As a small business owner, you have a lot of decisions to make every day. One of the most important is deciding what types of payment you will accept from your clients.
While lots of dog walkers and pet sitters have traditionally been paid by cash or check, the reality is that most of today’s pet parents want, and expect, to be able to pay you online by credit card.
And as the O’Jay’s once sang, “you got to give the people what they want!”
In all seriousness, think about the wide array of things you’ve paid for online recently. For us, the list includes:
- TV subscription(s)
- Pizza delivery
- Ice cream delivery
- Coffee
- Parking at a meter
- Hair cuts
- Salad delivery
- Subway pass
- Internet service
- Thai food delivery
- Drug prescriptions
- Groceries
- Mobile phone subscription
- Pet food
- Chinese food delivery
- Music subscriptions
- Concert tickets
- Charitable donations
Okay, so maybe we have a food delivery problem, but that’s not the point! 😛
The point is that as consumers, we have become accustomed to paying online, and it can be extremely frustrating to not have that option for both one-off and recurring purchases like pet sitting, boarding, or regular walks.
But what about my older customers who don’t want to pay online?
Allowing and requiring online credit card payments are two different things. If you have people who are uncomfortable paying online, then you probably shouldn’t make them do so. There is nothing wrong with accepting cash and checks, if you don’t mind making the deposits and tracking them manually in your payments system.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t allow others the option to pay online. In fact, giving people options is always a good thing as long as it works for your business too.
I don’t want to lose money on processing fees!
One of the traditional downsides of taking credit card payments is the processing fee that is deducted from the payment and ultimately out of your pocket. If you bill a client $100, you want to get $100, not $97. The struggle is real!
That’s why businesses using PetPocketbook now have the option to automatically add a service fee to their clients’ online credit card payments. This service fee in turn covers processing fees, refund fees, dispute fees, and other costs associated with online payments without reducing your income. 🥳
Why not just take Venmo or Cash App?
Venmo and Cash App are great because they are easy to use and lots of pet parents already have them on their phones, but they are also limited in their options.
For example, Venmo business accounts charge higher than average processing fees. And if you are using a personal account, you lose the ability to allow tips, turn on autopay, and automatically track payments in your PetPocketbook (or other system) account.
The takeaway
Allowing your clients to pay for pet services online via credit card is a win for them and a win for you. By simplifying the experience from end to end, you’re making it easier to pay, easier to track, and easier to collect your hard-earned money. 🙌