How to Know If a Hotel Review is Real

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Lisa Hephner | Leave a comment | Tip of the Week

If you travel for business often, then you know how important it is to stay in a good hotel. A clean room and a good quiet night’s sleep can make all the difference when you make that big presentation the next day.

Many people turn to online reviews from sites such as Expedia and TripAdvisor to help select the best hotels. Typically the first concern is location, and after that you want to find the best experience for your money. The hotels know this, and that’s why these review sites are so important to them. So how do you know whether to believe what you read? Common sense is always your best defense. But if you’re in doubt, try the new Review Skeptic site. Continue reading…

The Evolution of Online Donations

Posted on February 13, 2012 by Maggie Roberts | 1 Comment | Accept Payments Online, Online Donations, Technology

Let’s travel back in time to 2001: Google was three years old and the 12th most visited site online. Facebook’s founder Mark Zuckerberg was a junior in high school and wouldn’t invent a website to meet girls for another three years. The internet was a different place – adolescent and almost unrecognizable compared to the internet we know today. Likewise, online donations were possible, but not readily accessible to most non-profits or donors.

Of course, the most memorable outpouring of support for a cause in 2001 came after the September 11th attacks. Over $1.4 billion are estimated to have been donated to the relief effort, with the American Red Cross raising $564 million through the Liberty fund within one month of the 9/11 attacks.

Fast forward ten years: March 11, 2011. Japan’s earthquake and ensuing tsunami again brings together the international community to donate to relief efforts, with Americans alone donating over $30 million dollars in just three days. Continue reading…

Choosing an online payment solution like buying shoes

Posted on February 10, 2012 by Katie Donahue | Leave a comment | Electronic Invoicing, Online Billing, Online Payment Processing

Finding the right online payment solution for your business is a lot like finding the right pair of shoes. You might have to try on a few before you find the glass slipper that fits just right. While the idea of sifting through so many options might seem daunting, there are some basic principles that are vital to helping you shop around.

Here are the top five questions to consider when searching for that perfect fit between your business and an online payment solution. Continue reading…

5 states owing least amount in credit card payments

Posted on February 9, 2012 by Sarah Jordan | Leave a comment | Credit Card Payment Processing, Credit Card Payments, Money, Research

A new report shows Americans are cutting down their debt accumulated from credit card payments, but some states are reducing it more than others.

According to the study from Credit Karma, Americans paid down their credit cards 11 percent more in 2011 than in 2010, a statistic financial analysts typically use to diagnose the overall health of the economy. While more responsible spending is a good thing, it can also be a sign of consumers lacking confidence in the economy, which can mean slow growth for businesses.

Online analyst, 24/7 Wall St., studied the credit card payment patterns of every state to determine the five states with citizens who carry the least amount of debt on their credit cards. Continue reading…

NACHA improves understanding of ACH network

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Sarah Jordan | Leave a comment | ACH Network, ACH Payment Processing, Money

The National ACH Association launched a microsite dedicated to helping consumers and businesses understand ACH payments, the NACHA operating rules and the value of the ACH network.

Janet O. Estep, NACHA president and CEO, said NACHA launched Direct.Nacha.org as part of NACHA’s campaign to improve consistency in messaging for all businesses within the electronic payment industry.

“Direct.nacha.org provides the necessary tools for all financial institutions and businesses to more consistently communicate about their use of the ACH Network and ACH payments,” she said. “We encourage all Network participants to review the resources available and begin incorporating the messages, terminology, and phrasing into their communications.” Continue reading…

The real reason church donations have plummeted

Posted on February 7, 2012 by Sarah Jordan | Leave a comment | ACH Payment Processing, Customer Service, Money

Church giving has fallen to its lowest point since the Great Depression. But before psychoanalyzing the generosity of your parish, you should assess how your church accepts donations.

According to a recent book, “The State of Church Giving,” church donations have dropped to just 2.4 percent of a donor’s income. If churches nationwide could raise that number six-and-a-half percentage points, they could increase their collective revenue by $172 billion. So the inevitable question is: How? Continue reading…

How to Get Free PR for Your Small Business

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Lisa Hephner | Leave a comment | Tip of the Week

Everyone has expertise in something, and as someone who runs a small business you probably have expertise in more areas than you might think. You certainly know quite a bit about the market you serve or the product niche you fill. You probably also have valuable experience with business operations ranging from recruiting the best employees to stretching a marketing budget. And, one of the best ways to get people to hear about your business is to share this expertise.

“Doing well by doing good” may be a hackneyed phrase, but it is not a bad ideal upon which to base your PR efforts. Very simply, if you can find media people who need the type of expertise you have, and you can get them useful information in a timely manner, then they’ll be happy to include information about your company in the content they produce—for free. Continue reading…

How to improve your customer service experience

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Leah Bowes | 1 Comment | Customer Service, Marketing, PaySimple News, Strategy

From the first marketing messages prospective clients see to the first question asked when they need help, your goal should be to create an experience that is as simple and as convenient as possible. However, it’s not all about having the best call center technology or being staffed to the brim—for small businesses, this is not reality. Great customer service starts with the customer’s experience with your company, which means not just being focused on happy customers, but a happy team.

Here are 7 tips to keep in mind to empower your customer service representatives: Continue reading…

Donations on the rise: how non-profits can prepare

Posted on February 3, 2012 by Sarah Jordan | Leave a comment | Accept Payments Online, ACH Payment Processing, Credit Card Payments, Recurring Billing, Small Business

Charitable donations have rebounded to pre-recession levels, giving the non-profit industry some much needed hope heading into 2012.

Donations grew 2.4 percent in the first 11 months of 2011, to its highest point since 2007. This is great news overall for nonprofit fundraising. But what can your nonprofit do to make sure you are poised to take advantage of this trend toward increasing donations?

One of the most impactful things you can do is to make it as easy as possible for potential donors to give to your nonprofit. How? Continue reading…

Nonprofits can have InvoiceSimply Free for Life

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Sarah Jordan | Leave a comment | PaySimple News, Small Business, Technology

As part of PaySimple’s Philanthropy February, we are giving our InvoiceSimply® software to nonprofits free for life. But how does InvoiceSimply work, and how can nonprofits use it to be more efficient or increase donations? Here are a few ways our nonprofit customers find it helpful. Continue reading…