The days of cheques are almost gone and visitors to the South West now expect easy booking and payment by ‘plastic' wherever they go. With this in mind, the South West Tourism Alliance has negotiated preferential rates for its membership network so that businesses can deal with debit and credit card transactions efficiently and cost-effectively. The Alliance's founders and associates can now share these benefits with their members, a combined reach of over 25,000 tourism-related businesses.
Tourism has a very high proportion of small and micro businesses and it is these businesses that can find the set up and transactions costs of card transactions to be prohibitive. Streamline's offer means that they can save money on fees and benefit from attracting business they might otherwise lose. Streamline accepts all major credit and debit cards and processes one in every two card transactions made in the UK.
The Alliance's deal with Streamline means that there will be no joining fee, and businesses can benefit from reduced monthly fees and reduced transactions rates. Mobile terminals are also available, making bookings on the go a reality for smaller businesses that are not able to staff a reception at all times. Streamline also offers full e-commerce capability, a 24/7 support service and online management of accounts.
Jamie Christon, spokesperson for the Alliance, "Most tourism businesses are now fully card-friendly but this new deal with Streamline provides preferential rates and an offer which can not be refused to those without card facilities. The Alliance has negotiated rates that could enable many of our businesses to save money. These are challenging times and any steps to reduce costs mean that we can focus on maintaining the quality of customer service for the long term benefit of the industry".
John Wheeler, Head of UK Third Parties, Streamline:
"I am absolutely delighted to be able to share our knowledge of payments within the Tourism industry with the membership of the South West Tourism Alliance. Streamline processes 1 in 2 transactions in the UK high street at a speed of more than 700 payments per second. We have a highly reliable platform, and this all means that more than 85% of our customers would recommend us to others. I believe we are more than simply a payment processor - we can offer support and advice on helping the Alliance's customers protect themselves against fraud and speed up their own customers shopping experience. We have an exciting year ahead, and I am looking forward to driving our new partnership to provide real value for both Alliance founder & associate members."
The Streamline offer (full details on enquiry):
Streamline FAQs:
Do I have to bank with RBS or NatWest?
No, you can bank with any UK Bank.
How and when do I pay for the service?
Streamline charges are invoiced at the end of every month and will be debited to your account on or around the 18th of each month.
When can I expect to receive my terminal and start accepting cards?
Once an application has been accepted and all supporting paperwork is received, the merchant will receive their chosen terminal within 7 to 10 working days.
Is a dedicated telephone line required?
If your terminal is supplied by Streamline you must ensure that it is connected to a power supply and telephone line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to ensure it is available to receive important updates if required. Alternatively Streamline can provide GPRS mobile terminals, or connect through an active Broadband connection, which means a dedicated phone line is not required and the average transaction time drops to below two seconds. Please contact Streamline for more information regarding their terminals.
Which card schemes will my business be able to accept?
All major card schemes are accepted. A separate agreement is required for American Express and Diners Club.
How quickly will funds be credited into my account?
The nominated bank account is usually credited with the value of the card transaction within four working days of the payment being processed. The exact time taken depends on where you bank and your Contract with Streamline.
Will the machine let me know if it's a stolen card?
Provided you have an online terminal and the card has been reported stolen, the terminal will ask you to contact the authorisation centre.
Do I need to do an end of day reconciliation?
Yes, if transactions have been processed during the day.
What happens if the machine breaks or there is a problem?
Streamline customers can call the dedicated UK Helpdesk, available 7 days a week, 363 days a year. The paper/manual system is provided as an emergency backup, however it must not be used as the sole means of accepting card payments and merchants should check their contracts for which card types are accepted through this transaction method.
Do I get some stickers showing the cards I accept?
Yes, these will be included in the welcome pack from Streamline when your account is opened.
Enquiry now for further details or to go ahead with Streamline:
Streamline - Face to Face and and Online Products
Central Sales 0800 015 3301
Minicom users can call 08453 00 38 39
Monday to Friday - 8.30 am to 5.30 pm
Date added: Wednesday 13th July 2011
Latest updated: Thursday 8th March 2012
