Church Credit Card Processing

3 Tips to Improve Church Online Giving in 2012

2012-02-03T10:45:00.000-08:00

Church online giving is an avenue that people choose to give to support their church, organization and causes. If you aren’t satisfied with the flow of activity in your online giving, consider a few questions.

First, look on your church website and locate where your “give” button is. Is it clearly visible on the front page or is it hidden where people have to actively search for it? This is the first common mistake church websites have. People shouldn’t have to spend time searching where the “give” button is.

Secondly, does your church have a QR code tool? QR codes are another easy and convenient way for church goers to give. Using the QR code on a bulletin allows a church goer to scan the code with their smart phone that will direct them right to the giving page.

Don’t pass up the opportunity to offer your church congregation the convenience and easy accessibility to give to their home church. Visit our website today for more information at http://www.halopays.com/

Online Source: http://community.ccmag.com/CCMAG/Blogs/BlogViewer/?BlogKey=13e4694b-ea5b-4808-9e66-8e5f2e702b50

Online Giving Solutions

2011-12-15T16:29:00.001-08:00

In the article entitled Online Giving: Is Your Church one of the 86 Percent? found on crosswalk.com, statistics show that only 14% of Protestant churches offer online giving to their community. Many church’s still pass around the offering plate on Sunday mornings. Although this tradition is still effective, it does not allow church members much accessibility to tithe and donate.

Online giving offers your church congregation (or business) to donate, make payments, or tithe any day of the week at any time. Not only has this been proven to increase donations, it has pleased church members and/or customers in churches and businesses.

Check out the rest of the article at Crosswalk.com

Check out an online giving solution at Halo Merchant Services

Year Round Gratitude Can Increase Revenue

2011-12-01T16:24:00.000-08:00

A recent article from CNN stated that there has been evidence discovered that when businesses show year round gratitude to employees, revenue increases. Instead of showing gratitude to workers once a year at the annual Christmas party or at the company New Year’s party, business owners are developing an act of showing gratitude to workers on a daily or weekly basis. This changes thinking patterns of the employees and encourages them to work more effectively in their jobs.

In the article entitled “Why gratitude is good for business year round”, Elmer states that gratitude develops trust, which in turn creates loyalty from employees that business owners benefit from. When employees feel appreciated and needed, they tend to work harder in their everyday tasks.

At Halo Merchant Services, we are not only grateful for our hard working team, but we are especially thankful for each and every merchant we have that makes the company what it is today, a merchant processing company that offers simplicity and style to the online donation/payment processing.

Article Source: http://bit.ly/vzmb8v

Check out our website for info about credit card processing at www.halopays.com

Transition To Electronic Giving

2011-11-22T11:29:00.000-08:00

As today’s society is transitioning slowly into a century of online payments and donations, one can see that the new age transaction system is faster, easier, and more accessible than before. Writing out checks, depositing checks, getting cash from the bank, and giving with cash is, in essence, more time consuming than the way we make payments today. Although not everyone has adapted to the new and more efficient system of online transactions, many are slowly transitioning over.

For more information about processing online payments through a merchant account, visit www.halomerchantservices.com

Also, visit bit.ly/csGG0y for more information about online giving.

Halo Compared to Square

2011-07-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

One of the speakers at the Catalyst Conference this year was one of the founders of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, who talked a little about SQUARE, a portable transaction device. There was talk among conference goers about using it for online giving. “I did see food vendors (trucks) at the conference, using the square on their cell phones for credit card payments”, says a local Catalyst Conference attendee.

What most do not realize is that there are a lot of challenges in using SQUARE for online giving. For example, Square transaction devices are simply portable payment terminals that do not record any personal information or payment history for the costumer or organization. It simply takes the transaction as is. The problem with this is that the donor or customer does not have any way to track payment history.

Halo has developed a system that will allow transactions to be recorded so that the donor, customer and organization will be able to track payments and donations.

Though SQUARE is a great device for making sales transactions, it is not designed and suitable for online donations because this is a case of trying to find a use for technology rather than a technology solution to fit a need.

Halo Merchant Services now has the ability to swipe transactions on an iPhone, iPod or iPad. SQUARE is only available in the US for iOS and Android devices.

Though SQUARE is useful for taking payments at an event, it is not suitable for online giving or tracking payment and donation history. USB swipers on Netbooks, Android tablets, iPads or kiosks provided by Halo give you a much better solution.

Halo Merchant Services - Why does a church need a merchant account?

2010-12-14T14:47:00.001-08:00

Christian Computing Magazine Cover Story November 2010

Halo Merchant Services - Why does a church need a merchant account?
by Steve Hewitt

I always like opportunities to meet new people who seek to serve churches with technology solutions. I also had the privilege this year to travel and speak at more ChMS user groups than ever! While attending the national user group for Church Community Builder, I ran across Jax Carroll, President of Halo Merchant Services. Several of us in a group began talking about mobile computing, online giving and how these technologies are beginning to fit together. I liked Jax's enthusiasm for providing technology solutions for ministry, specifically, in his case, when it impacted merchant accounts. The following is a recent interview I conducted with Jax, not only about the services he provides, but about why a church would want or need to get a merchant account and how he sees his mission in helping churches make the right decisions in this area!

Who is Halo Merchant Services?
Well first, Steve, I have to thank you for having me here. I've got great respect for you and what you are doing and the impact you are having on the Kingdom. To answer your question, the simple answer is that Halo Merchant Services provides merchant services to the Christian community. However, we are really much more than that. We are a service oriented company. At Halo we serve organizations through credit card processing solutions that are specifically geared to their needs

Read the full story here

Download the full issue as a PDF

Halo Merchant Services
www.halomerchantservices.com

Church Credit Card Processing with an iPad?

2010-07-30T16:44:00.000-07:00

Accept Donations and Gifts With the iPad - Using Cutting-Edge Technology to Give

The iPad is the bold leader in a new category of electronic device that is starting to emerge and it is poised to change the way we interact with the web and the world. Devices like the iPad, often called "tablets," present a unique and interesting platform in the world of donations and credit card transactions. The iPad, and tablets in general, are known for their small form factor and streamlined user experience. In light of this, here are only a few ways that iPads can benefit non-profits and ministries in the collection of donations.

The iPad or tablet could be used to allow donations to be taken anywhere a wireless internet connection or WiFi connection is available. The devices could be used in an office or other public space. Keeping one of these devices at the office would give those who visit a great way to give privately using their own debit card.
The iPad and 3G-enabled devices have the extended ability to access the internet through cellular services. This extension enables ministries and non-profits to take donations instantly anywhere they have signal, allowing the donation-taking system to move freely outside the limitations of WiFi hotspots. The 3G-enabled iPad is a perfect tool for expos, tradeshows or any other remote presentation in which you are interested in accepting donations.
Giving kiosks are becoming more popular and the iPad, in particular, would be well suited for this. Attaching the device to a wall or sturdy stand would allow any donor to approach and give securely. These stand-alone giving kiosks would be an inexpensive way to allow donors to give privately and at their own convenience.
Bluetooth credit card swipers are a great tool that can be combined with tablets to enable donations and church offerings to be taken with the swipe of a debit card. The swiper would pair with the tablet to send the encrypted account number and complete the transaction in no time at all.
Tablets like the iPad are very light and would allow churches to substitute the iPad for the collection plate during times of offering. As debit cards become more prolific, many people don't carry cash. It does not seem farfetched to think that our donation technology should keep up with the payment technology we use every other day of the week.

As new tablet technologies like the iPad begin to surface, many innovative uses will continue to surface. Inevitably our lives are touched by technology, but it is up to us to use it in a way that is beneficial. What better use of current technology than to simplify and speed up the collection of donations? Let yourself and your non-profit spend more time putting your monetary gifts to use and less time figuring out how to collect them in the first place.

BlueFire is a company that specializes in donation services for ministries and non-profits. BlueFire can help your non-profit receive donations online, whether through the iPad or some other tablet device.

Eric Bigoness, an experienced website designer, works with many different organizations and companies and their diverse online payment needs. He has a Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Masters of Divinity, giving him a unique perspective to both technology and faith.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Bigoness

Church Credit Card Processing for Tithes

2009-09-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

A Brief Overview

For those of you not familiar with church credit card processing let me give a brief overview. In the modern church of today there is a trend emerging that allows church members to tithe with Debit Cards, Credit Cards or electronic checks (ACH) through the use of:

Computers
Credit card terminals
Kiosks
Cell phones (although this cool technology should most likely be reserved for event registrations. I don’t care how cool and hip your church is I don’t think many people are ready to “Pass the iPhone” during service).

In most cases of electronic giving the proverbial offering basket is now a page on the churches website. Members can logon and give a one-time or even recurring gift.

Electronic giving is definitely increasing in popularity. With more and more people embracing online banking, online giving has become a requested feature at many churches. And with the younger generation choosing to carry their debit card rather than cash or checks, online giving may be the only way some churches can help this generation implement the biblical values of tithing.

The American Baptist Churches of Connecticut promote online giving:

Independent study shows electronic giving increases tithing:
“How Electronic Giving Increases Tithing”

Halo Merchant Services