iZettle is a free app that my banking consultant mate has recommended I try. I guess it is the merchant account and payments being reversed that has stopped me in the past. A cheque can be reversed up to 6 months; it doesn't actually clear.

I often do 2 or 3 jobs a day in a domestic environment and this would help. Technology moves on at a pace and I am asked about card payments regularly now, if not often.

Simon

Presumably you need to be either connected to a wireless network or have 3g coverage? Might be good for city folk, but not so sure for us bumpkins. I'd rather wait for a cheque or online payment I think, and save the 2.75% fee to boot.

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Regard
Richard (Dick)

www.rllewellyn.co.uk

This was mentioned to me recently.

If a tradesman handed me his smart phone saying "just swipe your card over this" I think I'd refuse point blank.

Perhaps it's just me being a sceptic. I'm sure this technology is galloping towards us over the horizon as we type.

S.

This was reveiwed in Professional Electrician & Installer a few issues back. Something similar to the OP's

Tradetill

The trade till offer was not as good as it appears. You have to request payment then customer has to download a email and then go online to make a payment - they might was well go straight to on-line banking and pay directly - at least that way you would avoid the costs. Also it won't help with some of our more technologically challenged customers.

I see PayPal will be offering a new method called "PayPal Here" - not available in the UK yet. It will be interesting to see what the charges are - in the past my experience is that PayPal are expensive!

Apparently when 4G gets rolled out the coverage will be far greater than the current 3G offering, so for us country "bumpkins" we might actually get a data signal in the sticks! Whereas the moment I feel lucky to have a voice signal never mind (E)dge or 3G.

So if 4G is as good as the hype then accepting payments via a 3G/4G PDQ terminal or phone might become mainstream. Until then I won't be taking mobile payments.

Edited: 07 March 2013 at 05:53 PM by sparkiemike

Although to be fair, even in the stick, its rare not to get any signal and I don't expect you need a super whapy data rate to take a card detail.

As a customer, I have come to accept that trades people are about the only people who still take cash and adjust my actions accordingly by going to the cash point but I must say I would prefer to pay by card like I do for everything else.


Daniel

On the contrary here. I hate taking cash. Clients assume it will entitle them to a discount, banks are a pain to get to durin opening hours to pay in, and tax man pokes his nose in too much. I'm happy with cheques and bacs!

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Regard
Richard (Dick)

www.rllewellyn.co.uk

Why pay for receiving money unnecessarily to a parasite. Cash, bank transfer using the internet/a branch counter, or reluctantly - cheques at a £5 charge! Invoices to state penalty and procedure for debt recovery for overdue payments.

Regards

I have taken card payments for years

I agree with the last post
I am doing a rewire this week and client called and asked how I wanted paid. I told her debit card is fine as it makes things easier for me

No waiting for things to clear (3 days for money to enter bank account, but all ok after that)

As far as charge backs go- not had 1 in 7 years. It is announced (before calls are connected) that all calls are recorded so this helps 'clarify' things

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baldelectrician.com

If it was a dedicated machine though, would you refuse?

I can understand reservation of an app completely. I like cheques. But nowadays I prefer people to transfer into my account. For now though, I still send out a stamped addressed envelope with my invoices.

I did a double take of myself only a few days ago though. Somebody asked me for a cheque because their chip and pin machine was broken and I felt stragely uncomfotable handing over a piece of paper with all my account details on it. The number on the debit card is not the account number and I do prefer that. Still got cloned though so horses for courses.

I'm not in the sticks, I'm 35 miles from the City of London. There are so many areas of no coverage near here so things need to improve on that front first. I have one bar on the phone right now....Yo!

Payment on the spot? Do you like it? I prefer to go home and prepare an invoice. On the spot I often find myself charging less than I do from the desk. Oh, just give me £50. I have shot myself in the foot quite a few times in the past by not charging properly on the spot.

But I expect it will come.

Zs

Edit: I definitely prefer cheques...I have been waiting for a payment from a foreign dignity who likes to play golf or something here and has a house nearby. Better not tell you who but the king of somewhere exotic and it is in today's post. It is like a work of art and almost too good to be written on. The more I look the more I see in the pictures on it. A high street bank no less, but a very special print run. We would lose that kind of thing and what would they do on Red nose day?

Edited: 07 March 2013 at 08:21 PM by Zs

Interesting thread, I was told about this app only yesterday as I was considering a card payment terminal for the van, I think they can be a bit harsh, I like Zs prefer the invoice in the post route and I send them by registered post to new customers and by post for regular customers stating payment in xx days etc, I prefer the BACS route rather than a Kite. I also no longer tolerate late payments and peruse late invoices with vigor and if needed pass on to my bank who chase them for me for the monthly fee I pay the credit focus scheme i am with, usually a letter from them is all it takes

I have also from day 1 included a customer satisfaction form which they return with my paid invoice.

Unlike many other of the local contractors I never get any "cash" always a kite or a BACS payment.

Regards

Daren

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..... Dont pee in my pocket and tell me its raining ......


www.quest-electrical-sw.co.uk

I work in Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire, loads of places without signal. I prefer send a invoice by email and then a bacs "faster payment"

Apple use the iPhone in store with an epos module affixed to it, it's very good same size as the phone, makes the phone about 1" 1/2 thick. Phone on one side card machine on other! I want one!

Seems to be an apple staff only device though.

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Regards

Martyn.

Only a mediocre person is always at their best



www.electrical contractors uk.com

Last year I had my annual grovel with my banks business manager.
He broached the subject about the ability to take card payments being an advantage. When I said that in 33 years trading I had only one customer who asked to pay by this method then he skipped on that.

Almost always cheque, sometimes cash

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Regards,
Ebee (M I S P N)

Knotted cables cause Lumpy Lektrik

Well I guess it depends on the job, for a big job, the invoice and cheque/bacs system work. I would rather have the invoice emailed to me, and would then opt to pay online if that was an option.

However for small jobs, like skiming the ceiling of one room, or replacing a bit of flashing, we're the money involved is sub £100 I just want to pay it there and then and be done with it, at which point, if the trade could take card on site it would be in my mind benificial and would also help to close out the 'cash jobs' culture for small jobs.

Yes there might be a cost for the service, as there is for using services such as paypal, but you are doing just that, paying for a service. I would say a couple of quid is justaficable expensise compaired to the hastle of handling cash or generating invoices and online payments, which as you highlight, is a pain for the tradesman as well as the customer.


Daniel