×

Fintech Companies Can Help Small Businesses in Multiple Ways

Tag: small business owners

PayTabs

Fintech-Companies-Can-Help-Small-Businesses-in-Multiple-Ways

Technology has played a big role in revamping the business sector in recent times, by providing innovative small business solutions. However, it has been especially helpful for small businesses, by aiding them with a wide range of functions. As small-scale businesses generally have access to limited resources, the use of technology can help them optimize resource utilization. Fintech or financial technology is mainly concerned with the proper utilization of funds and management of finances of an organization. So, here is a close look at the different ways in which fintech can help take your small business to a whole new level.

A Chance to Adopt Payment Gateways: The ability to accept online payments is crucial for small businesses nowadays. This is because customers are more inclined to make payments through digital routes such as card payments, online banking, and wallet payments. For such online payments, you need to engage the services of an online payment processor. And a reputed fintech company can promise you exactly that.A reliable payment gateway will be fast, efficient, safe and easy to integrate with your website or e-store. It will have no hidden fees or charges.Such a payment processor will also have good reviews in the market.Plus, you might get to try out a demo session before signing up for it.

            Also Read:5 Common Payment Processing Challenges Small Businesses Face

Simpler Payment Processing: Fintech also allows you to simplify the way your clients transact with you. Customers now prefer making payment through cards, be it debit, credit or a gift card. Such digital payments are not possible without the use of fintech tools or solutions. With the help of technology, you can prepare your business to accept a wide range of cards through payment gateway solutions. Further, your business should also be ready to accept other forms of digital payments such as wallet payments and mobile payments. The use of fintech tools will help you in setting up these systems. If you run an offline small business, then the latest fintech tools can help you get rid of old and bulky payment machines.

Better Customer Engagement: Fintech solutions can not only smoothen out the transaction process, but can also help businesses gain better consumer insights. With the help of these tools, you can gather data about the preferred mode of payment of your target market, their payment patterns, and other relevant details. Such data can help you design proper small business solutions. Your fintech apps can also allow you to interact directly with your clients with regard to their financial transactions. Many such apps have the feature to integrate your social media hangouts with your financial payment system. You can also design your marketing campaign and feedback system with the help of this integration.

            Also Read:Payment Gateway for Small Business

Automation: The use of fintech apps will allow you to automate your systems. You can undertake such automation on your own or engage the services of specialist services providers. As small businesses may not be in the position to hire accountants, it is advisable that you negotiate with your online payment processor as they may provide you with an automatic accounting feature. It is important to choose your online payment processor carefully as the good ones offer a wide range of financial services. Some of the most prominent types of services provided are streamlining of expenses, ability to accept foreign currencies, and real time record updating.

Secure Features: Security is of utmost importance for small businesses, especially when they go online. Security not only refers to the security of physical goods, but also of the intangible data such as personal and sensitive information of their clients. Fintech tools help small businesses conduct online transactions through robust payment gateway solutions and ensure that the data collected while processing these transactions is kept safe and secure. This will help small businesses add more volume to their revenue as they will be able to establish a dedicated customer base.

            Also Read:Five Payment Processing Challenges For Small Businesses

So, if you are looking for an effective technology solution for small businesses, fintech companies are your best bet. They can help infuse transparency and efficiency into your daily operations, without incurring significant expenses and outgoings. Optimal use of fintech tools and solutions can help small businesses provide more security features to their clients as well.

PayTabs

 5-Common-Payment-Processing-Challenges-Small-Businesses-Face

Small businesses face many unique challenges such as problems related to payment processing. This issue can manifest itself in a variety of ways and thus requires careful intervention. It is crucial that a small business takes proper care of its payment processing system to ensure that there is timely and accurate collection of the payments due. Identification of different problems is one of the most important steps in this process, so here is the list of the top payment processing issues a small business may have to face: 

Data Security: With the increase in instances of cyber attacks and data frauds, it has become essential for a business to protect itself and its clients from such mishaps. An efficient payment processing system should provide robust protection against such data breaches. Any such fraud or leaking of important data can not only negatively impact the revenue and income of a business, it may also put strain on their position in the market. The businesses should ensure that their payment processing system adheres to Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS). Such compliance saves you and your business from liabilities which may arise from data breaches. 

Chargebacks: These expenses are one of the biggest challenges faced by the businesses with regard to their payment processing systems. Chargebacks are also known as processing fees and can form a big chunk of your overall expenses. There are many factors which influence such chargebacks. Some of the main causes which impact the volume of chargebacks are types of payment options, types of cards used and the size of transactions. Different types of businesses may be levied different types of charges. It is important to remain in constant touch with your providers so that you are aware of different chargebacks. Further, you may also try to negotiate the prices down. Such management of charges can have significant impact on your bottom line. 

Compliance and Regulations: As payment processing systems are becoming more complex, the regulatory requirements are also increasing to keep a proper check on them. These regulations are mainly enacted to safeguard all the parties involved in the payment processing cycle. However, these also tend to increase the paperwork. It is important that you comply with all the requirements laid by these regulations so as to ensure that you have proper recourse as and when there is any issue pertaining to such payments. The outlay required for meeting these rules is generally justified by the benefits granted through these regulations. 

Multi Channel Payments: In order to ensure that you are able to serve your clients in the best possible manner, it is important to offer a wide range of payment options. However, it also means that you have to deal with the terms and conditions attached with large number of such outlets. Multiple vendors may increase the complexity of your payment systems which may require increased outlay of resources. It is generally advisable to integrate such option payments so that they can be managed with relative ease. Further, the ability to control these multiple methods may also increase the efficiency of your operations. 

Payment Support and IntegrationAs payment processing is one of the most crucial functions, it is important that the business pays proper attention to this facet. The businesses should endeavor to keep the downtime to the minimal. There should also be proper backup system, so that your clients do not have to face any hardship if there is any breakdown in the services. You should define such terms and conditions with your service provider explicitly. The integration of various modes of payment and processing systems is important for ensuring efficiency. It is also helpful in keeping the costs down. Such integration allows for the installation of a dashboard which helps in centralizing the control measures. 

It is highly recommended to businesses that they pay proper attention to their payment processing systems. They should also be careful while selecting their payment services partners. The main focus should be on managing costs and expanding the portfolio of services offered. It is also important that the system is flexible so that it can accommodate frequent changes in technologies employed.  

11 Easy Marketing Tips to Promote Your Small Business

11 Easy Marketing Tips to Promote Your Small Business

Small businesses have shown remarkable growth in their popularity. This has become possible due to changing customer preferences and technological advancements. However, small businesses generally suffer from lack of resources including funds to spend on business promotion and marketing. Here are some of the tips which may help you in marketing your products and services with minimal budget.

Establish Brand Identity: creating a clear identity allows you to properly communicate about your firm and the products. Some of the tools which may be used for creating a brand identity are brand name, logo and use of specific colors and images. You can do this work on your own with the help of several technological tools available. However, it is advisable to hire a professional to create logos and word art. To create a loyal band of customers, you should put your brand and logo everywhere possible, including on merchandise, business cars and email signatures.

Know Your Market: one of the worst mistakes a small business can make is to assume that any generic marketing strategy can work for their products. In reality, it is important to design a customized marketing proposition for each product and service. The process involves intensive study of the market and its various constituents. The marketing strategy is thus created keeping view the distinct requirements and features of the segment. Such customized marketing policy is more likely to resonate with the clients and produce better results. You should also be clear about the kind of message you are trying to deliver with your marketing plan.

Build a Better Website: in order to have proper online presence, it is essential to create a dedicated website. The portal should not only be attractive but also easy to use. Having an intuitive interface makes a website easier to navigate. The proper process of building a website starts with proper planning. At this stage, you should determine your target population and their requirements. The next steps involve designing and then creating the prototype. These prototypes are used for testing purpose where their usability quotient is determined. The final step involves review of the design and the implementation.

Select the Social Media Platform: with a large number of social platforms available, it is imperative to focus on a few in order to derive efficiency. There are several factors which contribute towards the choice of right platform mix. The demographic mix and the type of products to be marketed are amongst the most important factors. Some of the most prominent platforms available are Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram. Out of these platforms, the former is more popular among mature adults while the latter two are favored by younger population. Accordingly, the allocation of marketing material across these platforms may be carried out. Further, the choice of platforms may be done as per the business goals as well. Social media may also be used for promoting your website.

Use the Right Tools: it is important to use the right type of tools for disseminating information about your business. Some of the most important tools in this regard are infographics, videos and pictures. Infographics are particularly useful in this regard as these are easy to understand and are visually appealing. Such infographics are also easy to make as there are several computer programs available to aid their creation. You may also jazz up your data with the use of graphs and other visual representations.

Leverage Your Network: it is as important to think locally as it is to do on wider scale. While you may use social media and other mass media, it is equally essential to harness your close network. You can start by participating in local events. Alternatively, you may choose to sponsor some local drives and relevant public events. You should also look for synergistic participation with other non-competing businesses. Such collaborations may help in cross promotions through the use of reciprocal website links, fliers and bundled promotions. While such networking and collaborations may take some time to fructify but they are worth the effort.

With the above tips you can promote your business and goods in an optimal manner. These methods do not require substantial outlay of resources and thus are suitable for small businesses.

RAK International SME FAIR

RAK International SME FAIR

To provide an opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises to showcase their products and network, RAK SME together with RAK chamber and RAK expo have organized an international fair. It is scheduled to be held from 14 to 16th November 2019 at the Ras Al Khaimah exhibition centre in UAE

The fair will be attended by over 200 exhibitors from different countries, providing an excellent opportunity for businesses to collaborate. Participants will also be able to listen to business pioneers and leaders via informative workshops and panel discussions.

Meet & Collaborate

While SME events are a common way to achieve new sales and meet prospective clients, RAK International SME FAIR offers several unique advantages

  • Targeted Approach: RAK International SME FAIR follows a very targeted approach to provide specialized services. The event restricts itself to a well-defined number of categories so that each segment is well represented. The main sectors participating in this fair are food & beverage, energy & sustainability, technology & entertainment and furniture & office supplies. Apart from these sectors, the fair is also going to witness participation from businesses that engage in healthcare, wellness & medical segments, trade & business and beauty & cosmetics. The fair will also encompass several other industrial segments to provide a holistic view of the small and medium scale enterprise market in the UAE and globally.
  • New Products & Services: The key objective of the fair is to provide a platform to SMEs to showcase their new products, services and integrated solutions. As businesses from a large number of industries converge at the event, participants will get an opportunity to fulfill their business requirements under one roof. Whether you are looking for legal services for your new business or you want to develop software for your operations, rest assured you will get a wide range of options to explore here.
  • Networking: The fair is set to attract over 200 participants from a wide range of industries. The occasion thus offers a great opportunity to revive old ties or form new alliances. Attendees will get to interact with representatives from diverse number of industries. So, If you are looking for new collaborations within your industrial segment or are planning to enter a new business field, here, you can meet people with expertise in different areas to widen your horizons.Masterclass sessions on business expansion and sustaining SME growth will be particularly useful.
  • Learn New Developments: As this fair is a platform to let exhibitors and visitors interact, it offers a great opportunity to learn about new market developments. Here too, masterclasses and workshops on innovation and facing the future will prove to be relevant to the audience.

 

PayTabs participation at the RAK International SME FAIR

PayTabs is a leading B2B payment processing service provider in the region. The business is set to showcase its payment gateway solutions at the RAK International SME FAIR over the three days. Drop by, speak to the team and learn more about how they can power your payments, globally.

What is Important for Startups – Products or Sales?

What is Important for Startups – Products or Sales?

Whether a business should focus on perfecting its products or on boosting sales is the eternal question faced by entrepreneurs. The dilemma has given rise to the concept of Minimum Viable Product or MVP where instead of trying to wait until the product is in faultless stage, the business decides to market it and continues with the improvement process. Here are some of the thoughts to help you decide whether your business should strive for the perfect product or for higher sales.

  • Focus on Product: It is believed that a large number of companies fail due to different factors related to their products or services. In many cases, the companies launch products nobody had demanded. In other cases, the product may simply not be up to the mark, that it may not serve the function it claims to serve. Therefore, it is important to understand the market and its requirements. The business should then focus on developing a product which can meet the market needs in an efficient manner. The firm may decide to launch the product with certain key features and then may continue to fine-tune it. For startups, product improvement is a continuous, never-ending process.

 

  • Work on Value Added Services: As important as it is to get the product just right to fulfill customers’ requirements, it is also imperative that proper attention is paid to allied services such as logistics, after sales care, etc. For startups, liquidity and funds are highly crucial factors, forcing business to release the product as early as possible. In such cases, the enterprise may enhance customers’ utility by providing them with value added services. Empathetic customer care services can lead to higher customer satisfaction by addressing several concerns and issues. With the help of add-on services, the business may be in a position to launch the product at an early stage and still gain loyal following.

 

  • Business Life Cycle Stage: The decision regarding the product launch is dependent on several factors including the life stage of the business. For a startup, cash inflows are highly important as these enterprises are generally dependent upon outside funding for carrying out their operations. For early stage ventures, it is a matter of survival to get a product in the market so that a steady stream of revenue may be generated. This stream is then used for meeting various expenses of the organization. So, while a mature business may delay the launch of the product till it is perfected, new and fledgling organizations are bound to follow the concept of Minimum Viable Product.

 

  • Test the Market: As a young business, you might be tempted to get your product out in the market. However, apart from the product and its features, it is also important to gauge the maturity of the market. This implies that the market should be ready for the product. Any product, if launched in a pre-mature market, is bound to fail. One of the biggest examples in this regard is the various early attempts made by technology companies to launch smartphones. However, these launches failed as the markets were not mature enough to accept smartphones. Further, the infrastructure required for proper functioning of the phones was also not available. Therefore, ensure that the market is ready for your product.

The crux of the discussion is that a startup requires both a perfected product and sales revenue. It is the striking of balance between these two goals which ensures the long term survival of an organization.