What is a payment processor?
A payment processor does exactly what it says on the tin, it simply processes payments. Payment processors are the intermediaries between businesses and financial institutions, connecting merchants, merchant banks, card networks, and others to make card payments possible.
Payment processing companies run and conduct credit card and debit card processing transactions while businesses continue to grow. In some cases, it can work as an online payment processor enabling access to digital payments and thus expanding the opportunities for payments acceptance.
The role of payment processors in payment processing can be explained by the following example.
The process starts when the buyer provides payment information via swiping a card, a mobile device, and manually entering the online payment gateway. The payment information is transferred to the processor, which transmits the transaction request to the corresponding credit card network, eventually reaching the issuing bank for authorization. The validity of a transaction is evaluated due to communicating with both the issuing and acquiring banks.
If the transaction is approved, then the amount of the transaction is deducted from the card holder’s account and the cardholder is given a receipt. All of this takes place within a few seconds.
In fact, the whole behind-the-scenes process presents a complicated scheme consisting of authorization, clearing, settlement, and funding phases that is only enabled due to the processor being an intermediary between these institutions.
Payment processors are undoubtedly the intermediaries which release businesses from the complexities of payments transactions and enable substantial benefits and cost savings for businesses.
Acceptance of different payment methods
A payment processor provides opportunities to offer diverse payment methods to your customers and thus expand their customer base and consequently revenue stream.
The choice of payment methods is the core condition for enhanced customer experience and revenue stream. Payment processors help businesses determine the best mix of payment alternatives to serve their customers. From basic credit and debit cards payments acceptance to alternative payment options payment processors let the customers pay the way they want, providing businesses with a competitive advantage and frictionless payment acceptance.
Integration with different systems for a better business experience.
As business efficiency requires the combination of different systems such as to get more operative and productive results, these systems should coordinate and be in connection with each other. Payment processors now seamlessly integrate with billing, accounting, and CRM systems, providing businesses with a comprehensive overview of their business processes.
Digital payments provide better data management for businesses enabling them to make advantageous planning and decision making for better profit revenue. Tools that enable better data analysis and future business forecasting are irreplaceable helpers at securing more profitable decisions.
Flexible fees rate
In general, payment processors imply different pricing models. Businesses can apply pricing models that can result in significant savings.
In most cases, many third-party payment processors don’t charge an enormous deposit fee for setup. In some cases, payment processing fees can get complicated, since each fee might be composed of several other rates and fees. Nevertheless, in most cases, processors impose common fees, such as flat fees, transaction fees, and incidental fees which are quite profitable for businesses.
Security
High transaction volumes mean the prosperity and development of your business, but it increases the fraud risks from the payment processing side. Still, payment processors implement the disruptive security solution to guarantee stable payments processing and reduce the cases of frauds resulting in chargebacks. The different tools include PCI-DSS ( Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) compliance, tokenization, 3D Secure V2 and 3D Secure V1, and tokenization.
Thus payment processing is the guarantee of superior customer service, 24/7 troubleshooting, data security assistance, fraud protection, and more.
As concluded, payment processors propositions include extensive payments expertise, reliable customer service, preemptive 24/7 troubleshooting, flexible fee rates, and more to assist businesses in increasing revenue and reducing costs through optimized payment processing.
