High Speed Credit Card Processing ?

Bandara

Afternoon Gents,

Any advice much appreciated.

I currently operate my all credit cards through Elavon (a.k.a. complete morons put on this planet to p!ss me off on a daily basis)

Customer comes to till, puts card into machine, operator types in amount and then they both spend about 25 seconds staring at each other waiting for the poxy machione to Dial, Process, Authorise and then the slowest printer on earth spits out two copies of the receipt, the last of which is the customers so he/she has to wait for the first one to clear before he can get his.

While all this pantomine is going on the other 5 people behind our Credit Card wielding friend are getting bored, pissed off, and in some cases decided not to bother waiting and walking out. Also when people are walking in they are jumping straight onto the queue before it gets any bigger and thus I'm losing any hope of an impulse buy.

Invariably what happens then is the person 2nd in the queue also has wants to pay by card and it all starts over again. The units I have are Euroconex Hypercom ICE 5500's.

Can someone please advise how do I get things sped up and get a system like I have seen in any of the duty free airport shops where the entire transaction takes about 10 seconds compared to my 45 seconds? The issue is not just getting broadband installed, the speed the bloody thing I have at the minute prints out at is ridiculous.

Thanks.

p.s. I have wasted several hours of my life on the phone to Elav-Moron. Without success unsurprisingly as they have no idea what they are talking about.

FusionNet

this is something I was only thinking about yesterday myself. I install IT systems and telco systems for businesses and have often had to install credit card machines and configure them. I always found it fasinating that it takes so long. the ones I would have used all used analogue lines, manually dial into a computer and get authorization or not and then as you say the printing.

The whole Idea to me for laser etc was to be able to pay for stuff as quick if not quicker than cash. Instead laser and CC take longer than if you counted out pennies!!

I was about to investigate this so if I have any news in the next week or so Ill repost. Can you tell me, is your CC machine a stand alone unit or have you it built into your tills?

Bandara

FusionNet wrote: »

this is something I was only thinking about yesterday myself. I install IT systems and telco systems for businesses and have often had to install credit card machines and configure them. I always found it fasinating that it takes so long. the ones I would have used all used analogue lines, manually dial into a computer and get authorization or not and then as you say the printing.

The whole Idea to me for laser etc was to be able to pay for stuff as quick if not quicker than cash. Instead laser and CC take longer than if you counted out pennies!!

I was about to investigate this so if I have any news in the next week or so Ill repost. Can you tell me, is your CC machine a stand alone unit or have you it built into your tills?

Great thanks for that, they are a stand alone units.

Your right about the whole Laser thing being unless, my phone lines went down a while back and we reverted back to the old wipe card system of years ago for the credit cards. It was quicker to swipe the card and handwrite in the transaction docket than it was to do the chip and pin method !

Up to 3 years ago the bank used give you a floor limit of about 125 quid which meant there was no delay in amounts below this, it was approved instantly, but they done away with that since our nigerian friends started taking the p!ss and hitting them for thousdans each day .

dh0661

FusionNet wrote: »

I was about to investigate this so if I have any news in the next week or so Ill repost. Can you tell me, is your CC machine a stand alone unit or have you it built into your tills?

Can I express an interest here also, for stand alone unit.

PaulieWalnuts

There are now broadband terminals (Hypercom T4220)available with Elavon...so if you already have broadband this is definately the way to go. Very quick printers on these too.

T4220 also are available on PSTN so you can stay with your phone line. Obviously its going to be slower this way and depends a lot on the quality of your phone line.

But my advise is to get onto Elavon and get a Hypercom T4220 whichever option you choose.

Tony

You might also talk to realex for any possible solution, I use them in realtime via the internet.

m5ex9oqjawdg2i

When I was in America, I used my credit card a few times. I was amazed at how fast it was, it was just like using cash. One swipe and I signed on a digital thingy, finished. I was very surprised. Why don't we have this technology???

Omnipresence

Yeah would like to know what the story is ... probably just the usual Irish story of some provider having a monopoly here ?

Mickk

Hammertime wrote: »

Afternoon Gents,

Any advice much appreciated.

I currently operate my all credit cards through Elavon (a.k.a. complete morons put on this planet to p!ss me off on a daily basis)

Customer comes to till, puts card into machine, operator types in amount and then they both spend about 25 seconds staring at each other waiting for the poxy machione to Dial, Process, Authorise and then the slowest printer on earth spits out two copies of the receipt, the last of which is the customers so he/she has to wait for the first one to clear before he can get his.

While all this pantomine is going on the other 5 people behind our Credit Card wielding friend are getting bored, pissed off, and in some cases decided not to bother waiting and walking out. Also when people are walking in they are jumping straight onto the queue before it gets any bigger and thus I'm losing any hope of an impulse buy.

Invariably what happens then is the person 2nd in the queue also has wants to pay by card and it all starts over again. The units I have are Euroconex Hypercom ICE 5500's.

Can someone please advise how do I get things sped up and get a system like I have seen in any of the duty free airport shops where the entire transaction takes about 10 seconds compared to my 45 seconds? The issue is not just getting broadband installed, the speed the bloody thing I have at the minute prints out at is ridiculous.

Thanks.

p.s. I have wasted several hours of my life on the phone to Elav-Moron. Without success unsurprisingly as they have no idea what they are talking about.

I bank with BOI but took great pleasure in changing to Ulsterbank Merchant Services (streamline in the UK). Elavon asked me to fax them a headed paper letter telling them to cancel the account so I just said I want to cancel all my accounts with you because your company is the worst I have ever dealt with. If you want your terminals back send a courier to get them.

Its not that I think they would care it just felt good. They never even bothered to ask about the terminals, same as yours the ICE 5500's. Think they are fairly old terminals, they used to print out the merchant reciept first because the customer used to have to sign it and the cashier check the sig before the sale was finalised and the customers reciept was then printed but with chip and pin the customers should come out first...

Checkout if streamline do a broadband terminal, the printer on the new terminals are alot quicker but it's not a big deal for me.

Bandara

Mickk wrote: »

I bank with BOI but took great pleasure in changing to Ulsterbank Merchant Services (streamline in the UK). Elavon asked me to fax them a headed paper letter telling them to cancel the account so I just said I want to cancel all my accounts with you because your company is the worst I have ever dealt with. If you want your terminals back send a courier to get them.

Its not that I think they would care it just felt good. They never even bothered to ask about the terminals, same as yours the ICE 5500's. Think they are fairly old terminals, they used to print out the merchant reciept first because the customer used to have to sign it and the cashier check the sig before the sale was finalised and the customers reciept was then printed but with chip and pin the customers should come out first...

Checkout if streamline do a broadband terminal, the printer on the new terminals are alot quicker but it's not a big deal for me.

Mick

how long does it take the funds to go into your account though? seeing as your payments are coming from a different bank I presume it takes the standard 3 days until you receive them?

I used be with AIB a long time ago and changed to boi (who are my bank) as if I receive a CC payment it only takes until the following day to actually be in my account. I'm doing up to of 50k a day in card transactions between the 2 companies that I'm having this issue with and having a cash flow block of 3 days it not really a runner.

I'm nearly stuck with the boi to avoid this I fear.

DubTony

I use Ulster Bank for my cc processing and bank with BOI. I'm almost sure payments go through overnight. I don't have a statement to hand, I'll check it in the next few days. It's never been an issue for me as my cc takings are usually a little less than 50K... eh ... €50 a day.

GerardKeating

Hammertime wrote: »

Can someone please advise how do I get things sped up and get a system like I have seen in any of the duty free airport shops where the entire transaction takes about 10 seconds compared to my 45 seconds? The issue is not just getting broadband installed, the speed the bloody thing I have at the minute prints out at is ridiculous.

I've seen a lot of Merchants with nice AIB bluetooth hand held terminals and they seem quite fast.

Tony

I'd be interested in this also if you could check it out, thanks

DubTony wrote: »

I use Ulster Bank for my cc processing and bank with BOI. I'm almost sure payments go through overnight. I don't have a statement to hand, I'll check it in the next few days. It's never been an issue for me as my cc takings are usually a little less than 50K... eh ... €50 a day.

DubTony

OK, UBMS to BOI takes 2 days normally. So, transactions at cc machine on 21/1/09 showed up on statement as a Payment-In on 23/1/09. However at the weekend that slow right down. Transactions on Fri. sometimes Pay-In on Monday and sometimes Tuesday, and transactions on Sat. and Sun. all show as Payments-In on Tuesday. When there's a holiday this might take an extra day. i.e. Friday transactions may not go through till Tuesday. Not sure about Sat. and Sun. (My cc dockets get checked, bagged and tagged and go in that box marked "Do Not Open Ever ... UNLESS")

Looks like they give the computers the weekends off as well. It really does make the whole thing quite laughable. Aren't all transactions verified and authorised now at the time of purchase?

Bandara

DubTony wrote: »

OK, UBMS to BOI takes 2 days normally. So, transactions at cc machine on 21/1/09 showed up on statement as a Payment-In on 23/1/09. However at the weekend that slow right down. Transactions on Fri. sometimes Pay-In on Monday and sometimes Tuesday, and transactions on Sat. and Sun. all show as Payments-In on Tuesday. When there's a holiday this might take an extra day. i.e. Friday transactions may not go through till Tuesday. Not sure about Sat. and Sun. (My cc dockets get checked, bagged and tagged and go in that box marked "Do Not Open Ever ... UNLESS")

Looks like they give the computers the weekends off as well. It really does make the whole thing quite laughable. Aren't all transactions verified and authorised now at the time of purchase?

Cheers for checking that Tony, its pretty much what I thought.

And If I remember rightly even on the day that the payments do hit your account its about 3pm when they come through as the banks run their batch processing in the afternoon.

So I have to finance Friday, Saturday, sunday and Mondays transaction until some clown hits a button on Tuesday afternoon and decides to actually pay me the money.

The sooner the unions and the oldtime attitudes etc get f**ked out of the banks the better, the fact that banks do not do Saturday openings, do not open from 9-5.30 monday to friday and still, in 2009 loads of them still close the foreign exchange and coin windows from 12-2pm so the staff can go on their lunch, it absolutely disgraceful.

Have they never heard of organising a roster and working towards providing a better service?

This civil service style of operation in this countries banks really pi**es me off.

Sorry, rant over.

Thumbprint

I have an interest in these also.

I saw a while back a Pizza Delivery man call in next door with a hand held card reader.

How does this work, and would they be expensive to buy and set up?

wyndham

Currently paying a hefty €30 per month terminal rental. Anyone explored the notion of purchasing a terminal?

Bandara

wyndham wrote: »

Currently paying a hefty €30 per month terminal rental. Anyone explored the notion of purchasing a terminal?

I've never even been charged for the terminals (by BOI or AIB), (or the terminal rolls for that matter)

Who are you with?

DubTony

Hammertime wrote: »

I've never even been charged for the terminals (by BOI or AIB), (or the terminal rolls for that matter)

That's cos you put a gazillion euro a year through them. I pay Ulster Bank just inder €20 a month for that silly terminal you have to hand to the customer every time.

wyndham

Hammertime wrote: »

I've never even been charged for the terminals (by BOI or AIB), (or the terminal rolls for that matter)

Who are you with?

BOI/Elavon

Wouldn't have huge volume of sales through it, maybe 200/300 transactions per month. You have a high volume. Petrol station? Seems like money down the sh1tter for me, c €400 a year.

DubTony

I just had a thought? At the risk of pulling this thread off topic, what rates are you guys paying? I'm on 1.75% on credit cards and 19c per Laser transaction.

wyndham

1.5% and 19c per laser. 0.7% for Visa Business and Premium Personal cards.

Tony

What processor do you use? I use elavon and am paying 2.59 % plus extra "exception charges" . all my trade is internet based.

DubTony wrote: »

I just had a thought? At the risk of pulling this thread off topic, what rates are you guys paying? I'm on 1.75% on credit cards and 19c per Laser transaction.

Bandara

DubTony wrote: »

I just had a thought? At the risk of pulling this thread off topic, what rates are you guys paying? I'm on 1.75% on credit cards and 19c per Laser transaction.

Good idea Tony.

I pay 1.25% CC and 15c Laser, I use Elavon.

As an aside and while we are on the subject what bank fees are you all paying?

To lodge cash I pay 8 cent per €100
Items lodged for clearance I pay 20c
Account maintenance monthyly fee €5.25

Direct debits 24c each
paper/staff assistaed transactions 37 cent

mtherese

Hi if you don't mind I'd like to join in here.

We have a newish seasonal restaurant and we're currently paying 2.8% cc with AIB and 25e monthly terminal rental (we only open 4-5 months a year currently so already a big waste here). I have to look into it to see what processing company they're using. So I would also be interested in know if anyone has managed to buy a terminal rather than rent.

AIB have said that surprisingly they only deal offer terminals for use with analog phone lines.
We don't have a phone line in our business building so our terminal is hooked up to a phone line in another building. We use the non-electronic old swipe contraption in the restaurant and then manually enter the credit card numbers after service in the other building. Complete waste of time and risky too.
So I'm currently looking into working out a solution that uses either broadband or mobile phone technology for processing the cards in realtime in the restaurant. On top of that we need a bluetooth terminal to be able to bring the terminal to the tables for pin entry.

You guys mostly seem to be on Avalon through BOI or UB, and Avalon don't sound like the best people to deal with.

Any other suggestions? Thanks

Tony

I think you should talk to realex who could possibly set you up with a virtual terminal over broadband, this would be separate to your merchant account but will intergrate with it.

mtherese wrote: »

Hi if you don't mind I'd like to join in here.

We have a newish seasonal restaurant and we're currently paying 2.8% cc with AIB and 25e monthly terminal rental (we only open 4-5 months a year currently so already a big waste here). I have to look into it to see what processing company they're using. So I would also be interested in know if anyone has managed to buy a terminal rather than rent.

AIB have said that surprisingly they only deal offer terminals for use with analog phone lines.
We don't have a phone line in our business building so our terminal is hooked up to a phone line in another building. We use the non-electronic old swipe contraption in the restaurant and then manually enter the credit card numbers after service in the other building. Complete waste of time and risky too.
So I'm currently looking into working out a solution that uses either broadband or mobile phone technology for processing the cards in realtime in the restaurant. On top of that we need a bluetooth terminal to be able to bring the terminal to the tables for pin entry.

You guys mostly seem to be on Avalon through BOI or UB, and Avalon don't sound like the best people to deal with.

Any other suggestions? Thanks

mtherese

Thanks Tony! I'll try realex.

I eventually got onto AIB Credit Cards Head Office in Dublin and got some more info. Their merchant services partner company in the UK had said they only deal with phone line terminals. However the AIB office put me in touch with Integral who they currently liaise with when somebody requires a broadband / GPRS terminal.
The catch is the cost to buy these terminals is approx e800 (made up of terminal special router and set up charge) and there's a e20 a month hosting fee to pay to integral ON TOP OF the same e25 (+Vat) monthly fee to pay to AIB. Alternatively you can rent the terminal for e39/44 a month but again there is the further e20 and e25 monthly charges on top of that.

AIB are working on developing their own broadband/GPRS terminals (probably with their main existing merchant services partner) but it won't be ready til the end of the summer. Possibly when they introduce that it will just be the e25 monthly charge (which is way too much anyway considering the money the bank makes on the transactions!)

Still working on it coz would like to sort it out asap but not about to pay e800 and 45 a month on top of that.

Will post if I get anymore info that may be of interest...

GerardKeating

Hammertime wrote: »

So I have to finance Friday, Saturday, sunday and Mondays transaction until some clown hits a button on Tuesday afternoon and decides to actually pay me the money.

Actually the "monkey" is a computer, most of the processing is automated.

Hammertime wrote: »

The sooner the unions and the oldtime attitudes etc get f**ked out of the banks the better, the fact that banks do not do Saturday openings, do not open from 9-5.30 monday to friday and still, in 2009 loads of them still close the foreign exchange and coin windows from 12-2pm so the staff can go on their lunch, it absolutely disgraceful.

Have they never heard of organising a roster and working towards providing a better service?

This civil service style of operation in this countries banks really pi**es me off.

Sorry, rant over.

Ranting at the wrong person. The Card associations like Visa and Mastercard only settle on a five day cycle, so nothing the irish banks can do to change this, also they tend to settle to the merchant BEFORE they get the money from Visa/Mastercard.

GerardKeating

Tony wrote: »

What processor do you use? I use elavon and am paying 2.59 % plus extra "exception charges" . all my trade is internet based.

Do elavon provide an address verification service?

Some do (Ulster Bank i think). This can reduce the risk of internet based trade and so the charges.

Branoic

wyndham wrote: »

1.5% and 19c per laser. 0.7% for Visa Business and Premium Personal cards.

Are you sure that's not 0.7% extra for business and premium cards, ie, 2.2%?

This was the business / premium charge Elavon used to have, and it's gone up to 1% extra for new accounts now.

Also, on the terminals, yeah the ICE 5500 is a very old model. As mentioned you could replace it for an analogue or broadband T4220. Rental on those is about €22 - €25 with Elavon now, but expect to also pay a €150 fee for upgrading.

ismise69

In fairness guys Elavon aint that bad, (as an ex employee i know how they work)
If you're wanting an new application, remember to ask your sales rep about having more than 1 terminal, this might reduce your rates, and depending on how many cards you process, could work out more lucritave in the long run for yourself, sure you'll be paying rental for extra terminals, but if it means lower rates then happy days, just make sure you can afford it by means of transactions,
Terminal Types:
remember, state what type of phone lines you have on your premisis, you wouldnt beleive the amount of people who order terminal and get set up with them and then don't have compatible phone lines, so the going ones are PSTN(Analogue) & IP(An IP Questionnaire will have to be filled out if going IP)
In my opinion the T4220IP(Comes in PSTN also) is the best going, optional external pin pad.
There are also the M series(Portable terminals)
M4230 GPRS
M4240 Available over PSTN & IP

The going rate for transactions when i left was:
Visa & MC roughly around 2 - 2.1% per transaction
Debit cards 25c per transaction this can go as low as 12c - Haggle, but also remember, that this is not a free service, Elavon mostly make their money from Rates, Terminal rental & an account processing fee (MSC) its a monthly fee for servicing your account.

There are also Exception fees, these were hidden, but with new PC Compliancy, All customers of Elavon must be complient, they're pretty much saying that the best and most secure way to take a transaction is with the customer present, chip and pin. obviously for mail order sales there are exceptions, and Elavon allow this. Just make sure that you're processing with all the information inputted into the right sections of your terminal, any questions most of the tech help-desk are very knowledgeable, contact is: 1850 20 21 20
I also beleive that they are the only merchant provider that can supply individual funding, this means that anyone in any country can be funded in any country and in any currency depending on their needs, this was the IPP Conversion that was discussed in another thread.

They also offer an imerchant connect facility, this is a free of charge service they provide to all merchants who request it, its a handy little tool, allows you to view transactions and batches in relation to your account however many merchant accounts you have..

so the 5 main things to remember when are:
1. Ask your sales rep everything about the application, even scan and keep the original app when the sales rep sends it to you, keep your own copy..
(get a contact name and number also to follow up enrolment)
2. get the best possible terminal for your service required, in my opinion get IP terminals, quicker, and no phone lines needed, plug into your router and away you go.
(ensure terminal is suitable for your line usage)
3. Call the help-desk early, get to know one particular agent, and be nice, they tend to help you more that way.
4. Any changes made to your account need to be in writing.
(a fax on letter headed paper with you account number and signature will cover this)
5. Changing your bank account details?
(let them know first, otherwise your account will be on hold due to redirects)

Elavon do provide a AVS(address verification service) but you have to make sure that your Terminal provider(realex or any other 3rd party) have this option available also, no point in your merchant processor (Elavon) having it if the option on the terminal isn't there.

*Hammer*
Get in touch, drop me a mail, and i'll give you some hints and tips, ways to get things sorted, provided you're still with them of course.

In reply to the pizza guy delivery hand held unit.
thats a GPRS terminal, works off of the Vodafone network, and works just as good as the IP Terminals, wheras it also dials to the IP Address of Elavon for processing. Plus its portable within your operating country

Also, you don't ever want to buy a terminal, if it breaks they won't replace it for free, so why pay 300 quid for something that could break in two days??, i'd rather rent and know that i can have another one within 24 - 48 hours.


anyone any questions, drop me a line.

Sincerely

R

Victor

Hammertime wrote: »

The sooner the unions

I don't think its the unions - its the banks are remarkably conservative and a slow to change anything.

and still, in 2009 loads of them still close the foreign exchange and coin windows from 12-2pm so the staff can go on their lunch, it absolutely disgraceful.

This is so they can focus on ordinary customers.

stepbar

Hammertime wrote: »

So I have to finance Friday, Saturday, sunday and Mondays transaction until some clown hits a button on Tuesday afternoon and decides to actually pay me the money.

The sooner the unions and the oldtime attitudes etc get f**ked out of the banks the better, the fact that banks do not do Saturday openings, do not open from 9-5.30 monday to friday and still, in 2009 loads of them still close the foreign exchange and coin windows from 12-2pm so the staff can go on their lunch, it absolutely disgraceful.

Have they never heard of organising a roster and working towards providing a better service?

This civil service style of operation in this countries banks really pi**es me off.

Sorry, rant over.

Believe me if the banks opened on a Sat the cost would be passed on to customers as I can guarentee you the unions (and staff may I add) would want staff to be compensated (above normal daily wages) for working on a Sat. Believe me when I say this, the BOI branch network is fairly lean as it is. I don't think it would be feasible to close a half day on a monday or something like that.

As for the FX / Coin desk closing for lunch, it's not the case in the bigger BOI branches in Dublin. Anyhow, have you mentioned this to your Business Manager? Maybe he/she could setup an arrangement with a nearby branch whose FX / coin desk stays open for lunch?