by Jocelyn Armstrong, J. Armstrong Law, LLC, and Program Administrator, Columbus Bar inc Professional Development Center
Smartphones and tablets continue to impact the way lawyers do business. We have the ability to instantly access email and phone message from clients. Accepting payment on the go is now an emerging trend. There are three mobile credit card readers on the market that work with Apple (iPad/iPhone) and Android devices – Square, Intuit GoPayment, and SwitchPay.
For a nominal percentage per swipe (approximately 2.7%), attorneys can collect fees earned or consultation fees anywhere they meet clients. Two compelling benefits of mobile card readers are no monthly service fees and no monthly minimum requirements for transactions. This is important for solo and small law firms with low volume in credit payments. It eliminates the need for additional office equipment and dedicated phone lines.
The readers are small and easy to use. Each service makes funds available within 24-36 hours of the transaction. The devices are also paperless. Receipts can be sent to clients via text or email. The attorney can also receive an electronic copy via email. Lastly, the readers allow users to track their monthly activity via a secure website. Users are required to download a secure mobile application on their wireless devices to use the card reader.
There are a few drawbacks to the systems. Depending on the location and strength of wireless phone service, the card reader app might not activate. Also, unless a prior agreement is made, the attorney will have to absorb the transaction costs.
Overall, I have found a mobile credit card reader to be beneficial to my practice. For more information on the devices, visit the following websites:
Square – www.squareup.com
Intuit – www.intuit.com
SwitchPay – www.switchpay.com
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