Setting up payments for your new Nashville business

Whether you are opening a restaurant, a shop, a salon, or a service business in Nashville, here is what to plan for when it comes to taking cards and running a point of sale. That covers the equipment, the paperwork, the order of steps, and the questions worth asking before you sign anything.

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What to get right

Restaurants and bars: tips, tabs, and table turns

If you serve food or drinks in Nashville, your POS has to keep up on your busiest nights. Plan for tip adjustment after the card is run, open tabs for bar guests, split checks, and handheld or tableside payment if you want tables to turn faster. Make sure menu changes, modifiers, and kitchen tickets are easy to manage. Ask how tips are reported so payroll and tip-outs are not a weekly headache.

Retail: inventory, returns, and online sales

A shop lives and dies by knowing what is on the shelf. Look for a POS that tracks inventory by item and variant, handles returns and exchanges cleanly back to the original card, and supports barcode scanning. If you plan to sell online as well as in store, keep both channels on one system so stock counts match. TouchSuite's e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.

Salons and spas: appointments and deposits

For salons, barbers, and spas, the calendar is the business. Plan for online booking, card-on-file deposits to cut down on no-shows, service and product sales on the same ticket, and tips added at checkout. If stylists rent chairs or work on commission, make sure the system can track sales by provider so payouts are straightforward.

Service businesses: invoices and payments on the go

Contractors, cleaners, consultants, and other service providers often get paid at a job site or after the work is done. Plan for mobile card readers, emailed invoices with a payment option, and recurring billing if you have regular clients. Connecting payments to your accounting or CRM saves hours of re-entry; TouchSuite's ERP and CRM integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.

How it works

  1. Get your business basics in place. Before you apply for a merchant account, have your business entity formed, your EIN from the IRS, a business bank account, and a government-issued photo ID for each owner. Licensing and registration requirements can depend on your business type and location, so check with the state and the Metro Nashville offices that apply to you.
  2. Talk through what you sell and how. Tell us what kind of business you are opening, how customers will pay, whether you need tips, appointments, inventory, or online sales, and what software you already use. If you are taking over an existing business or have processed before, send us 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.
  3. Apply and choose your setup. You complete the merchant account application and pick the terminals, POS, and integrations that fit. Pricing is interchange-plus, meaning you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, and a cash discount program is available if you want to eliminate processing cost. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, with no upfront cost.
  4. Start taking payments. Once you are approved, most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Give yourself time before opening day to load your menu or inventory, set up staff logins, and run a few test transactions so you are not learning the system in front of your first customers.

Questions to ask a processor

How are you priced, and what will I actually see on my statement?

Ask any processor to explain their pricing model in plain terms and show you a sample statement. TouchSuite uses interchange-plus pricing: you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see what goes to the networks and what goes to us.

Am I locked into a contract?

This is one of the most important questions to ask before signing. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, cancel anytime, no fees.

How long does it take to get set up?

It depends on how quickly your paperwork is ready and how long approval takes for your business type. Once approved, most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours. Start the conversation a few weeks before you plan to open so you are not rushing.

Will the system work with the software I already use?

Ask specifically about your accounting, CRM, booking, or online store tools, and whether connecting them adds a monthly charge. TouchSuite's ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee with a TouchSuite merchant account.

Is there a way to reduce or avoid processing costs?

Some businesses use a cash discount program. TouchSuite offers one if you want to eliminate processing cost. Before you decide, check that it fits your customers and confirm any state or local rules that apply to how you display pricing.

What equipment do I need, and how do I get it?

That depends on how you sell: a countertop terminal, a full POS station, handheld devices for tables, or a mobile reader for jobs on the road. Ask what fits your setup rather than buying more than you need. Qualifying TouchSuite merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, with no upfront cost.

Planning to open in Nashville?

Tell us about the business you are starting and how you expect customers to pay. We will walk you through the setup, what to have ready, and how pricing works, so you can make a clear decision before opening day.

An email or a phone number is enough.

Book a call

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