Payment Alliance International >>> the power of payment

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Credit Cards

Accept Credit Cards

Credit card acceptance has evolved dramatically since the introduction of Diners Club in1950, the first multi-purpose credit card. Today, the credit card provides merchants and card holders with various features and benefits that offer ways to enhance operations and increase sales.

More sales Credit card customers buy 2 ½ times more merchandise than customers who pay cash
Impulse sales Credit cards give customers freedom to spend for previously unplanned merchandise
Larger average ticket Accepting credit cards helps you achieve higher unit sales and extra orders
Enhanced Advertising customers prefer to use credit cards, so they first read the ads that promote credit cards
Steadier Sales Cash customers buy heavily on paydays and just before holidays; credit card customers buy when they want and when the need arises
Repeat Business Credit card customers return to the same business where they charged items before
Preferred Method of Payment Credit cards and debit cards are quickly becoming the most convenient choice for your customers
Competitive Advantage The most flexible payment systems have a definite advantage
The credit card has had a huge impact in the global economy. No other development, other than the initial development of the capability to move money electronically, has had such an essential impact on our economy. Credit card acceptance, once limited to large businesses, is now available to almost any merchant who applies, regardless of your business.

Check Services

Check Protection services are used by merchants to help reduce the risk in accepting checks and, in some cases to guarantee payment, even if the check is bad. Check Services fall into four general categories; Verification, Collection, Guarantee and a new category, Electronic Conversion.

Verification involves using a terminal that call a negative database to see if the consumer has had any derogatory information in the database, like outstanding bad checks or a history of writing bad checks. Some companies opt to only use a verification service, and forego collection or guarantee. Fees are generally either a flat monthly rate or a transaction fee of about 25 cents.

Guarantee services guarantee payment to the merchant even if they never collect from the consumer. They incorporate verification as a front line means to reduce their risk. They do pursue consumers for collection, but the merchant's payment is guaranteed whether they are successful or not. Fees are similar to credit card fees, usually 1.5% - 3.5% of the sales amount plus a $.35 cent fee per transaction.

Electronic Conversion services are relatively new on the scene, and the use is spreading rapidly (with our help). Conversion services use check readers to gather check information, dial out, and perform a verification. The transaction is converted to an electronic debit to the consumers bank account. The funds guaranteed to the merchant and deposited directly in the merchant bank account in 48 hours, just like credit cards. Fees are similar to credit card fees, usually 1.5% - 3.5% of the sale amount plus a $.35 cent fee per transaction. Conversion services are also known as Check Truncation.

No more daily trips to the bank to deposit checks
Security to accept out of town checks
100% Guarantee against NSF checks when using the Guarantee product
Simple process just like a credit card transaction
Full protection for the same basic costs as a credit card transaction
Searches for known bad check writers upfront via access of nation's largest database

POS Products

Using the right equipment means lower operating expenses. Because our only emphasis is is merchant processing, we don't just sell point-of-sale terminals; we provide total payment processing solutions. While some businesses may only need a simple card reader and PIN pad, you might prefer a fully configured set including the terminal, PIN pad, check reader, and printer.

To keep your costs down, PAI has negotiated wholesale pricing for systems from the three leading manufacturers of electronic data capture equipment, Hypercom, VeriFone and Lipman Electronic Engineering. Design a solution that fits you from our three featured systems in the table below.

For information on card reader and peripheral pricing, or with help selecting the right system for your business, contact your local office.

Debit: Accept Debit Cards and Eliminate the Percentage of Sale Fees

A debit card, also known as a check card or an ATM card, allows a consumer electronic access to his/her bank account, whereby the transaction is secured by the use of personal identification number (PIN). The rising popularity of debit cards with consumers has lead to a major shift in the way consumers pay for their goods.

Increase Your Average Sale By providing an additional payment option to your customers
Preferred Method of Payment Customers who use cards prefer debit 66% of the time
Convenient Attract customers by providing access to their checking accounts
Cost-Effective Generally costs less to process than a credit card
Quick Check-Out Reduces payment handling time and costs
Increased Security By reducing your cash on premises, thereby reducing the risk of theft and pilfering

Gift Cards & Loyalty Programs

PAI has teamed up with Valutec Card Solutions the nations leading provider of Electronic Gift Cards. Valutec Card Solutions is a leading edge technology company that has developed an Electronic Gift Card platform that will bring tremendous value to the merchant. Electronic Gift Cards replace paper gift certificates. They bear the Merchant's brand. Customers purchase them from the merchant, either online or at a physical retail location. The card may be reloaded and reused any number of times. Loyalty Cards provide merchants the ability to track and reward loyal customers. Tracking parameters include number of visits, purchase amounts over specific time frames or any number of other similar customizable parameters. Loyalty can be used in tandem with Gift Cards or Stored-Value Card programs - all on the same card.

Attract new customers and increase sales to existing customers
Merchants receive the benefit of a prepaid gift card with no cash back to the customer
Eliminate back room accounting functions by providing standardized reports with details and totals
More difficult to replace or steal, increasing security
Activated and reloaded at a point of sale (POS)
Merchants can obtain daily totals from POS printer or PC inquiry
Completely customizable (e.g. defined card limits, set denominations, non-reloadable)
Can be utilized as merchandise return vehicle
Card can become marketing tool for use with existing print and broadcast media
Merchant becomes destination vs. impulse

Hardware

PAI Product Services is pleased to announce the release of the VeriFone Verix Family of Terminals. These new terminals integrate multi-application support, a large ATM-style display and an integrated fast thermal printer. They are compact, easy to install and easy to use.

Verix Application Upgrades - PAI Product Services is pleased to announce the release of the newest version of the PAI credit/debit/EBT application (UENV240) with support for Multi-Merchant, Batch Authorization Mode (BAM), Cash Advance processing and Hughes Satellite communications.

ATM SOLUTIONS: ARE YOU MAKING MONEY?

Your Customers are using ATMs. Are you making money when they do? Almost every time someone uses an ATM, they pay a fee. That amount is called a Surcharge, and people have become comfortable paying them for the convenience of getting cash at the time and place they need it. In fact, millions of consumers are comfortable paying as there are billions of ATM transactions performed each year for a fee. Start making money from their convenience!

WILL AN ATM HELP MY BUSINESS?

Yes! From Grocery stores to Hotel lobbies, ATMs are currently making money in all sorts of locations. People like the convenience of getting cash at the time and place they need it! Here are some examples:

Grocery Stores: Lots of customers and larger per-ticket amounts equate to a need for cash. Grocery Stores use ATMs to drive higher purchase volumes and higher transaction amounts.
Convenience Stores\Gas Stations: ATMs help increase impulse "high margin" non-fuel purchases.
Hotel/Motel: Travelers need cash! Hotels profit from Surcharges and impulse purchases.
Retail Locations : Lots of foot traffic and points of purchase equate to a need for cash and the opportunities of fee income.
Theaters: From tickets to "high margin" concessions, ATMs help drive more purchases and additional fee income.
Apartment Complexes: A high volume of people with a more transient nature equates to ATM activity. Investment property owners gain additional fee income while providing convenience to their customers.

... and many more ! Start making income from your foot traffic today.

IQ ANALYTICS

PAI's unique approach to solving the business intelligence dilemma begins by helping executives spot trends and identify potential problems. After working with our customers to identify key metrics, we can extract and synchronize data from an organization's existing SQL, Oracle, or other ODBC data sources . This data is pulled together and stored as objects within PAI's secure servers. The information is then conveniently displayed giving the user the ability to easily navigate a large number of data dimensions. Because all of the information is stored as an assigned object, decision makers are able to re-categorize data sets on the fly.

IQ launches from a user's desktop as easily as Internet Explorer or any other Microsoft® Windows® application. Its unique design allows any user with proper access to dynamically analyze important business information without the constant involvement of an I.T. professional . All capabilities within the application are "point-and-click" and easily mastered by users of varied experience levels. A user needs no familiarity with Excel or statistical-based modules to be successful with this product.

We provide our Knowledge Management Solutions to many sectors from restaurant and hospitality markets to financial institutions. Decision-makers now have a robust way to decipher and analyze information gathered at many different levels in an organization. IQ allows decision-makers to quickly identify and address trends or potential problems.