Operating a successful business without offering online ordering and payment options, as well as in store options, is nearly impossible in today’s world. Trying to run a business without accepting credit and debit card payments makes success even less likely. Even school districts collecting fees and mom and pop storefronts have realized that if you do not offer your customers an electronic payment option you risk angering your clients. In some cases, small business customers will decide to leave your company and go to another one with more modern and friendly payment options.

Did you know that more than half of what U.S. consumers spent in 2013 was paid for with debit or credit cards. In fact, $4.6 trillion of the total $8.6 trillion consumer payments used credit and debit cards. Online banking and companies that process payments virtually are a major part of the U.S. Economy. It is imperative that you find a payment processing solution that makes purchasing easy for your customers, while being safe and reliable for everyone involved.

Approximately 32.7% of families had four or more credit cards in 2010. The number of consumer credit cards, however, has dropped some in the last few years. As of 2012, the average consumer only owned 1.96 credit cards. Financial experts predict that the number of cards will increase again in the next two to three years. By March 31, 2013, there were 278 million Visa cards in the United States and 522 million Visa cards in the rest of the world. Those numbers are expected to increase again. In fact, the number of Visa credit cards is expected to grow by 28% by the year 2017 and the number of MasterCard credit cards in the U.S. will increase by 36% in that same time frame.

Does your business have the most secure payments systems to help you process the increasing number of payments being completed with debit and credit cards? Do you have a payment gateway service that will allow you to handle payments from a customer’s mobile or virtual account? The best payment processing solution allows your clients to make secure payments with ease and protects you from fraud. Are you in a position to say this is true of your company’s payment processing solution?

Perhaps it is time for you to work with a payment processing consultant who can provide the most current and secure virtual and real transactions in the payment processing industry. Payment processing companies are competing to offer the most reliable and trusted services. You owe it to yourself and your customers to see what they have to offer.