takepayments blog.
Monday, 21 December 2020
Are online payments secure?
In 2020 (and in no small part thanks to COVID-19), online shopping and payments are at an all-time high, up 129% compared to the same time last year, but how safe are online payments? When online payments were in their infancy there was widespread uncertainty about just how safe it was to hand your card details over online, and while thankfully online payment security has improved significantly, there are still some consumers (typically older generations) as well as businesses afraid to take the plunge.
Friday, 18 December 2020
Small business awards you could enter
Small businesses are the backbone of society in the UK, they nurture local economies, keep money close to home, and provide much-needed support to local communities and neighbourhoods. Running a business is challenging at any time, but never more so than in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc, so our much-loved small business owners deserve all the praise they can get for keeping us fed, watered, pampered, and looked after during the most...dare we say it, unprecedented of times.
Friday, 18 December 2020
The do's and don'ts of Tweeting
Twitter is a social media platform like no other, offering opportunities for engagement and two-way dialogue for small business owners looking to build a loyal consumer base. On average, Twitter boasts 460,000 new users every day (yes, day!) and if that’s pricked your ears up, wait until we hit you with some additional cold, hard stats:
Friday, 18 December 2020
8 gadgets every small business needs
As a small business owner life can get pretty hectic - you’re wearing multiple hats and spinning several plates at any one time - so any technology that can ease your load has got to be a good thing, right? Whether you’re a veteran small business owner looking to increase your productivity and let’s face it, make your life that bit easier, or you’re a total newbie getting ready to launch your small business and want to arm yourself with all the tools you’ll need, we’ve got you covered.
Wednesday, 16 December 2020
How to set up guest WiFi in your business
Us Brits have become a nation of internet users, with a whopping 87% of all adults in the UK using the internet daily or almost daily, and over 50 million active smartphone users. In fact, 80% of all smartphone users reportedly used their device on the go last year, a figure that’s steadily rising year-on-year, so it’s little surprise consumers today not only want but expect internet access wherever they are.
Wednesday, 09 December 2020
What to look out for when choosing an EPOS supplier
EPOS, or Electronic Point of Sale systems, can make day-to-day life as a small business owner that bit easier so it’s unsurprising they’re fast becoming one of the most popular tools on the market for retailers. You’d be forgiven for believing an EPOS system is just a modern-day cash register, but they’re so much more than that, providing access to heaps more data and information which - if used effectively - could make your business more profitable, competitive, and ultimately more successful.
Wednesday, 09 December 2020
Are card machines hygienic?
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, life as we knew it has been turned upside down in 2020. There aren’t many areas of society that haven’t felt the impact, and one of the biggest changes brought about by the virus is the way people are spending money. The World Health Organisation and governments around the world have advised consumers and businesses alike to offer and use safer payments wherever possible, and this has lead to a staggering decline in the use of cash, and significant uptake of card and contactless payments.
Tuesday, 08 December 2020
9 ways to get email addresses from your customers
Collecting email addresses from existing and prospective customers is super important to businesses because the numbers show that email marketing is the number one method of connecting with customers. Compared to using social media, for example, emails boast a six times higher click-through rate than tweets and have been shown to be 40 times more effective at obtaining new customers than the likes of Facebook and Twitter.
Tuesday, 01 December 2020
The smallest small businesses in the world
Have you heard about the book shop built for only one customer in Lisbon? Or what about the Italian cinema that can only accommodate 63 viewers at a time? If the answer is no, you’re in luck. We’ve travelled far and wide to discover the world’s smallest spaces used by small businesses. So, grab your teeny tiny suitcase and take a tour through our list of the brilliantly bizarre. 1. Cinema Dei Piccoli – Cinema