Offering credit card processing services to your customers is a great way to encourage them to pay on time, with a reliable payment method. With a growing focus on paying with plastic, and a shift away from carrying cash and checks, many consumers find that they avoid cash-only locations in favor of those that offer credit and debit services. Having your merchant machine go down, malfunction, or become less than reliable can have detrimental effects on your company’s bottom line. While there are certain issues that will require professional repair, there are a few things that you can do to increase the longevity of your merchant machine. Here are a few tips on how to care for credit card merchant machines.
Use Computer Monitor Wipes
The digital display is a crucial aspect of your merchant machine. After all, without it the machine is practically useless. Keeping this display clean and easily visible for your customers is relatively easy. Simply use the same cleaning wipes you use to keep your computer monitor dust and fingerprint free on your digital display. It’s a good idea to wipe it off once every 10 or so uses, to avoid a build up of dirt, dust, fingerprints, and bacteria.
Keep The Card Slot Clean
Most modern machines will have two areas for card entry: a magnetic swipe running along the side of the machine and a slot in the bottom for chip cards. It’s important to keep both areas clean, so that cards can be properly read when they are processed. Dirt and dust can build up in these areas, making it hard for the machine to read the card. Most machines will come with a “cleaner card” that you can swipe through the machine every so often in order to keep it clean. Be sure to keep the card with your related supplies, in order to have easy access, and clean the machine as often as the directions indicate. If you have lost the card, it’s still relatively easy to clean the machine. Simply wrap a thin piece of paper around another card, and swipe it through. Click here for details about credit card merchant machines.
