Start with where the payment happens
If every payment happens at one fixed point, a countertop terminal connected to broadband or a phone line is usually the simplest and most dependable choice.
If your team takes payment away from the till — at a table, in a treatment room, in a beer garden — a portable terminal that works across your premises will save a great deal of walking and waiting.
If you take payment away from your premises altogether, a mobile terminal that works over a mobile network is the right category.
Connectivity is the most common frustration
Most day-to-day complaints about card machines are really complaints about connection quality. Before choosing, check the strength of your broadband, Wi-Fi coverage at the far end of the room, and mobile signal where you actually trade.
Practical details worth checking
Battery life across a full shift, receipt printing versus digital receipts, how quickly the terminal completes a transaction, and how easily a new team member can be shown how to use it.
Also consider what happens if a terminal fails during trading hours, and what support is available at that moment.
This article is general information for UK business owners and is not financial or legal advice. For guidance specific to your business, speak to the Ideal Merchant Service team on 020 8514 5898.