What is your financial strategy? If you have to think for more than a couple of seconds before answering that question, you might not have one. That's okay — plenty of us could use some help with our finances. While it can be tempting to run from information about money when you're struggling to get your act together financially, you're better off just digging in and starting to read. This website is a great starting point. Here, we share informative blog posts about all sorts of financial topics. Learn about budgeting, saving, applying for a credit card, spending responsibly, and so forth. Before long, you will have a financial plan — and a good one, at that!
If you sell handmade goods, then you know that getting your items in front of new customers is critical when it comes to increasing sales. Participating in farmer's markets and craft fairs can be great ways to introduce your goods to a new group of potential customers, but these venues can present some unique challenges as well.
Accepting credit-card payments for purchases made at temporary venues can be risky if you don't take the steps necessary to ensure the safety and security of the financial information being exchanged. Here are three tips that you can use to make your mobile credit-card transactions safer in the future.
1. Don't store customer data.
Some mobile payment applications give you the opportunity to store credit-card data each time a card is swiped. If you are taking payments while you are away from your home base, then storing this data could pose a serious risk.
Data that is stored on a mobile device could be hacked into, leaving your customers' financial information vulnerable to criminal use. Be sure that you opt out of storing data when taking payments with your mobile device.
2. Use a mobile device devoted specifically to your business.
Instead of relying on your personal cell phone or tablet to process mobile credit-card payments, be sure that you invest in a mobile device that you will use specifically for your business activities.
Keep the device free from any third-party applications, and don't download any programs or games that could serve as a gateway for hackers to steal information from the phone or tablet. Processing payments through a mobile device that is dedicated solely to business transactions will help you reduce the potential for a data breach in the future.
3. Make sure your device is up to date.
Mobile networks release updates to their operating systems from time to time. These updates are designed to address not only the needs of users but also current threats facing the mobile network.
Make sure that you are updating your device's operating system regularly to provide maximum protection for any financial information processed using the device. It can also be beneficial to install security software onto your device that will identify and neutralize any virus, malware, or other data breach that could result in the hacking of your customers' financial information.
Taking mobile payments is a great way to boost your small company's sales, but you need to ensure you are taking the necessary precautions to keep these transactions secure. Opt out of storing data, process payments on a dedicated mobile device, and ensure that the device is updated with the latest operating system and security software to protect your customers' financial information as you process mobile credit-card payments in the future.
Talk to a company such as Midwest Payment Processing to learn more.
Share30 January 2017
