Small Business Merchant Services

Small Business Merchant Services Small Business Merchant Services helps local businesses evaluate payment processing, POS systems, merchant statements, online ordering, & payment technology.
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We provide honest second opinions so biz owners can make informed decisions. SeeAnotherOption.com

Sometimes people know you, but they don’t actually know everything you do.I’ve known this business for quite some time.T...
09/02/2026

Sometimes people know you, but they don’t actually know everything you do.

I’ve known this business for quite some time.

The father, Kevin Sr., knew I handled credit card processing. We had talked about it before, but at the time he wasn’t interested in making a change.

No problem.

Then his son, Kevin Jr., I noticed started becoming more involved in the business.

One day we were talking and he asked me about my weekend and I said it was super busy as we had an ATM event, a POS install and a credit card terminal install.

Immediately Kevin said:

“Wait. You do credit card processing too?”

I said yes.

His next question was the one I hear all the time.

“What are your rates?”

Instead of just throwing a rate at him, I started asking questions.

How are you accepting payments now?

What problems are you having?

What works well?

What doesn’t?

That’s when the conversation got interesting.

Their tow drivers were taking credit card terminals out on the road. Sometimes the terminals weren’t charged. Sometimes they got broken.

So we talked about ways their drivers could accept payments right from their phones.

Then I reviewed their processing statements.

We found opportunities to save them money.

We also discovered that the way they were passing some of their processing costs on to customers wasn’t set up compliantly.

So we were able to address that too.

This wasn’t an overnight sale.

Eventually Kevin Jr. and his brother took over the business, and when the time was right, he called me.

Today they’re one of our merchant processing customers along with being an ATM customer.

We helped make it easier for their drivers to accept payments.

We helped save them money.

And we helped make sure the way they were passing fees to customers was set up properly.

But there’s another lesson from this story that has nothing to do with credit card processing.

I had known this business for years.

Kevin Sr. knew what I did.

Kevin Jr. didn’t.

That’s a pretty good reminder for every business owner, including me.

Don’t assume people know everything your business does just because they know you.

Sometimes your next customer already knows you.

They just don’t know you can help them.

Small Businesses Deserve Better.








09/02/2026

“What are your rates?”

That’s where this conversation started.

But rates weren’t the most important thing we ended up talking about.

Once we started asking questions and looking at how the business was actually accepting payments, we found opportunities involving:

Accepting payments in the field.

Processing costs.

And how fees were being passed on to customers.

Watch the reel for the story.

Sometimes the biggest value doesn’t come from simply finding a better rate.

It comes from taking the time to understand how a business actually operates.

If you’d like another set of eyes on how your business is accepting payments, we’d be happy to take a look.

No pressure. Just an honest conversation.

Small Businesses Deserve Better.








Sometimes the “extra step” isn’t actually extra work.I recently had a conversation with one of my merchants who used to ...
08/27/2026

Sometimes the “extra step” isn’t actually extra work.

I recently had a conversation with one of my merchants who used to run the finance department at a couple of car dealerships.

We somehow got on the subject of how dealerships accept credit card payments.

I asked if the credit card processing was integrated with the dealership software they used.

He said it was.

I mentioned that integrated processing can sometimes be more expensive and that some businesses may be able to save money by using a separate credit card terminal instead.

Then I said there was a tradeoff.

Using a separate terminal could mean an extra step.

That’s when he stopped me.

“What extra step?”

He explained that at the dealerships where he worked, employees were manually entering the entire credit card number, expiration date, and security code into the system anyway.

That made me stop and think.

If the customer is standing right there, a separate terminal could potentially allow the customer to tap or insert their card instead.

The employee may still need to go back into the dealership software and mark the invoice as paid, but that could actually involve less manual entry than what they were already doing.

There can be another benefit too.

How a credit card transaction is entered can affect processing costs and risk. Manually entered transactions are treated differently than card present transactions where a customer taps or inserts their card.

Does that mean every dealership should stop using integrated payments?

Absolutely not.

Integration can be incredibly convenient, and every business has different needs.

But the conversation reminded me of something.

Sometimes we assume the way we’re doing something is easier simply because it’s the way we’ve always done it.

Every once in a while, it’s worth asking:

Is this still the best way to do it?

If you’d like another set of eyes on how your business is accepting payments, we’d be happy to take a look.

No pressure. Just an honest conversation.

Small Businesses Deserve Better.









08/25/2026

Is convenience always worth the cost?

A recent conversation with one of our merchants about credit card processing at car dealerships raised an interesting question about integrated payments versus using a separate payment terminal.

And one comment completely changed the way I was looking at the “extra step.”

Watch the reel for the story.

Sometimes a small change in how payments are accepted can be worth exploring.

If you’d like another set of eyes on how your business is accepting payments, we’d be happy to take a look.

No pressure. Just an honest conversation.









Technology should make your staff’s job easier, not get in the way of hospitality.Recently, a group of us went to a rest...
08/20/2026

Technology should make your staff’s job easier, not get in the way of hospitality.

Recently, a group of us went to a restaurant for happy hour.

There were a lot of us, and our waiter became overwhelmed trying to keep up with the table.

Eventually, the general manager stepped in and took over.

At the end of the night, I asked her who owned the restaurant and told her I would love to talk with them about handheld POS systems.

Her response surprised me.

She said she doesn’t like handhelds because she thinks they’re too impersonal.

And I understand her concern.

Hospitality is personal. Nobody wants technology getting in the way of the relationship between a server and their guests.

But I asked her to think about what had just happened.

A handheld could have allowed our waiter to take orders at the table and send them directly to the kitchen or bar without repeatedly going back to a POS station.

When it was time to pay, he could have handled those payments right at the table too.

Would a handheld have magically solved everything that night?

Of course not.

But it might have made his job easier and given him more time to focus on taking care of his customers.

That’s the part I think sometimes gets overlooked when businesses consider new technology.

The question isn’t just whether you like the technology.

The better question is whether it solves a problem for your business.

Technology shouldn’t replace hospitality.

Good technology should give your staff more time to provide it.

If you’re wondering whether your current POS system is making your team’s job easier or harder, we’d be happy to be a second set of eyes.










08/18/2026

Can technology actually make a restaurant MORE personal?

A recent conversation with a restaurant general manager started with her telling me she doesn’t like handheld POS systems.

Her reason?

She thinks they’re too impersonal.

It’s a fair concern.

But what had happened in the restaurant that night led to a really interesting conversation about technology, efficiency, and hospitality.

Watch the reel for the story.

If you’re wondering whether your current POS system is helping your staff or making their jobs harder, we’d be happy to be a second set of eyes.









Sometimes “not right now” doesn’t mean “never.”When I originally signed up one of my merchants, a hair salon, we talked ...
08/12/2026

Sometimes “not right now” doesn’t mean “never.”

When I originally signed up one of my merchants, a hair salon, we talked about different ways they could structure their credit card processing.

One of the options was dual pricing.

They weren’t comfortable with it.

They were concerned their clients might be upset about paying more when using a card, so we didn’t do it. We set them up on interchange plus pricing instead.

Recently, they asked me to resend a few of their processing statements.

When I asked if there was anything I could help them with, they told me they were looking at their statements because they were thinking about possibly passing along some of their credit card processing costs after all.

So we revisited the conversation.

This time, we talked through surcharging, dual pricing, and true cash discount, how they’re different, and what each could mean for their business and their customers.

Then I left the decision with them.

That’s the part I think matters.

What makes sense for a business today may not be what makes sense six months from now.

Costs change.

Customers change.

Businesses change.

And sometimes business owners simply change their minds.

My job isn’t to push a merchant into whichever pricing program I want them to use.

It’s to explain the options, answer their questions, and help them make the decision that’s right for their business.

If you’d like another set of eyes on your current payment processing setup or want to understand what options are available to you, I’d be happy to help.

Call/Text Carey’s personal cell: 610-999-6410








08/11/2026

Sometimes the best solution for a business is the one they’re comfortable with today.

And sometimes that changes.

A recent conversation with one of our merchants was a great reminder that payment processing isn’t one size fits all.

There are different ways to structure how your business accepts payments and handles processing costs.

The right choice is the one that makes sense for your business, your customers, and your goals.

And it’s always okay to revisit that decision later.

Watch the reel for the story.

If you’d like another set of eyes on your current payment setup and the options available to you, we’d be happy to help.








One of my merchants called me last week with a question about a $12,500 transaction.The customer had accidentally purcha...
08/06/2026

One of my merchants called me last week with a question about a $12,500 transaction.

The customer had accidentally purchased two items instead of one and needed a $6,250 adjustment.

Fortunately, the transaction hadn't batched yet.

After talking through the options, we decided the easiest solution was to void the original sale and process the correct amount instead.

Problem solved.

Moments like these remind me that choosing a payment processor isn't just about rates or equipment.

It's about having someone who answers the phone when you need help.

Your relationship with your payment processor shouldn't end the day your equipment is installed.

Questions come up.

Mistakes happen.

Businesses change.

When they do, you deserve responsive, knowledgeable support from someone who's invested in your success.

If you're wondering whether you're getting the level of support your business deserves, I'd be happy to be a second set of eyes.

Sometimes a simple conversation is all it takes.

That's what Small Businesses Deserve Better is all about.








08/04/2026

One of our merchants called last week with a $12,500 transaction that needed to be corrected.

The customer accidentally purchased two items when they only wanted one.

Because the transaction hadn’t settled yet, we were able to walk the merchant through the best option, void the transaction, and rerun it for the correct amount.

That’s the kind of support every business owner deserves.

Anyone can help you get started.

The real value is having someone who answers the phone after the installation, helps you solve problems, and is there when you need them.

At Small Business Merchant Services, we believe great service doesn’t end after the installation.

That’s where it begins.








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