Charge.com Takes Care of Independent Merchants in Tennessee
Each year, the timeless beauty and gracious hospitality of Tennessee draws in visitors by the hundreds of thousands. People come from far and wide to marvel at the Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s stunning landscape – with its picturesque trails and unique observation tower, Clingman’s Dome. They tour the vast underground cavern at Ruby Falls, then hop across the Georgia/Tennessee border to climb Lookout Mountain and walk among the ancient stone formations comprising Rock City. When they are not there for Tennessee’s scenic splendor, tourists are usually bound for the thrills of Dollywood or the bright lights of its two most notable cities, Nashville and Memphis. The former is Tennessee’s capital city, and home to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, as well as the historic Ryman Auditorium – birthplace of the Grand Ole Opry. Memphis is best known for the Beale Street Historic District, where tourists can enjoy blues music and barbecue right in the heart of the city. Elvis’s resplendent estate, Graceland, is also located within Memphis, and thousands of loyal fans flock through its doors annually to peer at The King’s impressive court.
No matter where they are travelling in Tennessee, visitors are likely patronizing independent businesses. Coffee shops, hotels, clubs, restaurants, and curio shops should all thrive on the tourism trade, but many struggle to stay afloat. They have to accept credit card payments in order to attract customers, but their merchant accounts are being gouged repeatedly with inflated rates, costly fund retention due to semi-private financial conditions, and hidden fees. By the time their profits are deposited and available, the money has been greatly reduced, and little is left to go around. After covering paychecks and bills, small/independent business owners often find that they have nothing left for expansion, advertising, or upgrading their technology. This makes it harder for the proverbial “little guy” to compete with national corporations that already have significant pull in the tourism industry.
Fortunately, Charge.com has heard the plight of independent business owners in Tennessee, and is ready to answer that call. This credit card processor can offer clients the lowest rates available for credit card processing with no excessive or sudden hikes. Customers can pay as little as $0.15 for each transaction, and have rates as low as 0.25% for processing. All costs are determined when a private online merchant account is opened, too. This means that there are no surprise fees to eat away at the client’s funds as they accrue, and – because the account is truly private – no expensive third-party holds that delay the depositing of much-needed money. Charge.com also provides customers with more than just great, affordable payment processing. The processor is prepared to support small/independent business clients by giving them free credit card swipe machines – either the in-store or mobile variety – and 24/7/365 expert technical help whenever they need it. For companies looking to increase their Internet presence, Charge.com has some very cutting edge solutions – including Virtual Terminal technology. This is a Web-based terminal that can be linked by Charge.com to a client’s merchant account, and allows the business to take online orders, process all forms of payment, send invoices, and store records for the accountants to use at tax time. With all this assistance from Charge.com, Tennessee’s smaller merchants are sure to see expansion beyond their wildest dreams.
