A credit card processing outage can be a major inconvenience for businesses that rely on credit and debit card payments. If you’re not prepared, an unexpected outage can lead to lost sales and angry customers.
In this article, we’ll give you all the information you need to know about credit card processing outages, including what causes them and how to avoid them.
Table of Contents
What Causes Credit Card Processing Outages?
There are a few different things that can cause a credit card processing outage, including:
1. Technical Difficulties
Technical difficulties are the most common cause of credit card processing outages. They can be caused by anything from power outages to server issues.
2. Maintenance
Sometimes, credit card processors need to perform maintenance on their systems. This can result in short-term outages while the work is being done.
3. Natural Disasters
Natural disasters, such as hurricanes and floods, can also cause credit card processing outages. If the power goes out or the roads are impassable, credit card processors may not be able to reach their servers.
How to Avoid Credit Card Processing Outages?
There are a few things you can do to avoid credit card processing outages, including:
1. Use a Backup Processor
One of the best ways to avoid an outage is to use a backup processor. A backup processor can keep your business running even if your primary processor goes down.
2. Have a Plan B
Another good way to avoid an outage is to have a plan B. If your credit card processor goes down, what will you do? Will you accept cash only? Will you offer discounts for customers who pay with cash?
3. Stay Informed
One of the best ways to avoid an outage is to stay informed. If you know there’s a chance of an outage, you can plan ahead and make sure your business is prepared.
What to Do if Your Credit Card Processor Goes Down?
If your credit card processor goes down, there are a few things you can do to minimise the impact on your business, including:
1. Accept Cash Only
If your credit card processor is down, you can still accept payments by cash. This may not be ideal, but it’s better than nothing.
2. Offer Discounts for Cash Payments
Another option is to offer discounts for customers who pay by cash. This can help offset the loss of sales caused by the outage.
3. Stay Informed
Finally, make sure you stay informed about the outage. This way, you can plan ahead and make sure your business is prepared.
Conclusion
Credit card processing outages can be a major inconvenience for businesses that rely on credit and debit card payments. If you’re not prepared, an unexpected outage can lead to lost sales and angry customers.
In this article, we’ve given you all the information you need to know about credit card processing outages, including what causes them and how to avoid them. We’ve also given you some tips on what to do if your credit card processor goes down.
If you follow the advice in this article, you can minimize the impact of a credit card processing outage on your business. For more details click here.