Online Merchant Account - Costs and Alternatives
By Bruce Zhang
Merchant Account Basics
A Merchant Account is a commercial bank account established by a merchant to receive payment via credit cards. Three parts are required to accept credit cards. Besides a merchant account, you need a local bank checking account to deposit funds and a processing solution, such a terminal or web-based store front to take credit card payments. Online merchant account, or ecommerce merchant account, is a merchant account that can take credit orders on the Web.
Cost of Merchant Account
An online merchant account will boost your online sales, but merchant account incurs various types of cost. A merchant account usually requires a one-time setup fee between $50 - $100. Some merchant account providers waive the setup fee in promotion period or in conjunction with other services. Other costs include gateway fee, statement fee, annual fee, transaction fees and discount rate fees.
Accept Credit Card without Merchant Account
When you first start an online business and have limited resources, the alternative would be to use the services of a credit card processor. You can enjoy the benefits of processing credit card transactions online without the requirements of a merchant account and high costs involved. Paypal, WorldPay, PaySystems and Clickbank are some of popular credit processing services. Popular shopping carts or online storefronts, such as eBay Store, Yahoo! Store and Microsoft bCentral, offer built-in credit card processing capability.
International Merchant Account
International merchant accounts, or Offshore Merchant Accounts, are merchant accounts that allow the merchants to accept payments from around the world-- regardless of where your business or customers are located. Comparing to an online merchant account, two major services that come with an International merchant account are Multiple-Currency Support and International Fraud Protection.
Wireless/Mobile Merchant Account
Mobile merchants used to face unique issues when accepting credit card payments. With the advancement of high-speed wireless networks and mobile technology, mobile businesses are no longer limited in their payment options to just cash or checks.
Many mobile merchant account (http://www.4th-media.net/online_payment/mobile_merchant_account.php) service providers waive application fee and setup fees to attract more businesses. However, the use of wireless service provider does incur the expense of the terminal hardware, activation fee, monthly service fee, and transaction cost.
Copyright @2005, Bruce Zhang
Bruce Zhang has over 10 years experience in developing ecommerce and e-business application such as literature fulfillment (http://www.4th-media.net/order_fulfillment/literature_fulfillment.php) and supply chain management applications.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bruce_Zhang
http://EzineArticles.com/?Online-Merchant-Account---Costs-and-Alternatives&id=27610
A Merchant Account is a commercial bank account established by a merchant to receive payment via credit cards. Three parts are required to accept credit cards. Besides a merchant account, you need a local bank checking account to deposit funds and a processing solution, such a terminal or web-based store front to take credit card payments. Online merchant account, or ecommerce merchant account, is a merchant account that can take credit orders on the Web.
Monday, May 14, 2007
Saturday, May 12, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
Merchant Credit Card Terminals
By Kent Pinkerton
Merchant credit card terminals are electronic devices offering fast, low-cost means to authorize and process credit card transactions. They are very commonly used in retail stores and restaurants. Most merchant credit card terminals accept all major credit, debit, and private-label cards offering low-cost credit card authorization, check guarantee, and data capture for a range of retail applications.
A terminal to process credit cards is a great investment to your business. Most merchant credit card terminals support Internet-based services such as e-mail, electronic signature, interactive electronic coupons, onscreen advertising, cash management reporting, and e-commerce. They make transactions more convenient, faster, and accurate for both customers and merchants.
At first, merchant credit card processing terminals verify your customer's card information. Then they withdraw money for the purchase from the customer?s account and deposit it directly into your merchant account. The most important units of merchant credit card terminals are card readers with a small keypad and display. They require power supply and can communicate through a telephone line. Modern terminals are powered by batteries and can communicate wireless or over the Internet. They come in several sizes and prices.
There are many types of merchant credit card terminals: traditional terminals (with or without printers), wireless terminals, and virtual or software-based terminals. Merchants with a permanent place of business need a basic card reader terminal. In this case, the terminal is placed right on the counter where all transactions take place. For businesses that constantly change locations, a wireless credit card processing terminal is a good choice. It is suitable for merchants who are always on the go.
Millions of merchant credit card terminals ship annually and the majority have the same basic functions and features. It can only be used in combination with a merchant account that processes credit card transactions. Businesses already using credit card terminals need to buy extra equipments to maintain additional services such as debit card transactions and issuing and accepting gift cards. A number of terminals also support additional forms of payment such as electronic bank transfers and phone cards.
Credit Card Terminals provides detailed information on Credit Card Terminals, Credit Card Terminal Systems, Wireless Credit Card Terminals, Credit Card Processing Terminals and more. Credit Card Terminals is affiliated with Credit Card Processing Software.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Pinkerton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Merchant-Credit-Card-Terminals&id=353177
By Kent Pinkerton
Merchant credit card terminals are electronic devices offering fast, low-cost means to authorize and process credit card transactions. They are very commonly used in retail stores and restaurants. Most merchant credit card terminals accept all major credit, debit, and private-label cards offering low-cost credit card authorization, check guarantee, and data capture for a range of retail applications.
A terminal to process credit cards is a great investment to your business. Most merchant credit card terminals support Internet-based services such as e-mail, electronic signature, interactive electronic coupons, onscreen advertising, cash management reporting, and e-commerce. They make transactions more convenient, faster, and accurate for both customers and merchants.
At first, merchant credit card processing terminals verify your customer's card information. Then they withdraw money for the purchase from the customer?s account and deposit it directly into your merchant account. The most important units of merchant credit card terminals are card readers with a small keypad and display. They require power supply and can communicate through a telephone line. Modern terminals are powered by batteries and can communicate wireless or over the Internet. They come in several sizes and prices.
There are many types of merchant credit card terminals: traditional terminals (with or without printers), wireless terminals, and virtual or software-based terminals. Merchants with a permanent place of business need a basic card reader terminal. In this case, the terminal is placed right on the counter where all transactions take place. For businesses that constantly change locations, a wireless credit card processing terminal is a good choice. It is suitable for merchants who are always on the go.
Millions of merchant credit card terminals ship annually and the majority have the same basic functions and features. It can only be used in combination with a merchant account that processes credit card transactions. Businesses already using credit card terminals need to buy extra equipments to maintain additional services such as debit card transactions and issuing and accepting gift cards. A number of terminals also support additional forms of payment such as electronic bank transfers and phone cards.
Credit Card Terminals provides detailed information on Credit Card Terminals, Credit Card Terminal Systems, Wireless Credit Card Terminals, Credit Card Processing Terminals and more. Credit Card Terminals is affiliated with Credit Card Processing Software.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kent_Pinkerton
http://EzineArticles.com/?Merchant-Credit-Card-Terminals&id=353177
Friday, May 11, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
Is Your Wireless Network Secure?
By Jeremy Whittaker
Networking professionals are encouraging people to think
twice about wireless network security. You might be
thinking I use WEP-128 bit encryption with MAC address
filtering, I’m safe. Or you may be you’ve never even heard
of WEP, if this is the case you might want to unplug your
wireless access point immediately. But then again look at
the bright side at least you don’t have the false sense of
security that your network is secure. Perhaps you are the
smart guy who knows how insecure wireless networks are. You
too are at just an equal risk!
Your computer consultant might be partially right when they
say WEP will protect your network. It will protect your
network from casual snooping but that is about it. Last
year the FBI was able to crack a WEP protected network in
less than 3 minutes with tools widely available on the
internet. Since then it’s been downhill for WEP.
At this point you might be thinking, “Oh well, someone gets
on my network and uses the internet”. This is completely
false. If someone has gone through the process of getting
on your network chances are the only thing they want is not
internet access. Any computer security professional will
tell you that physical access to the network is 95% of the
security battle. Once this has been accomplished you can
consider all of your data compromised. Customer invoices,
customer data, credit card numbers and passwords to
financial institutions will all be in the hands of a hacker.
One in many methods can be used to gain access to your
personal data, whether it’s through Key loggers, Trojans, or
just by sniffing your plaintext network traffic.
Maybe, just maybe, I have not convinced you of the
insecurities of wireless networks. Let me tell you about
another attack that hackers can use to gain access to your
network. Let’s say your access points are completely locked
down, to your knowledge. A user from your network goes and
flips on their laptop while sitting in an airport terminal
waiting for a plane. They see an available insecure
wireless network so they click on it and connect. None of us
have ever done this before right, itching to check their
email one last time before heading out of town? Unbeknownst
to them they have just clicked on a fake honeypot wireless
network, set up by a rogue hacker that before they can even
realize their machine is already being scanned. Picture for
a moment that user could be anywhere, even sitting at a desk
in your network. Just as long as the rogue access point is
stronger than your AP’s radio signal you’re security is
done.
May be you fall into the category of never setting up
wireless networks because you read about their insecurities.
How then can you be at risk? Just consider for a moment
that a user in your organization fires up his wireless card.
See’s a wireless network that is named XYZCorp after your
company. So they connect to it and immediately a script is
hammering their machine for security vulnerabilities. Once
again they connected to a rogue access point setup by a
hacker. Now you might be thinking. “C’mon you must have to
be a computer genius to find and run these tools.” Think
again, thanks to the kind people over at remote-exploit.org
all these tools can be downloaded in one big happy ISO file.
Burned to a CD as an image and bang you’re done, ready to
take a drive to the nearest business and start sniffing
credit card numbers. Everything wrapped into a nice package
just waiting for the next script kiddy to start running the
programs. You may be thinking ok this is a major problem so
what should I do? Give up my organizations ability to use
wireless networks? This isn’t exactly what we are saying.
A newer wireless security technology has taken over in 2004
called WPA. It is more secure than WEP. And so far tools
are not as readily available to hack your network. But
consider the following. WEP was ratified in the late 1990’s
less than six years later it was exploited. This is typical
of almost every computer technology. It is only a matter of
time before technologies are exploited. Just always
remember Security is a multi-tiered companywide
responsibility. From providing physical security to web
site security all matters should be considered serious and
not taken lightly. So before you grab a wireless access
point and slap it in your network, I urge you to think
twice.
You may think you are in a sinking boat because you are a
small organization not able to implement the latest
technologies and afford the newest access points. Or maybe
you cannot afford to pay an IT staff over 100k-200k a year
to maintain your medium size network. Executives at
N2
Network Solutions say you should consider IT outsourcing or
IT consulting. You can get Industry certified engineers on
a project by project basis. Contractual relationships are
also available to dump the responsibility of your network
into their hands for a fraction of the price. To keep your
small to medium size network performing like a Fortune 500
machine invest the capital and secure your assets.
Jeremy Whittaker is a Senior Consultant for N2 Network Solutions, a leader in Phoenix IT Outsourcing, providing computer services and Phoenix IT Consulting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Whittaker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Your-Wireless-Network-Secure?&id=256379
Wireless networking in today's market is everywhere. But is it secure? Even if you haven't installed or configured wireless networking in your network. You can still be at risk.
By Jeremy Whittaker
Networking professionals are encouraging people to think
twice about wireless network security. You might be
thinking I use WEP-128 bit encryption with MAC address
filtering, I’m safe. Or you may be you’ve never even heard
of WEP, if this is the case you might want to unplug your
wireless access point immediately. But then again look at
the bright side at least you don’t have the false sense of
security that your network is secure. Perhaps you are the
smart guy who knows how insecure wireless networks are. You
too are at just an equal risk!
Your computer consultant might be partially right when they
say WEP will protect your network. It will protect your
network from casual snooping but that is about it. Last
year the FBI was able to crack a WEP protected network in
less than 3 minutes with tools widely available on the
internet. Since then it’s been downhill for WEP.
At this point you might be thinking, “Oh well, someone gets
on my network and uses the internet”. This is completely
false. If someone has gone through the process of getting
on your network chances are the only thing they want is not
internet access. Any computer security professional will
tell you that physical access to the network is 95% of the
security battle. Once this has been accomplished you can
consider all of your data compromised. Customer invoices,
customer data, credit card numbers and passwords to
financial institutions will all be in the hands of a hacker.
One in many methods can be used to gain access to your
personal data, whether it’s through Key loggers, Trojans, or
just by sniffing your plaintext network traffic.
Maybe, just maybe, I have not convinced you of the
insecurities of wireless networks. Let me tell you about
another attack that hackers can use to gain access to your
network. Let’s say your access points are completely locked
down, to your knowledge. A user from your network goes and
flips on their laptop while sitting in an airport terminal
waiting for a plane. They see an available insecure
wireless network so they click on it and connect. None of us
have ever done this before right, itching to check their
email one last time before heading out of town? Unbeknownst
to them they have just clicked on a fake honeypot wireless
network, set up by a rogue hacker that before they can even
realize their machine is already being scanned. Picture for
a moment that user could be anywhere, even sitting at a desk
in your network. Just as long as the rogue access point is
stronger than your AP’s radio signal you’re security is
done.
May be you fall into the category of never setting up
wireless networks because you read about their insecurities.
How then can you be at risk? Just consider for a moment
that a user in your organization fires up his wireless card.
See’s a wireless network that is named XYZCorp after your
company. So they connect to it and immediately a script is
hammering their machine for security vulnerabilities. Once
again they connected to a rogue access point setup by a
hacker. Now you might be thinking. “C’mon you must have to
be a computer genius to find and run these tools.” Think
again, thanks to the kind people over at remote-exploit.org
all these tools can be downloaded in one big happy ISO file.
Burned to a CD as an image and bang you’re done, ready to
take a drive to the nearest business and start sniffing
credit card numbers. Everything wrapped into a nice package
just waiting for the next script kiddy to start running the
programs. You may be thinking ok this is a major problem so
what should I do? Give up my organizations ability to use
wireless networks? This isn’t exactly what we are saying.
A newer wireless security technology has taken over in 2004
called WPA. It is more secure than WEP. And so far tools
are not as readily available to hack your network. But
consider the following. WEP was ratified in the late 1990’s
less than six years later it was exploited. This is typical
of almost every computer technology. It is only a matter of
time before technologies are exploited. Just always
remember Security is a multi-tiered companywide
responsibility. From providing physical security to web
site security all matters should be considered serious and
not taken lightly. So before you grab a wireless access
point and slap it in your network, I urge you to think
twice.
You may think you are in a sinking boat because you are a
small organization not able to implement the latest
technologies and afford the newest access points. Or maybe
you cannot afford to pay an IT staff over 100k-200k a year
to maintain your medium size network. Executives at
N2
Network Solutions say you should consider IT outsourcing or
IT consulting. You can get Industry certified engineers on
a project by project basis. Contractual relationships are
also available to dump the responsibility of your network
into their hands for a fraction of the price. To keep your
small to medium size network performing like a Fortune 500
machine invest the capital and secure your assets.
Jeremy Whittaker is a Senior Consultant for N2 Network Solutions, a leader in Phoenix IT Outsourcing, providing computer services and Phoenix IT Consulting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Whittaker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Your-Wireless-Network-Secure?&id=256379
Wireless networking in today's market is everywhere. But is it secure? Even if you haven't installed or configured wireless networking in your network. You can still be at risk.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
Is Your Wireless Network Secure?
By Jeremy Whittaker
Networking professionals are encouraging people to think
twice about wireless network security. You might be
thinking I use WEP-128 bit encryption with MAC address
filtering, I’m safe. Or you may be you’ve never even heard
of WEP, if this is the case you might want to unplug your
wireless access point immediately. But then again look at
the bright side at least you don’t have the false sense of
security that your network is secure. Perhaps you are the
smart guy who knows how insecure wireless networks are. You
too are at just an equal risk!
Your computer consultant might be partially right when they
say WEP will protect your network. It will protect your
network from casual snooping but that is about it. Last
year the FBI was able to crack a WEP protected network in
less than 3 minutes with tools widely available on the
internet. Since then it’s been downhill for WEP.
At this point you might be thinking, “Oh well, someone gets
on my network and uses the internet”. This is completely
false. If someone has gone through the process of getting
on your network chances are the only thing they want is not
internet access. Any computer security professional will
tell you that physical access to the network is 95% of the
security battle. Once this has been accomplished you can
consider all of your data compromised. Customer invoices,
customer data, credit card numbers and passwords to
financial institutions will all be in the hands of a hacker.
One in many methods can be used to gain access to your
personal data, whether it’s through Key loggers, Trojans, or
just by sniffing your plaintext network traffic.
Maybe, just maybe, I have not convinced you of the
insecurities of wireless networks. Let me tell you about
another attack that hackers can use to gain access to your
network. Let’s say your access points are completely locked
down, to your knowledge. A user from your network goes and
flips on their laptop while sitting in an airport terminal
waiting for a plane. They see an available insecure
wireless network so they click on it and connect. None of us
have ever done this before right, itching to check their
email one last time before heading out of town? Unbeknownst
to them they have just clicked on a fake honeypot wireless
network, set up by a rogue hacker that before they can even
realize their machine is already being scanned. Picture for
a moment that user could be anywhere, even sitting at a desk
in your network. Just as long as the rogue access point is
stronger than your AP’s radio signal you’re security is
done.
May be you fall into the category of never setting up
wireless networks because you read about their insecurities.
How then can you be at risk? Just consider for a moment
that a user in your organization fires up his wireless card.
See’s a wireless network that is named XYZCorp after your
company. So they connect to it and immediately a script is
hammering their machine for security vulnerabilities. Once
again they connected to a rogue access point setup by a
hacker. Now you might be thinking. “C’mon you must have to
be a computer genius to find and run these tools.” Think
again, thanks to the kind people over at remote-exploit.org
all these tools can be downloaded in one big happy ISO file.
Burned to a CD as an image and bang you’re done, ready to
take a drive to the nearest business and start sniffing
credit card numbers. Everything wrapped into a nice package
just waiting for the next script kiddy to start running the
programs. You may be thinking ok this is a major problem so
what should I do? Give up my organizations ability to use
wireless networks? This isn’t exactly what we are saying.
A newer wireless security technology has taken over in 2004
called WPA. It is more secure than WEP. And so far tools
are not as readily available to hack your network. But
consider the following. WEP was ratified in the late 1990’s
less than six years later it was exploited. This is typical
of almost every computer technology. It is only a matter of
time before technologies are exploited. Just always
remember Security is a multi-tiered companywide
responsibility. From providing physical security to web
site security all matters should be considered serious and
not taken lightly. So before you grab a wireless access
point and slap it in your network, I urge you to think
twice.
You may think you are in a sinking boat because you are a
small organization not able to implement the latest
technologies and afford the newest access points. Or maybe
you cannot afford to pay an IT staff over 100k-200k a year
to maintain your medium size network. Executives at
N2
Network Solutions say you should consider IT outsourcing or
IT consulting. You can get Industry certified engineers on
a project by project basis. Contractual relationships are
also available to dump the responsibility of your network
into their hands for a fraction of the price. To keep your
small to medium size network performing like a Fortune 500
machine invest the capital and secure your assets.
Jeremy Whittaker is a Senior Consultant for N2 Network Solutions, a leader in Phoenix IT Outsourcing, providing computer services and Phoenix IT Consulting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Whittaker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Your-Wireless-Network-Secure?&id=256379
Wireless networking in today's market is everywhere. But is it secure? Even if you haven't installed or configured wireless networking in your network. You can still be at risk.
By Jeremy Whittaker
Networking professionals are encouraging people to think
twice about wireless network security. You might be
thinking I use WEP-128 bit encryption with MAC address
filtering, I’m safe. Or you may be you’ve never even heard
of WEP, if this is the case you might want to unplug your
wireless access point immediately. But then again look at
the bright side at least you don’t have the false sense of
security that your network is secure. Perhaps you are the
smart guy who knows how insecure wireless networks are. You
too are at just an equal risk!
Your computer consultant might be partially right when they
say WEP will protect your network. It will protect your
network from casual snooping but that is about it. Last
year the FBI was able to crack a WEP protected network in
less than 3 minutes with tools widely available on the
internet. Since then it’s been downhill for WEP.
At this point you might be thinking, “Oh well, someone gets
on my network and uses the internet”. This is completely
false. If someone has gone through the process of getting
on your network chances are the only thing they want is not
internet access. Any computer security professional will
tell you that physical access to the network is 95% of the
security battle. Once this has been accomplished you can
consider all of your data compromised. Customer invoices,
customer data, credit card numbers and passwords to
financial institutions will all be in the hands of a hacker.
One in many methods can be used to gain access to your
personal data, whether it’s through Key loggers, Trojans, or
just by sniffing your plaintext network traffic.
Maybe, just maybe, I have not convinced you of the
insecurities of wireless networks. Let me tell you about
another attack that hackers can use to gain access to your
network. Let’s say your access points are completely locked
down, to your knowledge. A user from your network goes and
flips on their laptop while sitting in an airport terminal
waiting for a plane. They see an available insecure
wireless network so they click on it and connect. None of us
have ever done this before right, itching to check their
email one last time before heading out of town? Unbeknownst
to them they have just clicked on a fake honeypot wireless
network, set up by a rogue hacker that before they can even
realize their machine is already being scanned. Picture for
a moment that user could be anywhere, even sitting at a desk
in your network. Just as long as the rogue access point is
stronger than your AP’s radio signal you’re security is
done.
May be you fall into the category of never setting up
wireless networks because you read about their insecurities.
How then can you be at risk? Just consider for a moment
that a user in your organization fires up his wireless card.
See’s a wireless network that is named XYZCorp after your
company. So they connect to it and immediately a script is
hammering their machine for security vulnerabilities. Once
again they connected to a rogue access point setup by a
hacker. Now you might be thinking. “C’mon you must have to
be a computer genius to find and run these tools.” Think
again, thanks to the kind people over at remote-exploit.org
all these tools can be downloaded in one big happy ISO file.
Burned to a CD as an image and bang you’re done, ready to
take a drive to the nearest business and start sniffing
credit card numbers. Everything wrapped into a nice package
just waiting for the next script kiddy to start running the
programs. You may be thinking ok this is a major problem so
what should I do? Give up my organizations ability to use
wireless networks? This isn’t exactly what we are saying.
A newer wireless security technology has taken over in 2004
called WPA. It is more secure than WEP. And so far tools
are not as readily available to hack your network. But
consider the following. WEP was ratified in the late 1990’s
less than six years later it was exploited. This is typical
of almost every computer technology. It is only a matter of
time before technologies are exploited. Just always
remember Security is a multi-tiered companywide
responsibility. From providing physical security to web
site security all matters should be considered serious and
not taken lightly. So before you grab a wireless access
point and slap it in your network, I urge you to think
twice.
You may think you are in a sinking boat because you are a
small organization not able to implement the latest
technologies and afford the newest access points. Or maybe
you cannot afford to pay an IT staff over 100k-200k a year
to maintain your medium size network. Executives at
N2
Network Solutions say you should consider IT outsourcing or
IT consulting. You can get Industry certified engineers on
a project by project basis. Contractual relationships are
also available to dump the responsibility of your network
into their hands for a fraction of the price. To keep your
small to medium size network performing like a Fortune 500
machine invest the capital and secure your assets.
Jeremy Whittaker is a Senior Consultant for N2 Network Solutions, a leader in Phoenix IT Outsourcing, providing computer services and Phoenix IT Consulting.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeremy_Whittaker
http://EzineArticles.com/?Is-Your-Wireless-Network-Secure?&id=256379
Wireless networking in today's market is everywhere. But is it secure? Even if you haven't installed or configured wireless networking in your network. You can still be at risk.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
What is wireless credit card machine?
02nd October 2006
Author: Vinay Choubey
Wireless credit card machines are at the forefront of credit card processing technology. Many have built in pin pads and thermal printers to make them a complete mobile transaction solution. They are lightweight, very portable and are easy to use.
? A wireless credit card machine comes with advanced technology but also with a much higher price tag when compared to standard POS terminals. The starting price on a wireless credit card machine is around $850.00 for full featured terminals and can go up from there.
? Wireless credit card machines are most often used in mobile and trade show businesses, but are becoming more common in upscale restaurants, taxi, limo, and delivery services.
? The comstar charge anywhere terminal has a much lower price, but does not include an attached printer. One of the benefits of wireless terminals is a feature called store and forward. This service allows cards to be processed when no cellular service is available, by storing the card and transaction information obtained in the swiping of the credit card. The merchant later completes the transaction when service is available. By using store and forward, a merchant will never have to turn down a sale.
? Most wireless terminals have built in pin pads, and are also able to operate with electronic check acceptance services. Due to federal regulations, both debit and electronic checks must be processed through a land line connection and cannot be processed wireless. This is due to the added security that is required when transactions involve a customers bank account.
How Wireless Network works
Wireless credit card machines operate on wireless networks, and thus require additional wireless fee for the cellular service. A wireless credit card machine can be used with a normal phone line if cellular service is not available within a particular area, or can be set up with a store and forward system when no telecommunication method is available at all.
Important Wireless Network Information
? Mobitex Wireless Processing Network
It uses a satellite network, and operates similar to a cellular phone. This network is the standard for wireless processing. The mobitex network is run by Velocita Wireless. This is not the standard cellular phone network, but is designed specifically for business and processing uses.
? CDPD Wireless Processing Network
It is similar to but pre-dates the Motient network is called CDPD. Machines that use the CDPD system will soon be useless on the wireless processing network because the CDPD system is being abandoned. It is important when purchasing a wireless terminal to ensure that the machine does not use the CDPD wireless network but uses the Motient or CDMA networks.
? Wireless Network
Wireless Network is very new for processing is the standard GSM and CDMA cellular phone networks. The GSM network is used by Cingular and T-Mobile. The CDMA network is used by Verizon and Sprint Wireless. These systems are the networks that most cellular phones operate on, allowing for a very large coverage area and reliable service. The coverage area is substantially larger than the Motient Network.
For more details on Credit Card Machine visit us at www.halfvalue.com and www.halfvalue.co.uk for more information.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/article_90956_45.html
02nd October 2006
Author: Vinay Choubey
Wireless credit card machines are at the forefront of credit card processing technology. Many have built in pin pads and thermal printers to make them a complete mobile transaction solution. They are lightweight, very portable and are easy to use.
? A wireless credit card machine comes with advanced technology but also with a much higher price tag when compared to standard POS terminals. The starting price on a wireless credit card machine is around $850.00 for full featured terminals and can go up from there.
? Wireless credit card machines are most often used in mobile and trade show businesses, but are becoming more common in upscale restaurants, taxi, limo, and delivery services.
? The comstar charge anywhere terminal has a much lower price, but does not include an attached printer. One of the benefits of wireless terminals is a feature called store and forward. This service allows cards to be processed when no cellular service is available, by storing the card and transaction information obtained in the swiping of the credit card. The merchant later completes the transaction when service is available. By using store and forward, a merchant will never have to turn down a sale.
? Most wireless terminals have built in pin pads, and are also able to operate with electronic check acceptance services. Due to federal regulations, both debit and electronic checks must be processed through a land line connection and cannot be processed wireless. This is due to the added security that is required when transactions involve a customers bank account.
How Wireless Network works
Wireless credit card machines operate on wireless networks, and thus require additional wireless fee for the cellular service. A wireless credit card machine can be used with a normal phone line if cellular service is not available within a particular area, or can be set up with a store and forward system when no telecommunication method is available at all.
Important Wireless Network Information
? Mobitex Wireless Processing Network
It uses a satellite network, and operates similar to a cellular phone. This network is the standard for wireless processing. The mobitex network is run by Velocita Wireless. This is not the standard cellular phone network, but is designed specifically for business and processing uses.
? CDPD Wireless Processing Network
It is similar to but pre-dates the Motient network is called CDPD. Machines that use the CDPD system will soon be useless on the wireless processing network because the CDPD system is being abandoned. It is important when purchasing a wireless terminal to ensure that the machine does not use the CDPD wireless network but uses the Motient or CDMA networks.
? Wireless Network
Wireless Network is very new for processing is the standard GSM and CDMA cellular phone networks. The GSM network is used by Cingular and T-Mobile. The CDMA network is used by Verizon and Sprint Wireless. These systems are the networks that most cellular phones operate on, allowing for a very large coverage area and reliable service. The coverage area is substantially larger than the Motient Network.
For more details on Credit Card Machine visit us at www.halfvalue.com and www.halfvalue.co.uk for more information.
This article is free for republishing
Source: http://www.a1articles.com/article_90956_45.html
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
A Mind-Blowing Secret About Law Firm Cash Management
By Chris Rempel
All lawyers - solo and large-firm attorneys alike - know that time is money. Days must be planned with the utmost efficiency in order to keep a law practice running smoothly. Lawyers and attorneys must spend the majority of their time and efforts representing clients; but the day-to-day running of a law office is like any other business.
Clients must be billed, payments tracked and accounts kept up to date, and receiving payments in a variety of formats is time consuming. Sometimes, law firm cash management can be anything but profitable.
It stands to reason that if all of one's time is consumed by business administration issues like collecting on unpaid accounts, banking and so on - this "multi-tasking" will not only waste time, but also cause the firm to actually lose profits for the following reasons:
1. Less time will be spent billing hours and making money
2. Money will be lost on accounts owing, and time will be lost pursuing them
So what's the solution - getting paid up-front, or perhaps using a trust account?
Both of those may be options, but the most adaptable and sensible option is to accept credit cards from your clients. This opens your doors to more clients - as it makes it easier for "cash-strapped" clients to pay legal fees. It also makes it easier to collect on A/R, because you can simply process the payment in a matter of seconds and the issue will be dealt with - instead of waiting for checks, or running all over town to collect them.
However, today's credit card mentality has created a dilemma, particularly for professionals working independently or with small firms and businesses. Typically, the procedure for accepting credit card payments has been fraught with rules, regulations and a lot of stress. And when time is short anyway, the process involved in setting up such a system can seem endless. The costs to set up a "merchant account" can seem intimidating.
Concentrating on a law practice is an ongoing endeavor; but the task of providing credit card acceptance capabilities can be downright overwhelming. The need to know everything there is to know about merchant services has caused thousands of professionals and business hopefuls to throw up their arms in frustration and declare "No credit cards accepted!"
Issues involving statement and transaction fees, in addition to annual fees, programs fees and monthly minimums are enough to annoy anyone, and it doesn't end there. So, in the long run, attorneys lose potential clients desperately in need for attorney services.
Daring souls who brave the murky waves of rules, regulations, waivers and fees to invest in the actual equipment/startup cost needed to perform a credit card transaction still face contracts and agreements for that equipment, and hours of research. Cost for leasing credit card processing tools ranges from $29.00 to $80.00 a month, sometimes more. Lease terms generally run 36-48 months and canceling the lease is often not an option. Once you sign, you're stuck. Leasers must also pay state tax, if applicable, and may also find themselves paying for "Loss or Destruction" of that equipment as well. If you default on your lease, it's your credit report that suffers.
As a result, attorneys often find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. And many attorneys, especially those working solo, or even those who belong to small firms, can ill afford to spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars setting up and maintaining a credit card billing system for their business. Yet not doing so can cost them thousands of dollars in earning potential - and in terms of collecting on legal fees owed while simplifying their law firm cash management process overall.
So what to do? What options are out there? Granted, not many. Still, one solution is growing in popularity. It's called mobile credit card processing, and it's a unique service provided by companies like "Accept by Phone". Finally, professionals, especially lawyers, can accept credit cards without the mundane and frustrating hassle of more "traditional" credit card processing methods. Many potential clients, including those going through divorce, those facing criminal charges and whose account assets have been frozen, and countless others seeking the services of an attorney often don't have access to cash or checking accounts. Mobile credit card processing services enable both clients and attorneys to complete payment transactions painlessly with a credit card.
Most mobile credit card processors allow attorneys to accept credit card payments via landline and through cell phones, instantly. No more waiting for checks to arrive and, more importantly, to clear. Credit card payments don't bounce. Using such a service also cuts overhead expenses and eradicates the fees and regulations of more traditional methods.
The catch? Believe it or not, there isn't one. Some services actually cost as little as $5.00 a month (in fees) to use, along with a percentage on each sale (usually ranging from 3.95% to 5%). Most services have no annual fees, no transaction fees, no minimums or volume restrictions. There are no cancellations fees and no terminals needed. And all you need is a phone line, cell phone or a PDA.
How can that be? Besides technology that truly places the world at our fingertips, this "accept by phone" system is very low maintenance for the account provider (financial institution that issues the merchant account), and the account setup/approval cost is minimal in comparison to a traditional account. These services utilize an automated system that enables callers and vendors to complete transactions in a matter of seconds and with a minimum of hassle. And as a result, both the merchant provider and the merchant (you) save big time.
These unique merchant services offer a win-win situation; clients receive immediate legal representation that fits into their financial ability and preference, and attorneys get paid, instantly, just by using their cell phone for 30 seconds - simplifying their law firm cash management struggles in one fell swoop.
What's not to like about that?
Chris Rempel recommends http://www.AcceptByPhone.com, which enables lawyers to accept credit cards using any phone (or cell), for just $5 per month and 3.95% per sale. Find out why Chris and others think this service is the ultimate mobile merchant account service.
For more practical law firm business tips, see my law firm management website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Rempel
http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Mind-Blowing-Secret-About-Law-Firm-Cash-Management&id=416515
By Chris Rempel
All lawyers - solo and large-firm attorneys alike - know that time is money. Days must be planned with the utmost efficiency in order to keep a law practice running smoothly. Lawyers and attorneys must spend the majority of their time and efforts representing clients; but the day-to-day running of a law office is like any other business.
Clients must be billed, payments tracked and accounts kept up to date, and receiving payments in a variety of formats is time consuming. Sometimes, law firm cash management can be anything but profitable.
It stands to reason that if all of one's time is consumed by business administration issues like collecting on unpaid accounts, banking and so on - this "multi-tasking" will not only waste time, but also cause the firm to actually lose profits for the following reasons:
1. Less time will be spent billing hours and making money
2. Money will be lost on accounts owing, and time will be lost pursuing them
So what's the solution - getting paid up-front, or perhaps using a trust account?
Both of those may be options, but the most adaptable and sensible option is to accept credit cards from your clients. This opens your doors to more clients - as it makes it easier for "cash-strapped" clients to pay legal fees. It also makes it easier to collect on A/R, because you can simply process the payment in a matter of seconds and the issue will be dealt with - instead of waiting for checks, or running all over town to collect them.
However, today's credit card mentality has created a dilemma, particularly for professionals working independently or with small firms and businesses. Typically, the procedure for accepting credit card payments has been fraught with rules, regulations and a lot of stress. And when time is short anyway, the process involved in setting up such a system can seem endless. The costs to set up a "merchant account" can seem intimidating.
Concentrating on a law practice is an ongoing endeavor; but the task of providing credit card acceptance capabilities can be downright overwhelming. The need to know everything there is to know about merchant services has caused thousands of professionals and business hopefuls to throw up their arms in frustration and declare "No credit cards accepted!"
Issues involving statement and transaction fees, in addition to annual fees, programs fees and monthly minimums are enough to annoy anyone, and it doesn't end there. So, in the long run, attorneys lose potential clients desperately in need for attorney services.
Daring souls who brave the murky waves of rules, regulations, waivers and fees to invest in the actual equipment/startup cost needed to perform a credit card transaction still face contracts and agreements for that equipment, and hours of research. Cost for leasing credit card processing tools ranges from $29.00 to $80.00 a month, sometimes more. Lease terms generally run 36-48 months and canceling the lease is often not an option. Once you sign, you're stuck. Leasers must also pay state tax, if applicable, and may also find themselves paying for "Loss or Destruction" of that equipment as well. If you default on your lease, it's your credit report that suffers.
As a result, attorneys often find themselves stuck between a rock and a hard place. And many attorneys, especially those working solo, or even those who belong to small firms, can ill afford to spend hundreds, sometimes thousands of dollars setting up and maintaining a credit card billing system for their business. Yet not doing so can cost them thousands of dollars in earning potential - and in terms of collecting on legal fees owed while simplifying their law firm cash management process overall.
So what to do? What options are out there? Granted, not many. Still, one solution is growing in popularity. It's called mobile credit card processing, and it's a unique service provided by companies like "Accept by Phone". Finally, professionals, especially lawyers, can accept credit cards without the mundane and frustrating hassle of more "traditional" credit card processing methods. Many potential clients, including those going through divorce, those facing criminal charges and whose account assets have been frozen, and countless others seeking the services of an attorney often don't have access to cash or checking accounts. Mobile credit card processing services enable both clients and attorneys to complete payment transactions painlessly with a credit card.
Most mobile credit card processors allow attorneys to accept credit card payments via landline and through cell phones, instantly. No more waiting for checks to arrive and, more importantly, to clear. Credit card payments don't bounce. Using such a service also cuts overhead expenses and eradicates the fees and regulations of more traditional methods.
The catch? Believe it or not, there isn't one. Some services actually cost as little as $5.00 a month (in fees) to use, along with a percentage on each sale (usually ranging from 3.95% to 5%). Most services have no annual fees, no transaction fees, no minimums or volume restrictions. There are no cancellations fees and no terminals needed. And all you need is a phone line, cell phone or a PDA.
How can that be? Besides technology that truly places the world at our fingertips, this "accept by phone" system is very low maintenance for the account provider (financial institution that issues the merchant account), and the account setup/approval cost is minimal in comparison to a traditional account. These services utilize an automated system that enables callers and vendors to complete transactions in a matter of seconds and with a minimum of hassle. And as a result, both the merchant provider and the merchant (you) save big time.
These unique merchant services offer a win-win situation; clients receive immediate legal representation that fits into their financial ability and preference, and attorneys get paid, instantly, just by using their cell phone for 30 seconds - simplifying their law firm cash management struggles in one fell swoop.
What's not to like about that?
Chris Rempel recommends http://www.AcceptByPhone.com, which enables lawyers to accept credit cards using any phone (or cell), for just $5 per month and 3.95% per sale. Find out why Chris and others think this service is the ultimate mobile merchant account service.
For more practical law firm business tips, see my law firm management website.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Rempel
http://EzineArticles.com/?A-Mind-Blowing-Secret-About-Law-Firm-Cash-Management&id=416515
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Wireless Credit Card Machines
The Wide Area Network Dilemma
By David Chambers
I recently attended a trade show aimed at owners and operators of convenience stores. Dynamic speakers at the show inspired many attendees to ask lots of thoughtful questions. As I stood in our booth talking to these business owners a theme developed: "Should we network our stores? And if so, what is the best solution for our business?"
Wide Area Networks (WANs) can often be the technology investment that doubles your revenue. ---okay, maybe not double. But I've got your attention and a WAN is definitely a "bottom line" builder.
In fourteen years of network engineering I have orchestrated successful WAN implementations streamlining ordering, eliminating overtime expenses and reducing shrink. But does every business need a WAN? Answering six key questions ---Who, What, When, Where, Why and How (including How Much)--- is the start to finding out.
Who: Get support from all departments. Anyone who will be affected will need to be involved at some level. A WAN is a significant investment, and even if it will be used only for Point-of-Sale (POS) traffic the project will go much smoother if there is buy-in from the CEO on down. A new WAN will touch training, sales, inventory, purchasing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, IT, and everyone in between. It's better to bring them in than wish you had.
What: Choosing a hardware platform is an important decision. The wrong decision now may cost tens of thousands of dollars two years from now when you want to roll out VoIP and your hardware won't handle it. Open your eyes to the BIG picture and prepare for the future. I recommend to my clients that they should think out no more than five years. The infrastructure will be ready for a facelift at that time.
When: Just as critical as "Why". Time is a balancing act. Take as much time as you can to design and implement your WAN properly. Moving too quickly will leave holes that someone (probably you) will fall into. One of my clients had tried the DIY approach before contacting me for help. He implemented his 32 point WAN too quickly and the results were catastrophic. The stores didn't have enough bandwidth to work properly and the VPN tunnels were not properly secured. He spent the majority of his time just keeping the WAN running and was not able to keep up with his day-to-day work. But, as I wrote earlier, time is a balancing act. If you take too long precious momentum is lost and it becomes easy to overlook an element of the project, such as the IP addressing scheme. I have often said, "A WAN is a living, breathing creature and sometimes it has attitude"!
Where: This is an interesting part of the design decisions. Certainly each store will be part of the WAN but what about corporate HQ? Maybe now is the time to co-locate your data-center in a secure, professional facility? You may benefit from inviting a choice vendor or two into the WAN (called an ExtraNet). If you have retail stores you may want to be connected to your credit card processor for faster (and potentially less expensive) transactions. The same is true for gift card processors, VoIP providers, etc.
Why: There are so many reasons. The one I hear most often is, "We want to get access to the POS data for each of our stores." or, "We want to start using e-mail". Other reasons may include to reviewing inventory levels, implementing a new enterprise application, providing online training to store staff, monitoring video surveillance, or adding VoIP. It is critical to explore all of the reasons well in advance. Identifying as many desired components at the front end will maximize benefits and ROI. When the time comes to design the network, each application will have its own network requirements.
How (or How Much): WANs come in different colors and flavors. Private, hosted, VPN, software based, hardware based, broadband, layer 2, and layer 3 are just a few options available. To break it down more simply consider these three options:
1. Private, Managed: This option eliminates the need to hire Remote Access Specialists or highly trained (and expensive) engineers who have experience with WAN technology. A private, managed service provider will help you architect the WAN, provide project management for the implementation, and proactively monitor the network 24/7/365 once it is turned up. This results in a fast, secure network that will not require encryption.
2. VPN, Unmanaged: This is the do-it-yourself network that can be self-managed until you hit about four or five stores. After that, it becomes unwieldy to manage and remember multiple broadband providers. You will need to have someone (or a team of technicians) who can travel to the stores and install the equipment as well as (regularly) maintain the firewall security and perform firmware updates.
3. VPN, Managed: In this scenario mission critical data travels over the public Internet between the store and the corporate office. A hardware device (or software) at each end goes through the process of building a "tunnel" between the stores and the data center. Then each device encrypts the data packets on one end, and decrypts them on the other. Keeping the VPN Tunnel up is intensive enough. Add on to that the hard work of encryption and decryption and you will experience high latency and network outages when the tunnel drops.
The marketplace is rife with WAN providers. This has led to phenomenal competition. Competition leads to innovation (another reason to only build for a five year period). Some of the newest players (2000 to present) bring the best value to their customers. The tier 1 providers are, of course, still there. Smaller, more agile companies may provide the flexibility you need. How much you invest needs to be in direct proportion to the service you receive. Find a company that wants to help you be successful. Have at least two meetings with a company before you start to discuss the "How Much" question. It is absolutely essential that you both understand what will be needed in terms of bandwidth, uptime, monitoring, redundancy, billing, and other services. Remember, this is an investment to increase revenue. "But David, how can that be?", you ask. Consider this:
Fraud, theft, Inventory shrink are all losses we would like to eliminate. Your new WAN will allow for immediate access to POS transactions, current inventory levels, and make catching the "till dipper" red-handed, adding thousands to your bottom line. Video surveillance will also help catch the nighttime burglar, not to mention the rogue employee that has inventory going out the back door. The entire world is quickly moving toward Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and for good reason. Site-to-site calls are free! Site to Corporate calls are free! Long distance charges can be eliminated! Sending credit card and gift card transactions over the WAN will reduce the processing time from 30 - 40 seconds down to 2 - 3 seconds. Customers move quickly through the check out line and have a happier experience, bringing them back more often. Additionally, processors may lower your per-transaction fees for using a faster connection than dial-up. Creating a WAN will eliminate the need for costly phone lines. A broadband connection can share your existing fax line and you may be able to eliminate lines for ATM machines, credit card machines, and others. These add up to very real dollars being pushed straight to your bottom line.
Making the decision to design and implement a WAN is a terrific first step. Don't underestimate the amount of effort and time that will be required to make your project a success. Find a good partner in the marketplace that is like-minded and will work with you flexibly to meet and exceed your needs.
David Chambers helps clients design, build, and manage their network infrastructures. He lives in Dallas, TX with his lovely wife of four years and their two children. He may be reached at davidcchambers@gmail.com or 866-607-9468.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Chambers
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Wide-Area-Network-Dilemma&id=241403
By David Chambers
I recently attended a trade show aimed at owners and operators of convenience stores. Dynamic speakers at the show inspired many attendees to ask lots of thoughtful questions. As I stood in our booth talking to these business owners a theme developed: "Should we network our stores? And if so, what is the best solution for our business?"
Wide Area Networks (WANs) can often be the technology investment that doubles your revenue. ---okay, maybe not double. But I've got your attention and a WAN is definitely a "bottom line" builder.
In fourteen years of network engineering I have orchestrated successful WAN implementations streamlining ordering, eliminating overtime expenses and reducing shrink. But does every business need a WAN? Answering six key questions ---Who, What, When, Where, Why and How (including How Much)--- is the start to finding out.
Who: Get support from all departments. Anyone who will be affected will need to be involved at some level. A WAN is a significant investment, and even if it will be used only for Point-of-Sale (POS) traffic the project will go much smoother if there is buy-in from the CEO on down. A new WAN will touch training, sales, inventory, purchasing, accounts receivable, accounts payable, IT, and everyone in between. It's better to bring them in than wish you had.
What: Choosing a hardware platform is an important decision. The wrong decision now may cost tens of thousands of dollars two years from now when you want to roll out VoIP and your hardware won't handle it. Open your eyes to the BIG picture and prepare for the future. I recommend to my clients that they should think out no more than five years. The infrastructure will be ready for a facelift at that time.
When: Just as critical as "Why". Time is a balancing act. Take as much time as you can to design and implement your WAN properly. Moving too quickly will leave holes that someone (probably you) will fall into. One of my clients had tried the DIY approach before contacting me for help. He implemented his 32 point WAN too quickly and the results were catastrophic. The stores didn't have enough bandwidth to work properly and the VPN tunnels were not properly secured. He spent the majority of his time just keeping the WAN running and was not able to keep up with his day-to-day work. But, as I wrote earlier, time is a balancing act. If you take too long precious momentum is lost and it becomes easy to overlook an element of the project, such as the IP addressing scheme. I have often said, "A WAN is a living, breathing creature and sometimes it has attitude"!
Where: This is an interesting part of the design decisions. Certainly each store will be part of the WAN but what about corporate HQ? Maybe now is the time to co-locate your data-center in a secure, professional facility? You may benefit from inviting a choice vendor or two into the WAN (called an ExtraNet). If you have retail stores you may want to be connected to your credit card processor for faster (and potentially less expensive) transactions. The same is true for gift card processors, VoIP providers, etc.
Why: There are so many reasons. The one I hear most often is, "We want to get access to the POS data for each of our stores." or, "We want to start using e-mail". Other reasons may include to reviewing inventory levels, implementing a new enterprise application, providing online training to store staff, monitoring video surveillance, or adding VoIP. It is critical to explore all of the reasons well in advance. Identifying as many desired components at the front end will maximize benefits and ROI. When the time comes to design the network, each application will have its own network requirements.
How (or How Much): WANs come in different colors and flavors. Private, hosted, VPN, software based, hardware based, broadband, layer 2, and layer 3 are just a few options available. To break it down more simply consider these three options:
1. Private, Managed: This option eliminates the need to hire Remote Access Specialists or highly trained (and expensive) engineers who have experience with WAN technology. A private, managed service provider will help you architect the WAN, provide project management for the implementation, and proactively monitor the network 24/7/365 once it is turned up. This results in a fast, secure network that will not require encryption.
2. VPN, Unmanaged: This is the do-it-yourself network that can be self-managed until you hit about four or five stores. After that, it becomes unwieldy to manage and remember multiple broadband providers. You will need to have someone (or a team of technicians) who can travel to the stores and install the equipment as well as (regularly) maintain the firewall security and perform firmware updates.
3. VPN, Managed: In this scenario mission critical data travels over the public Internet between the store and the corporate office. A hardware device (or software) at each end goes through the process of building a "tunnel" between the stores and the data center. Then each device encrypts the data packets on one end, and decrypts them on the other. Keeping the VPN Tunnel up is intensive enough. Add on to that the hard work of encryption and decryption and you will experience high latency and network outages when the tunnel drops.
The marketplace is rife with WAN providers. This has led to phenomenal competition. Competition leads to innovation (another reason to only build for a five year period). Some of the newest players (2000 to present) bring the best value to their customers. The tier 1 providers are, of course, still there. Smaller, more agile companies may provide the flexibility you need. How much you invest needs to be in direct proportion to the service you receive. Find a company that wants to help you be successful. Have at least two meetings with a company before you start to discuss the "How Much" question. It is absolutely essential that you both understand what will be needed in terms of bandwidth, uptime, monitoring, redundancy, billing, and other services. Remember, this is an investment to increase revenue. "But David, how can that be?", you ask. Consider this:
Fraud, theft, Inventory shrink are all losses we would like to eliminate. Your new WAN will allow for immediate access to POS transactions, current inventory levels, and make catching the "till dipper" red-handed, adding thousands to your bottom line. Video surveillance will also help catch the nighttime burglar, not to mention the rogue employee that has inventory going out the back door. The entire world is quickly moving toward Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and for good reason. Site-to-site calls are free! Site to Corporate calls are free! Long distance charges can be eliminated! Sending credit card and gift card transactions over the WAN will reduce the processing time from 30 - 40 seconds down to 2 - 3 seconds. Customers move quickly through the check out line and have a happier experience, bringing them back more often. Additionally, processors may lower your per-transaction fees for using a faster connection than dial-up. Creating a WAN will eliminate the need for costly phone lines. A broadband connection can share your existing fax line and you may be able to eliminate lines for ATM machines, credit card machines, and others. These add up to very real dollars being pushed straight to your bottom line.
Making the decision to design and implement a WAN is a terrific first step. Don't underestimate the amount of effort and time that will be required to make your project a success. Find a good partner in the marketplace that is like-minded and will work with you flexibly to meet and exceed your needs.
David Chambers helps clients design, build, and manage their network infrastructures. He lives in Dallas, TX with his lovely wife of four years and their two children. He may be reached at davidcchambers@gmail.com or 866-607-9468.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Chambers
http://EzineArticles.com/?The-Wide-Area-Network-Dilemma&id=241403
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