Before you sign on with any bank, consider costs carefully. If you don’t anticipate many credit-card sales, it might not be worthwhile for you to pay setup and monthly fees. If you’re not sure costs will benefit your business in long run, call a few banks and find out what kinds of fees they charge. Be sure to call more than one, because fees vary and you won’t have a set figure until you actually apply.

Accepting credit cards may not be for every business. But if yours is kind of business where customers are likely to want convenience, you’re only cheating yourself if you don’t give them what they want. Remember, your competition will.

Check It Out

If a lack of a business track record is what keeps you from getting merchant status, consider signing up with an agency that provides checks by phone. This service allows you to accept payment directly from a customer’s checking or savings account.

With this type of service clients simply e-mail, fax or send by modem customer’s name and address, amount of sale and all numbers listed across bottom of your customer’s check. These numbers, include bank routing number and customer’s account number. They use these numbers to draft appropriate account and pay your business. You can usually request that your payment be sent by overnight shipment, resulting in your getting paid even before draft has been completed.

If you suspect a check might be bad, you can have them check it against its computer database, which includes identification information on banks and their branches in both United States and Canada. There is a per transaction charge for this additional screening.

So, as you can see you have a number of ways to get merchant status. Remember, name of game is options and convenience for your customers. If you don’t offer it, they will go to someone who does. So what are you waiting for!

Copyright 2004 DeFiore Enterprises

Condition Audit Does everything in your office work and is everything kept in optimal condition? In Feng Shui it is very important that we either attend to repair of items immediately or where we are not prepared to do this we discard them. An item that is less than ideal is said to begin negatively impacting after 28 days.

Lighting Use natural light as much as possible. Use incandescent electric lighting in preference to fluorescent. It is less tiring to work under especially if you are also operating a computer. Harsh white light is not optimal for working under. If you have to use fluorescent use full-spectrum (daylight) bulbs and experiment with only utilising half as many ie: where there is a double fitting only install one bulb. Terrific New Timesaving Products The Small Business High Performance Program A must for every small business. This product pack features nine great products for getting organised including "How To Gain An Extra Hour In Your Day" and "How To Sell More Of Anything To Anyone in Less Time"!

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Plants Plants absorb potentially harmful gases and clean air. During day they take air we breathe out and recycle it. You can use plants in your office to improve quality of air to make it a more pleasant place to work. When people feel good, they perform better. It is important that plants are well cared for and that they remain healthy and vibrant.

Water Water features are another wonderful Feng Shui enhancement. As water symbolises opportunity and abundance, ensure that water is not stagnant and, if flowing, fall is a full 360 degrees or towards centre of occupied space.

Debra can be contacted at Feng Shui Miracles, (07) 3367 0162 or e-mail: fengshui@powerup.com.au

The Final Word It makes sense doesn't it? When you have an uplifting environment to work in, you feel good, you look good and you're more productive. Think about this…how many hours a week are you in your office? Probably more hours than you spend at home. All you need to do now is take action!

It's worth effort to make some simple yet very effective changes so that you can powerup your worklife. All you need to do now is take action!