?
A: Absolutely. We handle cleanups, catch‑ups, and re‑classifications, then implement controls to keep books current.
Q: Do you handle sales tax filings?
A: Yes—nexus review, rate setup, and filings. For multi‑state operations, we’ll configure POS and accounting to track correctly.
Q: Will you help me read my financials?
A: We provide simple dashboards and regular reviews—highlighting margins, labor cost, COGS, cash runway, and break‑even so you can make fast decisions.
Payroll Services
Q: What’s included with payroll?
A: New‑hire onboarding, time tracking integrations, automated payroll runs, direct deposit, tax withholdings and filings, W‑2/1099, PTO tracking, and employee self‑service.
Q: Can you set up benefits and deductions?
A: Yes—health, HSA/FSA, retirement (401k), wage garnishments, and custom earnings/deductions, with correct GL mapping to accounting.
Q: Do you support multi‑state payroll and varying pay schedules?
A: Yes—we configure state tax accounts, unemployment insurance, and different pay frequencies (weekly/biweekly/semimonthly).
Q: How do you handle tips for restaurants and salons?
A: We support tip declaration, allocation, tip credit rules, and accurate reporting to stay compliant while minimizing admin overhead.
Q: What about contractor payments (1099)?
A: We manage onboarding (W‑9), payments, and year‑end 1099 issuance, integrated with your books.
Business Assistance Services
Q: What kind of business support do you offer?
A: Entity setup guidance, EIN help, business licensing checklists, bank account setup support, payment policy design, SOPs, KPI dashboards, and light advisory (pricing, cost control, cash flow planning).
Q: Can you help me switch providers or migrate systems?
A: Yes—data migration (inventory, customers, vendors), device rollouts, staff training, go‑live support, and side‑by‑side reconciliation for a smooth transition.
Q: Do you help with chargeback management and fraud prevention?
A: We implement best practices (clear descriptors, receipts, signatures where applicable, AVS/CVV/3DS for online) and manage representments with templates and documentation.
Q: Do you provide training?
A: Comprehensive staff training: POS workflows, end‑of‑day reconciliation, deposit verification, cash management, PCI basics, and data hygiene in accounting.
Q: Can you help me improve cash flow?
A: Yes—by optimizing settlement timing, setting smart invoice terms, enabling partial/recurring payments, tightening A/R follow‑ups, negotiating cost‑effective processing, and tracking KPIs.
Compliance & Risk (Quick Answers)
Q: What is PCI compliance and how hard is it?
A: PCI is the card security standard. We reduce scope with EMV/NFC, encryption, and tokenization, then guide you through the right SAQ (short questionnaire) annually—usually 15–45 minutes.
Q: How do you reduce chargebacks?
A: Clear policies, customer communication, detailed receipts, AVS/CVV for online, and consistent fulfillment. We set up alerts and response procedures.
Q: Are there long‑term contracts or cancellation fees?
A: We can provide month‑to‑month options. If a contract is preferred (e.g., to subsidize hardware), we’ll outline terms clearly.
Pricing & Getting Started
Q: How do you price your services?
A: Payment processing: interchange‑plus or flat‑rate. Hardware: purchase or financed. POS: software subscription per register/location. Bookkeeping/payroll: fixed monthly packages with tiered service levels. Business assistance: project‑based or retainer. We’ll quote based on your volume, locations, and needs.
Q: What do you need from me to start?
A: Basic business info (legal name, EIN, ownership), a recent processing statement (if any), current tech stack, average ticket, and monthly volume. For payroll/bookkeeping, prior reports and system access.
Q: How long does setup take?
A: Simple terminal setups: 1–3 business days. POS with inventory: 1–2 weeks. Bookkeeping cleanups: depends on scope (often 2–6 weeks). Payroll: 3–10 business days including tax account setup.
Add‑Ons & Integrations
eCommerce & invoicing (checkout, Pay by Link, subscriptions)
Inventory/barcode setup & cycle counts
Time tracking integration for payroll
Customer loyalty & gift cards
Analytics dashboards (sales, labor %, COGS, cash flow)
Industry reporting (restaurant: menu mix, voids; retail: sell‑through, GMROI)
Quick Glossary
Interchange: Base fee set by card networks, varies by card type and risk.
Effective rate: Total fees/total card sales.
EMV: Chip-card standard for in‑person payments.
NFC: Contactless (tap) payments like Apple Pay/Google Pay.
Tokenization: Replaces card data with a secure token; reduces PCI scope.
3‑D Secure: Extra cardholder authentication for online transactions to reduce fraud.