takepayments blog.
Sunday, 29 December 2019
Small business new year resolutions
With all the frenzy surrounding Christmas it’s easy to forget about the year (and in fact the decade) coming to an end. But for small businesses, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the ups and downs of the last 12 months. Whether your year’s been filled with successes and triumphs or it’s been challenging for one reason or another, you’ll want to make sure the next is one of growth and happiness both personally and professionally. So, we’ve put together nine nifty new years resolutions for small businesses to help ensure 2020’s your best year yet.
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
7 festive marketing campaigns that you can learn from
It’s that time of year again folks and you’re probably already sick to death of hearing Mariah Carey blasting out of speakers every time you leave the house. One minute you’re soaking up the last of the summer sun and before you know it, supermarket aisles are bursting with baubles and tinsel. But, whether you like it or not, the festive season is big business so you don’t want to miss out on your share. When you think about it, it’s little wonder companies jump on the Christmas bandwagon as early as they do since it’s predicted British shoppers will spend £446,000 on presents every minute throughout December.
Tuesday, 17 December 2019
Getting your business in shape for Christmas
Holidays are coming (can you see the Coca-Cola truck?) and it’s the busiest time of the year for businesses, so it’s not a season you want to miss out on. In fact, did you know, UK shoppers spend an average of £567 each on presents, totalling a whopping £19 billion over the festive season? So, what can you do to ensure your business gets a slice of that mince pie? We’ve put together seven top tips on how you can get your business ready for a fruitful Christmas period.
Tuesday, 05 November 2019
How do card machine receipt printers work?
While you don’t have to provide customers with a receipt, and some might not even want one, many consumers still like to take one away - especially for a card transaction. So, to keep your customer’s happy you’ll want a card machine that enables receipt printing (spoiler, all ours do), but how does it work?
Wednesday, 23 October 2019
How to make your independent business more environmentally friendly
It’s no secret (unless you’re a certain blonde-haired president) that climate change is a real issue facing today’s world. But, you could be forgiven for thinking that tackling the carbon footprint of businesses is more the responsibility of corporate giants than SMEs. After all, they’ll be having a greater impact, right? Wrong. Global warming is everyone’s responsibility and everyone can make a difference. Big or small, every effort is significant.
Friday, 18 October 2019
Small business conferences to attend in 2020
A conference is a constructive opportunity to encounter fresh perspectives and innovative ideas, as well as networking with other people in your field. No matter how experienced you are in business, there is always something new to learn. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge, find solutions to problems, present your ideas or make new contacts, industry conferences can help small business owners feel more integrated into the professional community. Looking ahead to 2020, we’ve rounded up 10 small business conferences designed to give entrepreneurs the edge.
Friday, 11 October 2019
The history of card machines
Credit and debit cards, and by association card machines, are so pervasive it’s hard to imagine life without them. But in the scheme of things, they haven’t been around for long. The first iterations were punched card readers, used during the early years of the computer industry to store information on computer systems. It wasn’t until 1978 that the First National Bank of Seattle issued the first debit card to business executives. Just 20 years later, debit cards had overtaken cheque usage all over the world.
Tuesday, 08 October 2019
How to get involved with your local business community
Small businesses are the bedrock of local communities and when it comes to engaging with yours, the buck works both ways. For you as an owner, it does wonders for your reputation, exposes your name to new eyes and opens the door to more sales. And for the community, it provides a sense of giving back. People up and down the country go out of their way to buy from local SMEs over large franchises so if you give them a reason to, they’d revel in the opportunity.
Tuesday, 01 October 2019
How to take card payments in a restaurant
If you run a restaurant you’ll know all too well there’s no such thing as a single payment point. Sometimes customers come to the till, others you go to their table. Sometimes they sit inside, others outside. Sometimes they pay by card, others by cash. It varies from customer-to-customer and day-to-day.