“I know check guarantee services are convenient, but how on earth can they be profitable?”
I’m glad you asked.
Check processing services save time and money, the guarantee factor mitigates the risk of accepting bad ones, and optional premium services can further increase sales. Together, this trifecta is the essence of “check processing made profitable” that may be summarized as follows:
- Check Guarantee Prevents Returned Checks
- Check Processing Means More Sales
- Check Acceptance Rates Matter
In addition, check guarantee companies with high acceptance rates boost sales even further by increasing the amount of viable transactions while those offering additional benefits such as free round-the-clock customer service make check processing that much easier to use.
1. Check Guarantee Prevents Returned Checks
Bad checks are expensive in more ways than one. They cost businesses not just the profit from the sale, but also the labor and material resources that went into creating the sale.
On top of that, without a check guarantee service, even more resources must be poured into trying recover the lost revenue from returned items.
For instance, a business with a 10% profit margin that receives a returned check for $500 would need $5,000 in additional revenue to make up the loss.
Businesses who collect on consumer delinquent accounts themselves assume many of the same legal responsibilities as certified debt collectors. Without the necessary knowledge in state and federal regulations, a business risks legal liability when attempting to follow up on a bad check. On top of that, "do-it-yourself" collection attempts are typically less efficient than their agency counterparts.
2. Check Processing Means More Sales
Merchants without a check guarantee service also risk being too cautious in accepting checks, thereby missing out on sales they otherwise would have profited from. This scenario is exacerbated by merchants who don’t accept checks at all.
On the other hand, merchants with check guarantee services are afforded a greater level of protection, ensuring reimbursement on declined checks. Furthermore, merchants with electronic check guarantee services benefit from a greater level of convenience because they no longer need to visit banks to deposit checks.
3. Check Acceptance Rates Matter
Even merchants with a check guarantee service may still be plagued with a low acceptance rate. Fewer accepted checks means more friction in the sale process and less sales overall. Furthermore, it’s very awkward to tell a customer their check was declined by the check guarantee provider. It may cost the merchant the sale as well as future sales resulting from referrals.
Because of this, a check guarantee service offering higher approval rates allows merchants to process a greater percentage of their checks, receive more payments, and therefore maximize revenue.
Make Money with CrossCheck’s Check Processing
CrossCheck is the largest privately held check guarantee company in the nation, providing check processing solutions as well as a suite of enhancements for specific verticals and applications. These services help merchants increase sales and mitigate risk while saving time and money.
CrossCheck services offer the following merchant benefits:
- The approval of checks from anywhere in the country as well as Canada and U.S. territories.
- Complimentary account set-up, staff training, and equipment programming.
- A wider acceptance rate of checks, meaning fewer returns and more completed transactions.
- 24/7/365 customer service and technical support, providing transaction reporting and review.
- Optional customization to specific business types to further enhance revenue.
- Loaner equipment at no additional charge.
Furthermore, many merchants try other check guarantee companies before switching to CrossCheck.
“One of the primary reasons merchants change check processing firms is that they are receiving a greater number of declined checks,” said CrossCheck’s Senior VP Charles Dortch III. “CrossCheck approves more checks than the competition because we are willing to take more risk.”
Finally, CrossCheck even guarantees check declined by other providers with its Plus Sales premium service.
Download our free Check Guarantee guide for an in-depth look at how CrossCheck can best serve your business.
