Micros Credit Card Processing and Stored Value Card Processing

[twisted88s]

I have recently purchased a Micros 3700 3 station system with type 4 stations. I have a merchant account already, and am wanting to know the truth about the 'programming' of the micros system using my merchant account - which is ready for use with Micros according to my credit card settlement provider. What programming is necessary? Is there much labor involved in imputting the MID & TID #s into the Micros Software? and does each transaction need to be settled through the Micros Credit Card Auth service? The local Micros authorized sales rep is wanting me to pay $995.00 to set up the KIT 4CAEDC w/ Bravo and a Micros / Merchant Link change of ownership. I just need to know if this is necessary since I already have my merchant account set up and ready to go.

I am also interesed in knowing if anyone is currently using the 3700 system for stored value cards, or gift cards. We are interested in offering this to our patrons.

 

[POSWizard]

SVC or stored value card. The benefit is that you have a monthly fee instead of transaction fee's. You can setup your cards, check balance, redeem, sell, and all those great things and never have to be charged fee's. However, there are many players in the gift card market and I suggest you research them as well to make sure which one is the best fit for you are your type of business.

 

[POSWizard]

Twisted88.

These charges can range. Did you purchase the gear during a restuarant take over or online? If in a take over you own the license and the standard fee is $325.00. $200 for the change of service and $125.00 for the labor to do it. If you bought the system via online, through someone, any other way than with a business...you really don't own the license. MICROS could come at you and ask that you re-license the enitre system. Best thing to do is ask for the break down of the charges, then contact merchant link and find out their charge. This will give you the true charge the dealer is sticking to you. However, if you did aquire this system through grape vine...I advise you to tread lightly.

Hope this helps.

 

[twisted88s]

Thanks = We see the SVC as a marketing tool to promote our bar/restaurant to our patrons. We may give away a gift card in a radio promotion for example. The customer would bring it in, and redeem it, and possible add value to it - much like a Starbucks card. We will then want to track the customer use, and use the data for additional marketing research. I did acquire the equipment from a restaurant in a take over. The license will transfer. It seems I will need to pay for the merchant link transfer ($995) and additional fees (TBA).
I do plan to capture credit cards using the swipe on the Micros terminals. I will be looking into using a broadband connection for our comm. Any cavaets with tihs? We have v.3.2 of the Micros system, and I am concerned about near future upgrade costs. Any ideas about what I should consider?

 

[TobeThor]

Micros gets .06 cents every time you swipe a credit card thru their POS system regardless of the amount of the transaction. They used to deny this but many of the Credit card processors now line item this charge as they no longer want to "eat it". If you average just 30 cards a day, the yearly cost(fees) is approx $725. I also believe you will be charged an annual license fee for the CAEDC software, 3700 users tell me they recieve bills for $375 or $425 but I am not sure that you have to pay it.
They should give the software away at those rates.

 

[POSWizard]

TobeThor,

Check your facts on who charges what. There are fee's for change or services, and Credit Card Support Contracts. However, Micros does not charge a single penny for credit card transactions. They are not in the processing business and never have been. Now if there is an agreement between MICROS and merchant link, then you can say they charge a per transaction fee. What happens is some Processors charge more fee's to work with Merchant Link, this is due to the fact that Merchant Link has a fee to be the middle man. So the Processor passes this on to the client. However, Micros nor Merchant Link ever charge the client, this comes from the Processor. Here is a fact: You do not have to use Merchant Link at a Middle Support Processor. You can contact your dealer/micros office and opt not to use merchant link. However, what this means is that if you have an issue with credit cards whether is be settling batches or recovery lost numbers you are on your own, or they charge a recovery fee. Look at this when you decide not to use merchant link: You have a batch for $3200.00 stuck in a crashed system due to a bad harddrive. If you have Merchant Link, they rekey the info and you get your money. No merchant link, you call your processor and try to get the number...oh thats right it hasn't settled yet so they don't have the numbers. They tell you to contact your front end processor, who in turn tells you they are pass through and do not capture card data. They tell you to call your POS providor. So you finally call merchant link and they tell you they didn't capture the data because you opted out to save $700.00 a year over 12 months. You do the math and decide what is best for your business.

 

[dennislv]

POSWizard you sound like you work for Micros!

I've had many many people says the same thing that TobeThor said. Even reps from Hartland and Global will acknowledge that Micros has their hands in the cookie jar; and yet Micros continues to deny it!

As far as losing you batch due to a hard drive failure (which Micros charges a little over $5000 to 're-stage' your server without setting up the database) then you have huge problems.

Besides, you can always go with Shift4 and if you did lose your drive (and I've seen this happen before), you'd still have your batch. Micro/MerchantLink is scandalous in the way they decieve their customers.

Did you know that most processors will downgrade transactions from a Micros system since they modify the track swipe data? And they only use track 2. You may as well manually key all your cards; its going to be the same rate!!!

 

[FoodtoGo]

The track data cannot be stored (for batching) because of VISA CISP regulations. We just finished our self audit.. It's as painful as pulling teeth, but direct track data is a no-no with this new security in place.

Here's the VISA link.

http://www.usa.visa.com/business/accepting_visa/ops_risk_management/cisp.html?it=searchQuicklink

I wish you luck.

foodtogo

 

[Shift4SMS]

The newer version of Micros do not store the track data. Actually, as long as you perform an online authorization at the time of purchase, you can (and most POS does) batch out and get "swipe" rates. The swipe is used for the authorization step, not the settlement step.

dennislv is correct, Micros does have their hand in the cookie jar. They have a exclusive marketing arrangement with MerchantLink and for this, ML pays them. But note, this exclusive relationship is a marketing one and it does allow for Micros to support or offer other drivers. Do a search for "Micros Secure Crdit Card Driver" in your favorite search engine and you should find other options available.

Thanks you dennislv for mentioning Shift4 ;-)

Also, on the VISA CISP site that FoodToGo referenced, there is a link to a validated list of compliant payment applications (

http://www.usa.visa.com/download/bu...ns.html|CISP-Validated Payment Applications),

you may want to book mark this list and reference it whenever you are in the market for a new POS or even a payment driver for a POS.

Steve Sommers

http://www.shift4.com

-- Creators of $$$ ON THE NET(tm) payment processing services

Blog:

http://shift4sms.blogspot.com