The app is called “Image Capture,” and is free and works with most mobile devices, including iPhones and smartphones that run on the Android operating system. Once downloaded and installed, policy-seekers take a snapshot of their driver’s license, their auto’s vehicle identification number (VIN) or existing insurance ID card. The app scans the image for necessary information such as name and address.

Once the details are confirmed by the user, Progressive sends a quote “in minutes,” according to a company statement. “The new technology, only available from Progressive, simplifies the insurance quoting and buying process,” the statement says. “Image Capture is a first in the insurance industry, capitalizing on the popular technology used to deposit checks in the banking industry.”

Progressive hopes to offer the app in every state by the end of the year.
For more information visit: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/02/09/car-insurance-firms-revving-up-mobile-app-features/#ixzz1lzGTpva8

1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports, and review your reports.

Fraud alerts can help prevent an identity thief from opening any more accounts in your name. Contact the toll-free fraud number of any of the three nationwide consumer reporting companies to place a fraud alert on your credit report.

-TransUnion: 1-800-680-7289

-Equifax: 1-800-525-6285

-Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742

2. Close the accounts that you know, or believe, have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.

Call and speak with someone in the security or fraud department of each company. Follow up in writing, and include copies (NOT originals) of supporting documents. It’s important to notify credit card companies and banks in writing. Send your letters by certified mail, and request a return receipt so you can document what the company received and when. Keep a file of your correspondence and enclosures.

If the identity thief has made charges or debits to your accounts, or to fraudulently opened accounts, ask the company for the forms to dispute those transactions. Also request the transaction records relating to the identity theft, such as the fraudulent credit application.

3. File a report with your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place. Then, get a copy of the police report or at the very least, the number of the report!

4. File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.

By sharing your identity theft complaint with the FTC, you will provide important information that can help law enforcement officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them.

For more information, please visit: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/idtheft/idt07.shtm

 Mail orders are a unique way to interact with customers, so they require a unique way to accept orders and payments. Modern mail order businesses collect payment in the form of money orders, checks or credit cards, and don’t require the user’s credit card to be present.

 To successfully accept credit cards and receive accurate and prompt payment, merchants should follow these three tips:

• Use a secure credit card processing system. Note in the catalog that all credit cards are accepted and that the process is electronically secure.
• Provide invoices, receipts and transaction or order numbers to correspond to the credit card charges.
• Give the customer the option to keep their credit card and address information on file for easy processing. This will also make it faster and easier for the merchant processing the information.

Today’s savvy mail order customers are looking for privacy, security and quick processing.

 At Paynet Systems, we don’t restrict your ability to accept credit cards through your mail order business. Our options include an online virtual terminal, PC Charge Pro software and telephone credit card processing service. We offer the lowest guaranteed rates with a nominal monthly service fee and no annual membership. The per-transaction fee is lower than most, and the monthly minimum fee is waived for merchants enrolling in our starter program.

For more information about Paynet Systems mail order catalog credit card processing solutions, click on our Mail Order services tab under Payment Solutions at the top of this page.

Customer Spending
Craft fairs used to be a strictly cash transaction. Visitors came with a wad of cash or a checkbook and spent their allotment of money very carefully until it was gone. With the increased popularity of credit card usage, people tend to carry less cash. This means that craft show customers spend less cash. Small businesses with craft show booths are finding more success when they accept credit cards. This increases the customers’ spending limit to include credit cards in their craft show budget, not just the cash in their pocket.

Credit Card Processing
There are two ways to accept credit cards, through a standard credit card processing machine, or through a mobile credit card processing virtual terminal. When people see the credit card machine on your table, they are more likely to stop and see what you have available if they are shopping by credit card. While still a little bit unusual at smaller craft fairs where electricity is at a premium, the credit card processing machine is helpful for merchants with larger wares, such as hand-crafted furniture and elegant pottery. Make sure you have ample power or batteries for the machine and bring your receipt pad or printer.

Awareness
If you’re using a mobile device for virtual terminal credit card processing, be sure to put up more than one sign at the table stating that you accept credit cards. People will look for signs, and depending on the number of customers gathered around the front of your booth, passersby may be unable to see just one sign. Assuming that customers will know that credit cards are an option can cause you to miss a critical sale.

Something else to consider is how you track your inventory year-round. Knowing what’s in stock, what needs to be ordered and what is taking up lots of space in your warehouses and shelves helps you to run your business more efficiently. When you keep track of inventory numbers, you’ll know which items are the big sellers you need to keep in stock, and which items never move. When managing a business, work this knowledge to your advantage so that you don’t run out of stock on your most popular products. You might even have a sale on less popular items to make room for the better sellers.

Paynet Systems’ mobile device app, Credit Card Machine, goes beyond basic credit card processing for small businesses. It has additional functions to help you keep track of your inventory throughout the year. As you ring in business sales through the application, the items can be deducted from your inventory. This is one way to use the Credit Card Machine app to enhance your company’s ecommerce credit card processing capabilities. As you ring in each sale, enter the product number or description code. You can later run reports to see how many items were sold and how much customers paid for them. When you’re trying to make important business decisions, like which items to make or order throughout the course of the year, you can go back and look at your inventory reports.

For more information about our Credit Card Machine app, contact Paynet Systems or download it from your favorite app store.

When you tap the screen, Viggle’s software for iPhones and iPads listens to what’s on (TV), recognizes what you’re watching and gives you credit at roughly two points per minute. It even works for shows you’ve saved on a digital video recorder.

Once you have 7,500 points, you’ll be rewarded with a $5 gift card from retailers such as Burger King, Starbucks, Apple’s iTunes, Best Buy and CVS, which you can redeem directly from your device.

Viggle plans to offer bonus points for checking into certain shows such as “American Idol” and for watching ads on your mobile device. “Viggle is the first loyalty program for TV,” said Chris Stephenson, president of the company behind Viggle, Function (X) Inc. “We’re basically allowing people to get rewards for doing something they’re doing already and that they love to do.”

The idea behind Viggle is that if people have an added reason to watch TV, the size of the audience will increase, allowing makers of shows to earn more money from advertisers. Advertisers such as Burger King, Pepsi and Gatorade have also agreed to pay to have point-hungry users watch their ads on a mobile device.

In exchange, users earn points, which Viggle converts into real value by buying gift cards at a slight discount from retailers.

The company has put in some safeguards. You must watch a show at least 10 minutes to earn bonus points. And you can’t watch the same ad over and over again to earn more points; there’s a one-ad-view-per-person rule.

The app made its debut in Apple Inc.’s app store on Wednesday. Versions for Android devices and computers are in the works.

1. Increase your sales
2. Improve cash flow
3. Improve customer service
4. Enhance Image 

Increase your sales

Studies show that businesses that accept credit cards can see increases of sales by 30%. People buy more when they pay with a credit card!

Improve cash flow

Instead of waiting for checks to clear, or 30, 60, or even 90 days for invoices to be paid, funds resulting from credit and debit card transactions are deposited directly into your bank account, often within 48 hours. Electronic payments will enable faster payment cycles, which lead to improved cash flow and decreased billing overhead – a significant benefit and welcomed relief for any business.

Better customer service

Credit card acceptance helps improve your customer service. Consumers like the speed, flexibility and convenience of electronic payments. Superior customer service translates into customer loyalty.

Enhance your business image

By accepting credit cards, you and your company gain valuable creditability in the eyes of both current and potential customers. Plus your competitors are accepting credit cards!

In addition to reaching record-setting mobile commerce sales, eMarketer predicts that 37-and-a-half billion consumers throughout the US will make a minimum of one purchase using their Smartphone in 2012. Merchants that do not have the capability to accept credit cards online or process credit card sales through mobile orders will miss out on the growing trend.

Is your business ready for the mobile consumer? Here are four ways to be sure you are.

• Accept credit cards online or through a virtual credit card terminal.
• Make your website mobile-friendly.
• Be sure that your goods and services are accessible and listed online so that customers can see what is available and make the purchase with their credit card when they are ready and interested.
• Provide secure transactions.

 For more information on accepting credit card sales through your business, contact Paynet Systems today.

Join millions around the world to celebrate New Year’s Eve LIVE. The Official Times Square Ball App is your exclusive access to be part of the activities in Times Square as you watch the LIVE co-hosted official show featuring opening ceremonies, musical performances, celebrity appearances, hourly countdowns and of course the midnight ball drop!

Here are the features:
•Discover everything you need to know about the Times Square New Year’s Eve Celebration including the history, news, weather, photos, map and event schedule. 
•Watch live streaming of the events in Times Square leading up to New Year’s Eve throughout December as well as the highlight promo and other exclusive video content.
•Customize your Toshiba Countdown Clock with your personal photo and time zone.
•Check-in via Facebook, Four Square, and Twitter to find out how far away you are from Times Square and get directions to special places at the Crossroads of the World.

 Happy New Year!

With our update, you still have these capabilities, but they are no longer tied only to one single mobile device. Your database is now synchronized with our server. Think of it as a back-up. If you drop your phone in a puddle, lose it or just upgrade to a nicer model, you will be able to quickly and easily download the information to your new mobile device. The server is secure and can upload pre-existing information and add new devices through your account. The update should be available in January, 2012. So, if Santa puts a new iPhone in your stocking this year, you will be able to add the new device to your Paynet Systems credit card processing account and download the information quickly, securely and easily.