So, probably, each of us has those very cheerful pieces of plastic, on which a certain number of secret numbers are written, as well as the last name and first name in Latin transliteration.
I want to tell the community about those same cards, and how it can help in business. Of course, and as usual, the direction is extremely practical and proven by our own experience. I would like to note that some of the problems I have highlighted may no longer exist in Moscow, but they are still relevant outside the Moscow Ring Road.
So, a plastic card is essentially a piece of plastic that contains data about a special "card" account, which can be managed using a card.
Manage — this does not mean that this account can be managed in the same way as a regular account. Currently, the following operations apply to the card::
Keep in mind that a "card" account is somewhat different from a regular bank account. A card account can be linked to a regular one, but not vice versa. In any case, if the client has a card in the bank that serves him, then there must also be a regular account.
Cards first appeared in the United States, and at first they were used only to make it easier to serve customers at gas stations, giving them a certain kind of credit. Then different gas stations began to accept each other's cards and it went on, in 1958 the Visa system appeared, in 1966 — MasterCard.
In general, I must say that the name of the cards "credit" is not quite correct. Or rather, for their homeland-it is quite true, but for Russia-not yet completely.
So, the cards were created in order to make it easier to issue small amounts of credit for the product to the client. For example, Americans did not like constantly carrying a lot of money with them, so this system was invented in general.
Following the path of globalization, after the emergence of such market players as Visa and MasterCard, this system "closed", that is, a standard credit card user lives permanently on credit. At the end of the billing period (usually a month, but there are variations), he receives a printout of invoices and pays for it.
However, the nice-looking picture will now be a bit torn to shreds. Despite the fact that the Visa system combines both banks and processing centers, the cards (unfortunately) are linked to specific banks. In general, if you see the Visa label on the ATM and you have the same label on your card, then 50% of the chance that your card will be serviced is there. Ambush in another bank — the bank will charge you a small commission for the operation with the card of another bank.
Of course, a loan for Russia is a complicated thing. Until 2000, consumer loans were almost unattainable, and then, when the market "rushed" forward, they began to appear. But they were cards, but not credit cards. And banks-issuers — on the fingers to count.
In Russia, debit cards are still most widely used, meaning that to use the amount on a "card" account, you must first deposit it there. In principle, this issue is solved quite simply if the salary is transferred to the card.
What do you think contributes to the development of card payments? That's right, the first correct way out is to be able to accept cards almost everywhere.
And here is the main problem of our country. To perform a card transaction, the seller must contact the bank in some way before accepting payment in order to check the availability of money (if the card is a debit card) or credit (if the card is a credit card), and this is not possible everywhere in the vast expanses of our vast Homeland.
The first conclusion is that you can safely put a card in your pocket and not take a wallet when even street toilets are equipped with a terminal for accepting such payments.
It is clear that for a standard Russian worker, who began to transfer his salary to a card, it is not possible to pay in a rural store with a card. Therefore, there is a completely abnormal turnover in Russia regarding the withdrawal of money from a card account.
It turns out the following situation — ATMs of the desired bank are always less within a radius of 100 meters than we would like, so there can still easily run out of cash.
It is clear that in a critical case, you can go to the bank that issued the card itself and get the cherished cash there, but this somewhat tempts the need for a card.
It is clear to the hedgehog that even cards of the same system (Visa, for example) are different. There are simpler, there are more abruptly. And working with each type of card should be clear to the seller.
Those who are somewhat off topic about non-cash money, I can recommend a couple of my own articles. Well, those who are in the subject, they understand that the money received from the "card" account is credited to the recipient's bank account.
As you might expect, this becomes a problem for those who are used to working with cash, paying suppliers. You still need to withdraw money from the bank, but this can only be done at certain times and is not as easy as we would like.
Of course, the situation is changing for the better. For example, Tinkoff Credit Systems and other banks already provide quite sane credit cards.
In addition, a pleasant overdraft service for some types of cards has been available for quite a long time.
Well, of course, one of the most pleasant things for cardholders is online payments. And really, why pay through any bank if you can use a bank card for payment?
But no, and here everything is not so simple.
Payments via the Internet are not available for all types of cards.So, for example, the Visa Electron card I already mentioned does not allow you to make such payments. Update: I apologize, thanks to the readers managed to find out that this depends on the bank.
In fact, the history of the development of payments via the Internet was complex, accompanied by numerous cases of theft of card numbers and other problems.
Now, in principle, the situation has changed for the better. And the special services began to respond more quickly, and they began to put a special code for purchases on the cards in cases where the card is not physically involved.
Now let's think about how cards can be useful for us as business owners.
If you issue your salary in cash, you must withdraw it before issuing it. Very often, the percentage for servicing cards and withdrawing cash from them is much cheaper. Therefore, many employers choose this method of issuing salaries. Savings of 1% of the total amount of salary issued for the year may be noticeable.
If you use the card fairly and regularly, the bank can provide you with an overdraft, that is, the opportunity to quickly get a loan on fairly favorable terms. Sometimes it happens very much in the subject.
If you are sending an employee on a business trip, the most convenient way is to give them a card. You clearly control the amount of money spent by them, and you can also create a special account where you can attach several cards at the same time.
To be honest, the situation with plastic cards in Russia is still depressing. If you do not take into account Moscow, all other regions use them poorly. Poor business skills (often) and the lack of a proper infrastructure for working with them are also affected.
Of course, as usual, we all hope for the best and expect that even in a taxi we will accept a card as payment, but all this is still hope.
As usual, all your questions are in the comments section; I'll try to answer them.
(с) maniaque
I want to tell the community about those same cards, and how it can help in business. Of course, and as usual, the direction is extremely practical and proven by our own experience. I would like to note that some of the problems I have highlighted may no longer exist in Moscow, but they are still relevant outside the Moscow Ring Road.
0. What kind of card is this, anyway?
So, a plastic card is essentially a piece of plastic that contains data about a special "card" account, which can be managed using a card.
Manage — this does not mean that this account can be managed in the same way as a regular account. Currently, the following operations apply to the card::
- You can withdraw cash from a" card " account at an ATM;
- You can pay with a card if the merchant is able to accept such payments;
- You can add funds to your" card " account from some (advanced) ATMs.
Keep in mind that a "card" account is somewhat different from a regular bank account. A card account can be linked to a regular one, but not vice versa. In any case, if the client has a card in the bank that serves him, then there must also be a regular account.
1. Why it is necessary, or a little history
Cards first appeared in the United States, and at first they were used only to make it easier to serve customers at gas stations, giving them a certain kind of credit. Then different gas stations began to accept each other's cards and it went on, in 1958 the Visa system appeared, in 1966 — MasterCard.
In general, I must say that the name of the cards "credit" is not quite correct. Or rather, for their homeland-it is quite true, but for Russia-not yet completely.
So, the cards were created in order to make it easier to issue small amounts of credit for the product to the client. For example, Americans did not like constantly carrying a lot of money with them, so this system was invented in general.
Following the path of globalization, after the emergence of such market players as Visa and MasterCard, this system "closed", that is, a standard credit card user lives permanently on credit. At the end of the billing period (usually a month, but there are variations), he receives a printout of invoices and pays for it.
However, the nice-looking picture will now be a bit torn to shreds. Despite the fact that the Visa system combines both banks and processing centers, the cards (unfortunately) are linked to specific banks. In general, if you see the Visa label on the ATM and you have the same label on your card, then 50% of the chance that your card will be serviced is there. Ambush in another bank — the bank will charge you a small commission for the operation with the card of another bank.
2. Russia and the hard way of cards
Of course, a loan for Russia is a complicated thing. Until 2000, consumer loans were almost unattainable, and then, when the market "rushed" forward, they began to appear. But they were cards, but not credit cards. And banks-issuers — on the fingers to count.
In Russia, debit cards are still most widely used, meaning that to use the amount on a "card" account, you must first deposit it there. In principle, this issue is solved quite simply if the salary is transferred to the card.
2.1. The first problem is the lack of terminals
What do you think contributes to the development of card payments? That's right, the first correct way out is to be able to accept cards almost everywhere.
And here is the main problem of our country. To perform a card transaction, the seller must contact the bank in some way before accepting payment in order to check the availability of money (if the card is a debit card) or credit (if the card is a credit card), and this is not possible everywhere in the vast expanses of our vast Homeland.
The first conclusion is that you can safely put a card in your pocket and not take a wallet when even street toilets are equipped with a terminal for accepting such payments.
2.2. The second problem — not enough ATMs or not enough cash
It is clear that for a standard Russian worker, who began to transfer his salary to a card, it is not possible to pay in a rural store with a card. Therefore, there is a completely abnormal turnover in Russia regarding the withdrawal of money from a card account.
It turns out the following situation — ATMs of the desired bank are always less within a radius of 100 meters than we would like, so there can still easily run out of cash.
It is clear that in a critical case, you can go to the bank that issued the card itself and get the cherished cash there, but this somewhat tempts the need for a card.
2.3. The third problem — you need to train sellers
It is clear to the hedgehog that even cards of the same system (Visa, for example) are different. There are simpler, there are more abruptly. And working with each type of card should be clear to the seller.
2.4. The fourth problem-the cards are non-cash
Those who are somewhat off topic about non-cash money, I can recommend a couple of my own articles. Well, those who are in the subject, they understand that the money received from the "card" account is credited to the recipient's bank account.
As you might expect, this becomes a problem for those who are used to working with cash, paying suppliers. You still need to withdraw money from the bank, but this can only be done at certain times and is not as easy as we would like.
Of course, the situation is changing for the better. For example, Tinkoff Credit Systems and other banks already provide quite sane credit cards.
In addition, a pleasant overdraft service for some types of cards has been available for quite a long time.
3. Payments via the Internet
Well, of course, one of the most pleasant things for cardholders is online payments. And really, why pay through any bank if you can use a bank card for payment?
But no, and here everything is not so simple.
Payments via the Internet are not available for all types of cards.
In fact, the history of the development of payments via the Internet was complex, accompanied by numerous cases of theft of card numbers and other problems.
Now, in principle, the situation has changed for the better. And the special services began to respond more quickly, and they began to put a special code for purchases on the cards in cases where the card is not physically involved.
4. How can this card help my business?
Now let's think about how cards can be useful for us as business owners.
4.1. Salary per card
If you issue your salary in cash, you must withdraw it before issuing it. Very often, the percentage for servicing cards and withdrawing cash from them is much cheaper. Therefore, many employers choose this method of issuing salaries. Savings of 1% of the total amount of salary issued for the year may be noticeable.
4.2. Quick credit via credit cards
If you use the card fairly and regularly, the bank can provide you with an overdraft, that is, the opportunity to quickly get a loan on fairly favorable terms. Sometimes it happens very much in the subject.
4.3. Business trip
If you are sending an employee on a business trip, the most convenient way is to give them a card. You clearly control the amount of money spent by them, and you can also create a special account where you can attach several cards at the same time.
5. Taking stock
To be honest, the situation with plastic cards in Russia is still depressing. If you do not take into account Moscow, all other regions use them poorly. Poor business skills (often) and the lack of a proper infrastructure for working with them are also affected.
Of course, as usual, we all hope for the best and expect that even in a taxi we will accept a card as payment, but all this is still hope.
As usual, all your questions are in the comments section; I'll try to answer them.
(с) maniaque
