Where and How Do You Process Charges?

[Arks]

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back..

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.
.

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.

So are you able to take deposits???
.

We don't take deposits. But yes, we could take deposits. You manually enter and then you have to push "card not present" and of course you have a higher fee for that. You are also not protected from a charge-back.
If you have the card and swipe it and it's chip & pin it will tell you to insert the card into the pinpad to process the transaction. The holder must be there to process. In return for this, we are protected from charge-backs, since the person both had the card and validated the card with their PIN. We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.
.

We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.

It will be great when we have that too! Currently, some fast food places, and the post office, don't require a signature, but I suspect it's because the amounts being charged are so small they just accept the risk of not getting a signature in order to speed up the checkout process.
.

Yes. But the customer must have a chip, the card must be read by the chip and they must enter their PIN. Not the paypass nonsense, that has no security whatsover.... So I don't have charge backs if they are processed this way. But it means that I need the physical card and the physical person there to process in this fashion. EMV and it's coming to the US. But for me it leave me with the choice of either moving the CC machine to a place where the guests will be, or letting the guests in to my personal space. A dilemma we are trying to overcome.
.

So, what's the issue with moving the cc machine to the entryway? I mean, if this is what you want to do, why are you not doing it? What thoughts are you thinking that you want to overcome?
Our machine is loud. It's the old clackety clack, not the new, quiet kind. This is why we don't do cc processing in the morning. Everyone is trying to eat and that machine drowns out everything!
.

Two things... It seems very commercial to have the machine out in the hall where the guests are. The second is that we usually don't print anything other than the CC receipts. So we usually enter amounts from the screen, then enter the payment into the system and then send the guests a recipt in email. So we are thinking about processing with a tablet, so that we can do all the processes at the same time. Or maybe install a touch screen PC in the hallway, so we can process on that and use it for an information base for the guests.
I was trying to come up with a way to sort of keep the machine discreet, I guess. Especially after someone already wrote up a nasty review saying we keep everything in the entryway. (I guess I'm still traumatized by that nastiness.)
.

I was trying to come up with a way to sort of keep the machine discreet, I guess. Especially after someone already wrote up a nasty review saying we keep everything in the entryway. (I guess I'm still traumatized by that nastiness.)

So move the machine to your kitchen. You like having guests in the kitchen, don't you? ;-)

 

[Highlands John]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

 

[Alibi Ike]

Be careful having it out in public, there is a REPRINT LAST RECPT or REPRINT ANY RECPT button that if not password protected will work for anyone and printe the full cc # on it..

None of receipts ever has the full CC number on it, not ours and not the guest's. It has the approval code, the last four digits, the amount and the guest name.
.

None of receipts ever has the full CC number on it, not ours and not the guest's. It has the approval code, the last four digits, the amount and the guest name.

Test your machine. There are certain reports you can print out that contain ALL of the cc info. Those need to be password protected.

 

[EmptyNest]

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back..

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.
.

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.

So are you able to take deposits???
.

We don't take deposits. But yes, we could take deposits. You manually enter and then you have to push "card not present" and of course you have a higher fee for that. You are also not protected from a charge-back.
If you have the card and swipe it and it's chip & pin it will tell you to insert the card into the pinpad to process the transaction. The holder must be there to process. In return for this, we are protected from charge-backs, since the person both had the card and validated the card with their PIN. We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.
.

We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.

It will be great when we have that too! Currently, some fast food places, and the post office, don't require a signature, but I suspect it's because the amounts being charged are so small they just accept the risk of not getting a signature in order to speed up the checkout process.
.

Yes. But the customer must have a chip, the card must be read by the chip and they must enter their PIN. Not the paypass nonsense, that has no security whatsover.... So I don't have charge backs if they are processed this way. But it means that I need the physical card and the physical person there to process in this fashion. EMV and it's coming to the US. But for me it leave me with the choice of either moving the CC machine to a place where the guests will be, or letting the guests in to my personal space. A dilemma we are trying to overcome.
.

So, what's the issue with moving the cc machine to the entryway? I mean, if this is what you want to do, why are you not doing it? What thoughts are you thinking that you want to overcome?
Our machine is loud. It's the old clackety clack, not the new, quiet kind. This is why we don't do cc processing in the morning. Everyone is trying to eat and that machine drowns out everything!
.

Two things... It seems very commercial to have the machine out in the hall where the guests are. The second is that we usually don't print anything other than the CC receipts. So we usually enter amounts from the screen, then enter the payment into the system and then send the guests a recipt in email. So we are thinking about processing with a tablet, so that we can do all the processes at the same time. Or maybe install a touch screen PC in the hallway, so we can process on that and use it for an information base for the guests.
I was trying to come up with a way to sort of keep the machine discreet, I guess. Especially after someone already wrote up a nasty review saying we keep everything in the entryway. (I guess I'm still traumatized by that nastiness.)
.

you are a business. Just do it. Ours was on the wall by our secretary because that was the convenient phone jack for us. It was not obnoxious..it was convenient. No one had to walk anywhere and it was expected. I think you are over thinking this way too much.

 

[muirford]

We keep the rolltop down and locked except during the actual checkin process, and the key is in our owner's quarters. We couldn't find an antique with a working lock so we got a reproduction. We bought it from a local antique place that also does repros, so I'm afraid I can't help with a link.

 

[Bommelhoeve]

It is a good idea to keep a chip/pin emv machine locked away or otherwise secure, this is recommended to prevent tampering (skimming).

 

[Generic]

It is a good idea to keep a chip/pin emv machine locked away or otherwise secure, this is recommended to prevent tampering (skimming)..

I talked to someone today and we will likely find a cash box and drill a hole in it so that we can lock it all away.
As far as I know, you can't duplicate a chip card, only magnetic cards are open to skimming.

 

[Samster]

We kept the credit card machine (swipe) in our office, which was just off a second reception hallway on the ground floor of our main house. All I did was just step in the office and run the card at check-in, then step back out with their card, credit card receipt, and the signature copy for the merchant. No guest was allowed in our office and it was always locked to protect guest information. They got a finalized receipt from my guest management software at check-out.
JB brings up an excellent point about information that can be gleaned from the machines.
I worked at an inn where everything was in an unsecured office adjacent to the kitchen and out there for anyone to see - booking calendar with credit card numbers, names and addresses, credit card machine, business records, etc. I advised the owners to lock everything up. I hope that they did do this eventually. It was a nightmare waiting to happen...

 

[Skamokawa]

We have a reception desk. We swipe the card at check-in.

 

[Anon Inn]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

 

[Anon Inn]

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back..

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.
.

Deposit taken early, balance on arrival. We take card into our office and return to central hall where they sign.
If they must be with their card, they can follow - this is when I wish we had the machine in the entry. I just wonder what these people do at restaurants where the waiter takes the card to the back.

Part of Chip & Pin... you can't walk away with the card and process the charge. You need the card and the owner to be in proximity, they need to be there, physically.
At restaurants locally, they bring a hand held unit to your table now. Or you have to go to the cash to pay. No more taking the card and walking away with it.

So are you able to take deposits???
.

We don't take deposits. But yes, we could take deposits. You manually enter and then you have to push "card not present" and of course you have a higher fee for that. You are also not protected from a charge-back.
If you have the card and swipe it and it's chip & pin it will tell you to insert the card into the pinpad to process the transaction. The holder must be there to process. In return for this, we are protected from charge-backs, since the person both had the card and validated the card with their PIN. We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.
.

We don't need to collect a signature and we don't have to worry about fraud.

It will be great when we have that too! Currently, some fast food places, and the post office, don't require a signature, but I suspect it's because the amounts being charged are so small they just accept the risk of not getting a signature in order to speed up the checkout process.
.

Yes. But the customer must have a chip, the card must be read by the chip and they must enter their PIN. Not the paypass nonsense, that has no security whatsover.... So I don't have charge backs if they are processed this way. But it means that I need the physical card and the physical person there to process in this fashion. EMV and it's coming to the US. But for me it leave me with the choice of either moving the CC machine to a place where the guests will be, or letting the guests in to my personal space. A dilemma we are trying to overcome.
.

So, what's the issue with moving the cc machine to the entryway? I mean, if this is what you want to do, why are you not doing it? What thoughts are you thinking that you want to overcome?
Our machine is loud. It's the old clackety clack, not the new, quiet kind. This is why we don't do cc processing in the morning. Everyone is trying to eat and that machine drowns out everything!
.

Two things... It seems very commercial to have the machine out in the hall where the guests are. The second is that we usually don't print anything other than the CC receipts. So we usually enter amounts from the screen, then enter the payment into the system and then send the guests a recipt in email. So we are thinking about processing with a tablet, so that we can do all the processes at the same time. Or maybe install a touch screen PC in the hallway, so we can process on that and use it for an information base for the guests.
I was trying to come up with a way to sort of keep the machine discreet, I guess. Especially after someone already wrote up a nasty review saying we keep everything in the entryway. (I guess I'm still traumatized by that nastiness.)
.

"It seems very commercial"
Yes. It lets people know this is a business right up front. We get the business part done, then just concentrate on making everyone at home and happy.

 

[Arks]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.
.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

You don't think people know where his machine is stored when he runs their card? It's no big secret where people keep their credit card machine. Walmart doesn't hide theirs well at all.

 

[Joey Camb]

It is a good idea to keep a chip/pin emv machine locked away or otherwise secure, this is recommended to prevent tampering (skimming)..

I talked to someone today and we will likely find a cash box and drill a hole in it so that we can lock it all away.
As far as I know, you can't duplicate a chip card, only magnetic cards are open to skimming.
.

it can be done I am afraid.

 

[Highlands John]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.
.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

You don't think people know where his machine is stored when he runs their card? It's no big secret where people keep their credit card machine. Walmart doesn't hide theirs well at all.
.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

You don't think people know where his machine is stored when he runs their card? It's no big secret where people keep their credit card machine. Walmart doesn't hide theirs well at all.

Exactly. And you need to put this in context. We are a 3 room B&B, it's our home. It's very rare for us to be out when guests are in and even then it's only with guests we feel comfortable with. There are no strangers walking in off the street without us knowing and as all guest rooms are upstairs we know if someone has come down stairs and not gone out the door.
As far as skimming is concerned this requires a device to be attached to the machine, I'd notice if next time I come to take a payment the machine has been tampered with.

 

[JBloggs]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

I like your style HJ. What a tidy hallway bureau.

 

[Arks]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

I like your style HJ. What a tidy hallway bureau.
.

I like your style HJ. What a tidy hallway bureau.

I had the same thought. Very nice.

 

[Joey Camb]

We have a chest of draws in the hallway, our card machine is in the top draw. I drilled a hole in the back of the unit so the wires go straight out the back to the power and telephone sockets. There is enough loose cable to open the draw, take the machine out and put on the top when required, for easy access by us and the guest. When it's in the draw nobody even knows it's there.
Works really well for us.

.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.
.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

You don't think people know where his machine is stored when he runs their card? It's no big secret where people keep their credit card machine. Walmart doesn't hide theirs well at all.
.

And now we all know it too. These pix I would not have posted.

You don't think people know where his machine is stored when he runs their card? It's no big secret where people keep their credit card machine. Walmart doesn't hide theirs well at all.

Exactly. And you need to put this in context. We are a 3 room B&B, it's our home. It's very rare for us to be out when guests are in and even then it's only with guests we feel comfortable with. There are no strangers walking in off the street without us knowing and as all guest rooms are upstairs we know if someone has come down stairs and not gone out the door.
As far as skimming is concerned this requires a device to be attached to the machine, I'd notice if next time I come to take a payment the machine has been tampered with.
.

When we first came they had a fax machine and card machine all out in the open on the front desk unsupervised day and night. They didn't taken online bookings but any faxes that came in the night were out all night. So it was one of the first things we did was drill a hole in the wall and move everything into the back behind lock and key.