Should your landscaping company accept credit card payments?

As a landscaping contractor, do you accept credit cards from your customers?

If you serve a residential market, you likely know that many customers prefer this. But even if you primarily serve commercial accounts, you may be surprised to learn that they may like the flexibility to pay with a credit card, too.

Either way, accepting credit cards or debit cards can solve typical back-office issues associated with invoicing and collection. Even better, Aspire business management software's integration with CardConnect, a well-known payment processor, makes it even easier for you to manage.

Lawn care and landscaping customers love using credit cards It's a given that homeowners prefer credit cards over cash or checks. And in general, customers expect to be offered multiple forms of payment when dealing with landscape companies.

According to Experian's "State of Credit" report, the average American holds over three credit cards, and this number is expected to continue growing. Cash is no longer king. It's all about convenience, and your residential customers are no different.

Another thing to consider is that people tend to spend more with credit cards. They're not limited by the amount of money they have on hand, and may even use a credit account as a financing option for larger, one-time landscaping jobs. Their financing option becomes cash in your pocket.

As a landscape business owner, if you're not currently providing your customers with this payment option, you may want to reconsider.

Yes, the quality of the landscaping services you provide comes first, but in today's competitive environment you need to make it as easy as possible for customers to do business with you. Especially when your payment processing methods could be the difference between you and your closest competitor.

What about commercial accounts? You might assume that commercial clients aren't interested in using credit cards. Not necessarily.

Of all B2B customers that use credit cards as a way to send payment, 83% of them are satisfied with its use. Credit card industry news site PYMNTS.com says, "The disconnect between consumer and B2B payments ecosystems is peculiar given the innovation wave that has swept the business landscape in recent years."

It's clear that commercial accounts have become more comfortable, and may even prefer, using credit cards to pay their vendors. If you're not offering this payment option, think twice. Adding the flexibility to pay by credit card could make a difference in their perception of how easy it is to work with you.

Back-office benefits to consider If you manage accounts receivable for your lawn care business, take note: accepting credit cards can eliminate common billing headaches and increase your business's cash flow.

Forty-seven percent of U.S. small businesses say invoice payment collection is their largest cash flow management challenge, not to mention the risks of accepting a bad check. Accepting credit cards can help with both.

Funds from a credit card transaction hit your bank account the next day, providing you with almost immediate access to your cash. And bounced checks become a thing of the past, removing a time-consuming and frustrating clean-up experience for both you and your customer.

What about transaction fees? It's true there are additional costs associated with accepting a customer's credit card through your merchant account. Your payment processor will charge you a small percentage of the transaction amount (a processing fee).

It's quite possible, and even likely, that the benefits described above may more than offset this additional cost for your landscape business. But it's a legitimate question.

One way to recoup the extra cost is to charge a small convenience fee to your customer when they choose to pay by credit card. You might be surprised that most of your customers will readily accept such an arrangement. They still prefer the convenience of paying by credit card, and they're likely enrolled in a loyalty program with their card provider to earn points/rewards/miles. It's still a win-win situation for them...and you.

Learn about credit card processing within Aspire Aspire customers are able to accept and process online payments and credit card payments directly within the Aspire platform through a built-in integration with CardConnect, a leading payment processor.

To learn more about this integration and how it might benefit your business, request a customized demo below.

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