Article by alvin jelks

You want all of the customers who stay at your hotel to be happy. Happy customers not only return to the establishment that pleased them so well, but they tell all their friends and family members about that business, too. If you consistently please the guests that stay at your hotel, your business should grow. There is a simple way to increase the happiness quotient of your guests and grow your business, and that’s by opening a merchant services account.So how can a merchant services account help you keep your guests happy? The main way is by providing them with an easy and uncomplicated method of paying for their stay at your hotel. While their bed may have been sublimely comfortable and the mini-bar reasonably priced and well stocked, the very last thing a guest usually does is check out and pay for their hotel stay. If that doesn’t go smoothly, it will certainly stick in their minds long after they’ve forgotten how comfortable the bed was.A merchant services account can provide you with the equipment and software to make the process of checking out simple, painless-perhaps even memorably pleasant for your guests. In some cases, that equipment will be provided free as part of your account. The equipment is used to scan customer credit cards, debit cards, checks or other payment types, and a merchant services account ensures that this equipment is modern and efficient.It works quickly, validating their payments and getting them on their way back to their homes or on to their next destinations. It accepts all major credit cards as well as debit and gift cards and personal or business checks. It can even book their next stay at the same time.When credits are required-for whatever reason-a merchant services account can handle it quickly and efficiently as well, giving customers immediate credit on their credit or debit cards. It can void transactions safely and completely too, keeping customer payment and personal information secure. And when payments are validated, the customers’ information is protected just as diligently. In these days of identity theft, this specific benefit will be particularly appreciated by your guests.Many customers want all of their in-hotel charges to appear on their bills at check-out time, and a merchant services account will allow you to provide this service. Room charges, restaurant bills, bar tabs, spa visits…whatever service or product you provide at your hotel can be combined with customer room charges and appear on your customers’ bills at the time they check out. Even tips can be added to the bill, providing the customer with one complete statement of the costs they incurred while staying at your hotel. This will make it easy for them to budget for their next trip to your locale too, perhaps inspiring them to make that reservation before their leave your premises.With a merchant services account, you will enjoy quick validation of customer payment information. Funding of those payments will be rapid and complete, improving your cash flow. Think of the new-and nicer-towels and toiletries you can purchase for future guests when you have more money coming in at a reasonable rate of speed. Think of the improvements you can make to your establishment when your cash flow improves. Think of the extra staff you might be able to hire when you don’t have to worry when-or if-you’ll receive funding from your customers’ credit cards. A complete and efficient staff will be more responsive to customer needs, thereby improving the comfort of those customers each time they return to your hotel.There are simply so many benefits that you can offer your guests-and enjoy yourself as the hotel owner-when you set up a merchant services account. Such an account can be set up to handle no-shows, one-key re-authorization of credit cards, and networking among various locations of your hotel business. It can be designed to generate customer loyalty benefits such as free night stays for those guests who most frequently visit your establishment. Or you can design a loyalty program that provides them with discount coupons for local attractions or businesses.A merchant services account can even design a gift card program, allowing your guests to immediately provide friends or family members with a free night’s stay at your hotel. Chances are good that those friends or family members will enjoy themselves so much at your establishment that they will also become happy customers who come back to you time and again. And happy guests equal a happy hotelier which, ultimately, equals even more happy guests. So look into a merchant services account for your hotel and see just how happy all of you can be.

About the Author

Alvin Jelks is a freelance writer who writes about a range of topics including merchant accounts.

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