# Online payments?



## ppandr (Dec 16, 2004)

Anyone use an online payment system, whether website based or through a service?
I have a fair amount of resi's and am looking to streamline the billing/receivable process.
We bill by set rates determined by the final amount of snow. I have offered a discount in the past to those who pay within three days by dropping a check in a special mailbox but I am not living in the area where my resi's are anymore. I would get about half (40) within three days dropped. Looking to expand this year and want to streamline the process.


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## Spucel (Feb 6, 2011)

I like the discount idea. I'm sure it helps prevent tossing the bill on the desk and paying it next month. I have no recommendations for ya but its a great idea. Good luck!payup


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## s. donato (Dec 9, 2010)

when i send an email i include a link to paypal to submit payment.

or i use a CC processor on my phone with swipe for the card - you don't need to swipe but the rate is higher if you don't swipe. service is: https://squareup.com/payments

i am in no way saying its the best out there. YMMV. i just found both to be pretty complementary. a quick plow and swipe makes it easier to get paid and for most people it makes it an easier decision to clean out the driveway. for the contracted customers i can send a bill from paypal through my phone while doing their driveway.


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## highmark923 (Feb 3, 2011)

Check out Freshbooks. I use this for my webdesign business which is only me, a sub, and several clients. I think it's free and I use PayPal as my CC processor. There is a fee for using PayPal; but not for Freshbooks if you keep it under 2 employees. You can have as many customers as you want too I believe. They also have a mobile component for phones as well but I haven't checked that out.

For our snow business we will use the same thing since we run only 2 people currently.


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## bi-directional (Dec 11, 2010)

We started using Interact online transfers last year and it worked good for us. It's all done through the customers online banking and you get sent an e-mail to tell you to accept the transfer. The only cost is to the person sending the money, I think it costs them $1.50


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## CS-LAWNSERVICE (Sep 3, 2011)

I use paypal for my summer work and will do so also this winter on plowing 
you can send invoice right though paypal to there email also 

it cost a couple percent per transaction but all in all it works well for me


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## Reggie (Jun 26, 2010)

PNC Bank has their own in house merchant set up.


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## IMAGE (Oct 21, 2007)

I use Landscape Billing. Been using it about 4 years now, works well for me. They have a 30 day free trial at www.landscapebilling.com and its only a few bucks a month after that.


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## IreneS (Sep 17, 2011)

I use PayPal for my online payments and as of now, I don't encounter any problem regarding this.


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## MattsPlowingWI (Jul 18, 2011)

I have been using quickbooks for many years now. We have accepted credit cards through there processing network with excellent rates, but you need to swipe the card for the 1.94% rate, otherwise I think it's in the upper 2's, and then we find many people using reward cards and we get dinges again at the end of the month, but the rates are the same with almost all merchant services. I've met with a number of merchant services reps but with intuit it's already in our accounting software and low fees and no equipment if you don't want it. But last year they added an online payment system with a flat $0.50 fee per transaction. A few of our clients used it (8%) and we were happy to only pay $0.50!


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## elite1msmith (Sep 10, 2007)

ppandr;1304335 said:


> Anyone use an online payment system, whether website based or through a service?
> I have a fair amount of resi's and am looking to streamline the billing/receivable process.
> We bill by set rates determined by the final amount of snow. I have offered a discount in the past to those who pay within three days by dropping a check in a special mailbox but I am not living in the area where my resi's are anymore. I would get about half (40) within three days dropped. Looking to expand this year and want to streamline the process.


i use serviceautopilot. granted at this time its really built more for lawncare, and mowing than snow. as a result we have had to "addapt" to how it works. but they are coming out with a snow feature in the next month.

back to my point, we have a client log in, where they can pay there bill with credit card, but last year we started requiring they give us a card on file and auto charge it for every storm. works great.


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## fsnowguy (Mar 8, 2011)

I am with the others using paypal. It is pretty easy to add a pay here button to your existing website and clients trust it.


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## mpgall26 (Aug 19, 2011)

I got an Intuit account with a card swiper and plan on swiping on site when cash isnt an option, otherwise punch in the number. I plan to clearly ,and contractually, make it clear that if I come then I charge your card. 
My only reservation is keeping customers card numbers in their file (for entry when they aren't physically there to swipe), I'm not so sure thats good business practice ???


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## ArlingtonLand (Oct 6, 2011)

There is an option through quick-books to accept online payments. For the 25 cents is costs me it entirely worth getting paid fast, having it go directly into my bank account, and recording it into my books.


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