How to use your card machine to take card payments

Now your new card machine is all set up and sitting proudly on your sales counter, it’s time to take card payments. So say goodbye to queues and hello to impulse buying, because taking payments from your customers is about to get quicker, simpler and more secure. In this guide, we’ll show you how to take all types of face-to-face payments including chip and PIN, chip and signature, contactless and more.

 

Now, let’s get started…

 

How to take a Chip and PIN payment

Chip and PIN is the most secure way to take payment – we recommend this method whenever possible. Instead of the customer signing for the purchase, they enter a 4-digit PIN into the card machine. The customer’s card uses a small chip that’s encoded with this unique PIN. This is far more secure than if the information was filed away somewhere in an office or bank.

How Chip and PIN card payments work:

1. When READY appears onscreen, key in the amount owed and press ENTER. If you make mistake, just press CLEAR.
2. Ask your customer to insert their card into the reader. If the card is removed to early, a message will ask the customer to reinsert their card.
3. Ask your customer to enter their PIN and confirm by pressing ENTER.
4. You card machine will contact your merchant bank who then asks the card provider to seek authorisation from the customer’s bank.
5. If the sale doesn’t go through, you might see a warning message. If the payment is verified, your card machine will print two receipts.
6. The first receipt is labelled ‘customer copy’, this goes to your customer. The second receipt labelled ‘merchant copy’ goes in your till. Job done!

 

How to take a Contactless payment

In recent years Contactless payment technology has revolutionised the retail experience. It’s now the quickest and simplest way to pay with over half of all consumers now owning a Contactless card.

How Contactless payments work:

1. When READY appears onscreen, key in the amount owed and press ENTER.
2. The Contactless icon should appear onscreen. Ask your customer to the touch their Contactless card against the screen.
3. Your card machine will beep once to acknowledge the payment and APPROVED should appear onscreen.
4. Your card machine will print a merchant receipt.
5. If the customer wants a receipt, press ENTER at the READY prompt. You can press ENTER to return to this option.

 

How to take a Chip and signature payment

There are a small number of chip and signature cards that have been issued to some customers who have difficulty using a PIN.

How Chip and signature payments work:

1. When READY appears onscreen, key in the amount owed and press ENTER.
2. Your card machine will prompt you to take a chip and signature payment. Ask your customer to insert their card into the card machine.
3. Once the merchant receipt is printed, tear it off and ask the customer for their signature.
4. Remove the card from the card machine and check that the signatures match.
5. Then follow the onscreen prompts to complete payment.

 

How to take a Magnetic stripe payment

A magnetic stripe can be found on the back of credit and debit cards. This stores both the personal and financial information of the customer. This is why magnetic stripes are a primary target for identity theft – it’s why this type of payment is becoming less common amongst consumers.

How magnetic swipe payments work:

1. When READY appears onscreen, key in the amount owed and press ENTER.
2. Swipe the customer’s card with the magnetic stripe facing inwards.
3. Then follow the onscreen prompts to complete payment.

 

How to process Refunds

Refunds can only be made onto the card that was used for the purchase. It’s okay to refund a part of the amount if more than one item is being returned.

How card payment refunds work:

1. When READY appears onscreen, press MENU. Choose REFUND and press ENTER.
2. Key in the amount owed and press ENTER.
3. Insert or swipe the customer’s card, your card machine will check the card.
4. Swipe the supervisor card or enter your supervisor code.
5. Your card machine will then process the refund and print a receipt

 

How to complete the End of day banking / settlement

It’s important to carry this out after each work day to make sure that all the payments you took are submitted for processing.

How end of day banking / settlement works:

1. When READY appears onscreen, press MENU. Use the arrow button to choose TOTALs and press ENTER, then select END OF DAY BANKING.
2. Swipe the supervisor card or enter your supervisor code.
3. Again, choose END OF DAY BANKING and press ENTER.
4. You’ll see two options – press ENTER for all or press CLEAR to bank by each acquirer.
5. Your card machine will dial out and print your end of day report, which you should store safely in your records.

 

How to change your card machine’s till roll

Replacing till roll is quick and easy, so you won’t keep your customers waiting too long.

1. Lift the catch to the reservoir located at the front or back of the machine and remove the empty roll.
2. Slot the till roll into the reservoir and peel away the end of the new roll so it’s free.
3. Make sure the paper feeds out from the front then click the reservoir shut.