Opening a business in Fort Lauderdale? Get card payments sorted before day one.

Whether you are opening a restaurant, a shop, a salon, or a service business, here is what you need to plan for your POS and card processing, what to have ready for a merchant account, and the questions worth asking any processor before you sign.

Talk to TouchSuite

What to get right

Equipment that fits how you actually sell

Start with how customers pay you. A restaurant needs tip adjustment, split checks, and a way to keep tables turning, often with handheld or pay-at-table devices. Retail needs inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and a clean returns and exchange process. Salons and spas need appointment booking, deposits for no-shows, and tips assigned to the right stylist. Service businesses that travel need mobile card readers and the ability to send invoices or take payments on site. In a city with steady visitor traffic like Fort Lauderdale, plan for tap-to-pay and mobile wallets as a baseline. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware from TouchSuite, with no upfront cost.

A merchant account application that goes through the first time

Most delays come from missing paperwork. Before you apply, have your business entity formed and registered with the state, your EIN from the IRS, a business bank account in the business name with a voided check or bank letter, a government-issued ID for each owner, and your business address and phone. It also helps to know roughly what you expect to process each month and your average sale size. If you will collect sales tax, register with the state before you open, and check with the City of Fort Lauderdale and Broward County about any local business tax receipts or licenses your business type requires.

Pricing you can read and check

Ask for pricing you can verify line by line. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see exactly what the processor is keeping. If you would rather remove processing cost from your margins, a cash discount program is available; check current card brand and state rules on how it must be disclosed to customers. Also confirm the contract terms. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.

Systems that connect and keep running

Your POS should talk to the rest of your business: accounting, customer lists, and your online store if you sell on the web. TouchSuite's ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account. Since South Florida sees storm season and the occasional power or internet outage, ask whether your terminals can store transactions offline and how you would keep taking payments if your connection drops.

How it works

  1. Talk through your business. Tell us what you are opening, how customers will pay, and when you plan to open. If you are taking over an existing business or already processing elsewhere, send your most recent processing statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.
  2. Choose equipment and software. Together we match terminals, POS stations, mobile readers, and integrations to how your business runs, whether that is tables and tips, inventory and returns, appointments and deposits, or invoices in the field.
  3. Submit your application. You provide your entity details, EIN, bank account information, and owner ID. Underwriting time varies with the business type and how complete the application is, so apply a few weeks before your opening date if you can, especially if you are still waiting on licenses or your bank account.
  4. Set up and start processing. Once you are approved, your equipment is configured and you can run test transactions before opening. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval.

Questions to ask a processor

How far ahead of opening should I apply for a merchant account?

Give yourself a few weeks if possible. You need your entity, EIN, and business bank account in place first, and those steps often take longer than the merchant application itself. Once approved, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours.

What pricing model will I be on, and can I see the actual costs?

Ask every processor this directly. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, and each part shows up on your statement. If a quote is hard to read, ask the processor to walk you through a sample statement before you sign.

Am I locked into a contract?

Ask about contract length, cancellation terms, and any fees for leaving. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime with no fees.

Will the POS work with my accounting, customer list, or online store?

Ask which integrations are supported and whether they cost extra each month. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee.

Do I have to buy the equipment?

It depends on the processor and your business. Qualifying TouchSuite merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware with no upfront cost. Ask any processor who owns the equipment and what happens to it if you leave.

What happens if my internet or power goes out?

Ask whether the terminals can process offline, how long stored transactions can wait before they are sent, and what support is available when something goes wrong. In South Florida it is worth having a plan for storm season before you need it.

Planning your Fort Lauderdale opening?

Tell us what you are opening and when. We will help you plan the equipment and software, walk you through what the application needs, and give you clear pricing. If you already process cards, send your most recent statement and we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.

An email or a phone number is enough.

TouchSuite · 800-793-3250 · Month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.