How do you get the incurred damages after guest left (ex: Smoking in Room = $175 fee) if you get cash or paid thru Paypal

[Madeleine]

The best offer I have yet is with ICS (Intergrated Card Services).
No Contract,
Free Printer/Terminal Supplies (Nurit 2085),
No Annual Fee, Monthly fee of $6.50
Transaction Fee of .20 cents (does anyone else miss the cents sign on a keyboard?)
and per transaction:
0.39% - Swiped Debit
1.59% - Swiped Credit
1.99% - Keyed Debit
2.19% - Keyed Credit
So WHAT have the hidden costs/obstacles NOT mentioned with this offer?
What more questions do I need to ask? Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? Thanks, B.

That offer looks pretty good at first glance, but I don't have a lot to compare too.
On another forum, somebody had posted a spreadsheet calculator for comparing processors.
At 6.50 per month ($78 per year), and assuming you do an average of 2 transactions each day for 360 days ($144), and assuming all your transactions are swiped credit at 1.59%, you will have to process almost $20,000 in the year before you will be beating the flat 2.75% fee from Square for swiped transactions (as an example).
It's actually not a difficult calculation -- just estimate how many transactions you think you will process in a month (or a year), and the total dollar amount of those transactions (maybe broken down by keyed vs. swiped), then you can calculate the total cost to run those using the figures quoted by ICS, and compare that to the total cost to run the same transactions through PayPal or Square or what-have-you.
.

For many reasons, listed below, Square is out.
The calculations are quite easy, it's the fine print & contracts which give me pause.

Does anyone know about PCI Compliance ($7.00 month):
Is this a state surcharge or standard, account the board fee? Thanks, B
.

For many reasons, listed below, Square is out.
The calculations are quite easy, it's the fine print & contracts which give me pause.

Does anyone know about PCI Compliance ($7.00 month):
Is this a state surcharge or standard, account the board fee? Thanks, B

PCI compliance is charged by most processors. We always get hit with this in Feb and I practically jump out of my chair because we are closed in Jan so we don't process many transactions. It is essentially insurance in case credit card numbers are stolen from your processing system. It covers a minimal amount of investigative work to discover the breach but it won't cover being sued because your guests' cc info was hacked. BTW- YOU are at fault. Never the processor. So, it's a joke really.
Yes, the calculations are easy but you don't have all the info to make an informed decision. They have not told you about rewards cards fees, international fees, business card fees, Discover card fees (you have to take D if you take the big 2).

 

[Little_Easy_Cabins]

The best offer I have yet is with ICS (Intergrated Card Services).
No Contract,
Free Printer/Terminal Supplies (Nurit 2085),
No Annual Fee, Monthly fee of $6.50
Transaction Fee of .20 cents (does anyone else miss the cents sign on a keyboard?)
and per transaction:
0.39% - Swiped Debit
1.59% - Swiped Credit
1.99% - Keyed Debit
2.19% - Keyed Credit
So WHAT have the hidden costs/obstacles NOT mentioned with this offer?
What more questions do I need to ask? Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? Thanks, B.

These fees sound too low, I would be very careful. Visa & MC fees may be in ADDITION to the processing fees. Visa, MC, et al have a minimum rate that must be charged to them through your processor and the rates you posted probably don't include those.
.

YES, it does sound to cheap! many Many MANY additional fees: (like another poster stated, same price different terms used) here's a few:
PCS Compliance fee (to be charged yearly or monthly by law, East is $7 per month)
and then the Visa/Mastercard/Discover "Network" fee ($ 2.90 to 7.95 month).
or an additional statement fee ($ 5).
or an additional ON-line processing monthly fee ($ 10).
Going the pray, then invoice, then send to collections route, might not bee too bad...eeek! .

 

[JBloggs]

The best offer I have yet is with ICS (Intergrated Card Services).
No Contract,
Free Printer/Terminal Supplies (Nurit 2085),
No Annual Fee, Monthly fee of $6.50
Transaction Fee of .20 cents (does anyone else miss the cents sign on a keyboard?)
and per transaction:
0.39% - Swiped Debit
1.59% - Swiped Credit
1.99% - Keyed Debit
2.19% - Keyed Credit
So WHAT have the hidden costs/obstacles NOT mentioned with this offer?
What more questions do I need to ask? Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? Thanks, B.

These fees sound too low, I would be very careful. Visa & MC fees may be in ADDITION to the processing fees. Visa, MC, et al have a minimum rate that must be charged to them through your processor and the rates you posted probably don't include those.
.

YES, it does sound to cheap! many Many MANY additional fees: (like another poster stated, same price different terms used) here's a few:
PCS Compliance fee (to be charged yearly or monthly by law, East is $7 per month)
and then the Visa/Mastercard/Discover "Network" fee ($ 2.90 to 7.95 month).
or an additional statement fee ($ 5).
or an additional ON-line processing monthly fee ($ 10).
Going the pray, then invoice, then send to collections route, might not bee too bad...eeek! .
.

YES, it does sound to cheap! many MAny MANY additional fees: (like another poster stated, same price different terms used) here's a few:
PCS Compliance fee (to be charged yearly or monthly by law, East is $7 per month)
and then the Visa/Mastercard/Discover "Network" fee.
or an additional statement fee.
or an additional ONline processing monthly fee.
Going the prey, then invoice, then send to collections route, might not bee too bad...eeek! .

We have all done this for years. It is nothing new, I had to pay a monthly PCI compliance fee and run the scan/audit. This is why so many have gone with Square. If you are a business you have to pay fees, it is what it is, but trying to make the best of it is wise.
I guess I am confused with your question, are you asking about charging a guest who smoked in a room, or searching for a cc merchant service?
I will tell you now, that no credit card company will back you charging for smoking in a room. The agreement made by the guest is to pay for the room night, and tax, nothing more. No matter how you word your policies. The best you can do is send them a statement with the amount due.

 

[user 26]

all you want addressed is your question about a credit card processing 'system' ... lots of good suggestions here.
and maybe you don't want any other suggestions at all. still, i'm going to say this ....
a smoker who violates your rules about not smoking in your cabin will likely fight a charge for cleanup after smoking. regardless of how you try to charge them. period.
i ended up paying additional costs to fight a chargeback on a damage fee well deserved by a bad guest. so it cost me more in the long run and it hurt.
i don't say this to be vicious, but from experience..

i don't say this to be vicious, but from experience.

seashanty couldn't be vicious if she wanted to!
.

i don't say this to be vicious, but from experience.

seashanty couldn't be vicious if she wanted to!

Ark, don't be fooled by my rainbow monkey hat. I look quite fierce in my bear hat!

 

[OnTheShore]

The best offer I have yet is with ICS (Intergrated Card Services).
No Contract,
Free Printer/Terminal Supplies (Nurit 2085),
No Annual Fee, Monthly fee of $6.50
Transaction Fee of .20 cents (does anyone else miss the cents sign on a keyboard?)
and per transaction:
0.39% - Swiped Debit
1.59% - Swiped Credit
1.99% - Keyed Debit
2.19% - Keyed Credit
So WHAT have the hidden costs/obstacles NOT mentioned with this offer?
What more questions do I need to ask? Any thoughts, comments, suggestions? Thanks, B.

That offer looks pretty good at first glance, but I don't have a lot to compare too.
On another forum, somebody had posted a spreadsheet calculator for comparing processors.
At 6.50 per month ($78 per year), and assuming you do an average of 2 transactions each day for 360 days ($144), and assuming all your transactions are swiped credit at 1.59%, you will have to process almost $20,000 in the year before you will be beating the flat 2.75% fee from Square for swiped transactions (as an example).
It's actually not a difficult calculation -- just estimate how many transactions you think you will process in a month (or a year), and the total dollar amount of those transactions (maybe broken down by keyed vs. swiped), then you can calculate the total cost to run those using the figures quoted by ICS, and compare that to the total cost to run the same transactions through PayPal or Square or what-have-you.
.

On another forum, somebody had posted a spreadsheet calculator for comparing processors.

Where can I find this?
.

On another forum, somebody had posted a spreadsheet calculator for comparing processors.

Where can I find this?

http://www.laymyhat.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16503&start=0&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=spreadsheet
(just pretend the Pounds Sterling symbol is a Dollar Sign -- it really doesn't matter)

 

[CottageKeeper]

Hi I'm new here, but you might want to check out Airbnb and list your property there. The interface is beautiful and the payment processing is a breeze! Plus they have a wonderful $1,00,000.00 insurance policy if anyone should damage your property. The review process is the most brilliant idea I've ever seen in the hospitality industry, it blows away tripadvisor. It is slated to be the Facebook of the hospitality industry and your beautiful cabin is an ideal property to list. If someone smokes in your place you can leave them a review saying so.
Check out my listing
I listed with them as a trial run to see if I would enjoy having all kinds of strangers at my house, to make sure I'm cut out for operating a bed and breakfast, the answer after a year of listing on Airbnb is a resounding yes. I love Airbnb and am actually thinking of using them for when I open my full fledge bed and breakfast, their reservation system is the prettiest and most professional looking around! Their fees are 3% but I don't mind paying because it is design so well, it is visually beautiful and simple to use. I have yet to find a reservation system that is as pretty and simple as Airbnb's they are light years ahead of the competition!
CottageKeeper

 

[Generic]

Hi I'm new here, but you might want to check out Airbnb and list your property there. The interface is beautiful and the payment processing is a breeze! Plus they have a wonderful $1,00,000.00 insurance policy if anyone should damage your property. The review process is the most brilliant idea I've ever seen in the hospitality industry, it blows away tripadvisor. It is slated to be the Facebook of the hospitality industry and your beautiful cabin is an ideal property to list. If someone smokes in your place you can leave them a review saying so.
Check out my listing
I listed with them as a trial run to see if I would enjoy having all kinds of strangers at my house, to make sure I'm cut out for operating a bed and breakfast, the answer after a year of listing on Airbnb is a resounding yes. I love Airbnb and am actually thinking of using them for when I open my full fledge bed and breakfast, their reservation system is the prettiest and most professional looking around! Their fees are 3% but I don't mind paying because it is design so well, it is visually beautiful and simple to use. I have yet to find a reservation system that is as pretty and simple as Airbnb's they are light years ahead of the competition!
CottageKeeper.

In my jurisdiction, AirBnB is essentially a collection of illegal businesses and tax cheats.

 

[EmptyNest]

Hi I'm new here, but you might want to check out Airbnb and list your property there. The interface is beautiful and the payment processing is a breeze! Plus they have a wonderful $1,00,000.00 insurance policy if anyone should damage your property. The review process is the most brilliant idea I've ever seen in the hospitality industry, it blows away tripadvisor. It is slated to be the Facebook of the hospitality industry and your beautiful cabin is an ideal property to list. If someone smokes in your place you can leave them a review saying so.
Check out my listing
I listed with them as a trial run to see if I would enjoy having all kinds of strangers at my house, to make sure I'm cut out for operating a bed and breakfast, the answer after a year of listing on Airbnb is a resounding yes. I love Airbnb and am actually thinking of using them for when I open my full fledge bed and breakfast, their reservation system is the prettiest and most professional looking around! Their fees are 3% but I don't mind paying because it is design so well, it is visually beautiful and simple to use. I have yet to find a reservation system that is as pretty and simple as Airbnb's they are light years ahead of the competition!
CottageKeeper.

Most of us here have nothing but negatives for air b n b. Sorry!

 

[Madeleine]

Hi I'm new here, but you might want to check out Airbnb and list your property there. The interface is beautiful and the payment processing is a breeze! Plus they have a wonderful $1,00,000.00 insurance policy if anyone should damage your property. The review process is the most brilliant idea I've ever seen in the hospitality industry, it blows away tripadvisor. It is slated to be the Facebook of the hospitality industry and your beautiful cabin is an ideal property to list. If someone smokes in your place you can leave them a review saying so.
Check out my listing
I listed with them as a trial run to see if I would enjoy having all kinds of strangers at my house, to make sure I'm cut out for operating a bed and breakfast, the answer after a year of listing on Airbnb is a resounding yes. I love Airbnb and am actually thinking of using them for when I open my full fledge bed and breakfast, their reservation system is the prettiest and most professional looking around! Their fees are 3% but I don't mind paying because it is design so well, it is visually beautiful and simple to use. I have yet to find a reservation system that is as pretty and simple as Airbnb's they are light years ahead of the competition!
CottageKeeper.

If you are new and using AirBnB please, please be sure you are not breaking any local laws in re your zoning and collecting lodging tax. If someone local who is running a business wherein they are paying for licenses and handing over tax money sees your listing they may turn you in.
If you're following all of your local ordinances, getting licenses and collecting the proper taxes you don't have to worry.

 

[Joey Camb]

Hi I'm new here, but you might want to check out Airbnb and list your property there. The interface is beautiful and the payment processing is a breeze! Plus they have a wonderful $1,00,000.00 insurance policy if anyone should damage your property. The review process is the most brilliant idea I've ever seen in the hospitality industry, it blows away tripadvisor. It is slated to be the Facebook of the hospitality industry and your beautiful cabin is an ideal property to list. If someone smokes in your place you can leave them a review saying so.
Check out my listing
I listed with them as a trial run to see if I would enjoy having all kinds of strangers at my house, to make sure I'm cut out for operating a bed and breakfast, the answer after a year of listing on Airbnb is a resounding yes. I love Airbnb and am actually thinking of using them for when I open my full fledge bed and breakfast, their reservation system is the prettiest and most professional looking around! Their fees are 3% but I don't mind paying because it is design so well, it is visually beautiful and simple to use. I have yet to find a reservation system that is as pretty and simple as Airbnb's they are light years ahead of the competition!
CottageKeeper.

I thought as another line of advertising I would use Air B&B - can't even get my listing on properly as it won't load my pictures - plus its not big in the uk - tends to be people letting out spare rooms and sofa's ie non professionals