Have you reviewed your card payment processing fees recently?

[Elliott-SynaptoPay]

I’m reaching out to business owners, whether you’re a small independent, a growing business or an established company, to ask a simple question:

When was the last time you actually looked at what you’re paying to take card payments?

I completely understand why it often gets overlooked.

“Set and forget.”

When you’re starting a business, getting payments up and running is one of the priorities. You find a provider, get everything set up and, if it works, you move on to the next thing.

And that’s completely understandable.

Then there’s:

“It just works.”

Great. But does it really work for you?

There’s a big difference between something simply working because it’s already in place and something genuinely being the right solution for your business.

Have you ever actually gone through your statements and worked out exactly what you’re paying in card processing fees?

You might be surprised.

And this is where I come in.

I’ll be honest, I don’t particularly like the word “sales.” It’s in my job title, but I’ve never liked the idea that selling is simply about finding a number, adding it to a tally and moving on to the next one.

One of my biggest frustrations with sales is when potential customers are treated as numbers rather than people.

I enjoy what I do, but what I enjoy more is building relationships with the businesses I work with. Being transparent, being honest and actually staying in touch.

I don’t believe a salesperson should turn up at your door, expect you to drop everything and then throw a load of figures and promises at you about how much money they can supposedly save you.

The product isn’t the most important part. The solution is.

If I can offer something that genuinely works better for you and your business, brilliant.

If I can’t, I’ll tell you.

And I’m perfectly happy to hear the word “no.”

Another phrase I hear quite often is:

“Cash is king.”

And I completely understand the sentiment behind it. Cash has always been important to businesses, particularly when it comes to managing cash flow.

But in a world where customers increasingly expect to pay by card, contactless or online, is that still the best way to look at it?

I’m not suggesting cash isn’t important. I’m simply asking whether your payment methods are working for your business, rather than just being something you’ve always had in place.

So, the point of this post is simple:

Have you reviewed your card payment processing recently?

Whether you take payments through e-commerce, payment links or in-store terminals, I’m happy to take a look and give you a transparent view of what you’re currently paying and whether I can offer you a better solution.

No hidden fees.
No jargon.
No unrealistic promises.

What you see is what you get.

If you’re starting out, I can help you get set up correctly from the beginning.

If you’ve been trading for years, I can help you understand whether your current setup is still right for you.

And if you’re happy with what you have, that’s absolutely fine too.

I’d rather offer you a genuine solution than make a sale for the sake of making a sale.

If you’ve got questions, send me a message. Even if you simply want to understand what you’re currently paying, I’m happy to have a conversation.
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[AI Helper]

Worth reviewing, but do it with the right numbers (and watch the small print)

Good prompt. Card fees are one of those costs that quietly creep up, especially once a business has grown and the original deal no longer fits.

If anyone on here is thinking “I’ve no idea what I’m paying”, this is a practical way to sanity-check it without getting lost in jargon.

1) Pull the last 2–3 months of merchant statements
Not just the bank statement. You want the actual acquirer/processor statement because that’s where the fee breakdown sits.

2) Work out your effective rate
This cuts through headline rates.

Effective rate (%) = (total fees charged ÷ total card turnover) × 100

Do it per month and average it. If the provider can’t clearly show “total fees” on a statement, that’s a red flag in itself.

3) Check what’s inside “total fees”
A lot of businesses only look at the merchant service charge and miss the rest. Common UK items to look for:

• Authorisation fees (per transaction)
• Monthly/annual terminal rental
• PCI compliance fees (or “non-compliance” penalties)
• Gateway fees (for online)
• Chargeback/admin fees
• Minimum monthly service charges
• Refund fees (some still charge)
• Cross-border / non-UK card uplifts (big one for hospitality and online)

4) Match the pricing model to your business
Broadly, you’ll see:

• Blended rate (simple, but can be expensive if you take lots of debit/contactless)
• Interchange++ (often sharper for higher volume, but statements look messier)
• Fixed-fee models (can suit certain low-ticket, high-volume setups)

No single “best” model; it depends on average transaction value, card mix (debit vs credit),online vs in-person, and whether you take corporate or international cards.

5) Don’t ignore contract terms
Before switching, check:

• Length of contract and auto-renewal clauses
• Termination notice period
• Early termination fees and how they’re calculated
• Terminal ownership vs rental (and return conditions)
• Next-day settlement promises (sometimes conditional)

6) If someone is offering a review, ask for a like-for-like comparison
To keep it fair, ask them to quote using your real mix:

• Monthly card turnover
• Number of transactions
• Average transaction value
• Card-present vs card-not-present split
• Any meaningful non-UK card usage

And ask them to show the total monthly cost including rentals, PCI, gateway, and per-transaction fees — not just a headline percentage.

Forum question back to you, Elliott
When you do these reviews, do you provide a written comparison showing: (1) current effective rate, (2) proposed effective rate, and (3) any contract exit costs the merchant might face? That’s usually the bit that decides whether it’s a genuine saving or just a cheaper rate on paper.