Payments and POS for your new auto service shop in Orlando

Repair tickets are larger than most retail sales, customers often approve work by phone, and parts get ordered before the car is done. Here is what to plan for so taking payments in Orlando is the easy part of opening your shop.

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What to get right

Plan for large tickets and how they are priced

A brake job, a transmission repair, or a fleet invoice can be a sizable single charge, so how your processor prices each transaction matters more than it does for a coffee shop. With interchange-plus pricing, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, which makes it easier to see what each repair ticket costs you to process. If you would rather eliminate processing cost altogether, a cash discount program is available. Whatever you choose, ask for the pricing in writing before you sign.

Take payment when the customer is not at the counter

Many of your customers will drop off a vehicle and leave. You will want a way to send an estimate, get approval, and collect payment remotely, whether by keyed-in card, a payment link, or a card on file for repeat and fleet customers. Ask any processor how they handle card-not-present payments, what the customer sees, and how those transactions are recorded so you have a clear trail if a charge is ever questioned.

Connect payments to your shop management software

Your repair orders, estimates, parts, labor, and customer vehicle history likely live in shop management software. Payments that post automatically to the right repair order save you from double entry and end-of-day reconciliation headaches. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee. Before signing with anyone, confirm whether your specific software is supported and how the connection works.

Protect yourself on disputed repairs

Repair work can lead to disagreements about what was authorized or whether a fix held. Signed or recorded approvals on estimates, itemized invoices, and clear warranty terms help you respond if a customer disputes a charge with their card issuer. Set up your POS so authorizations, invoices, and receipts are stored together and easy to pull up later.

How it works

Gather your paperwork. Before you apply, have your business entity documents, your EIN, a business bank account for deposits, and a government-issued ID for each owner. If you are already operating, a recent processing statement helps. Separately, check with the City of Orlando, Orange County, and the State of Florida about local business tax requirements and any registration that applies to auto repair shops, since those depend on your location and setup.
Talk through your shop's setup. Tell us how your shop works: how many bays and service writers, whether customers pay at a counter or by phone, whether you have fleet or commercial accounts, and what shop management software you use. From there we can recommend terminals, a POS setup, and a pricing approach. Qualifying merchants receive free terminals and POS hardware, no upfront cost. If you send your most recent processing statement, we will show you, line by line, what you are paying and beat it, or tell you honestly that we cannot.
Apply and get approved. Submit your merchant account application with the documents above. Approval times vary with how complete the application is, so it is sensible to start a few weeks before your planned opening rather than the week of. Answer any follow-up questions promptly to keep things moving.
Install, test, and start taking payments. Most merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval. Use that window to set up your terminals, connect your shop software, run a few test transactions, and walk your service writers through taking in-person, phone, and link payments before your first customers arrive.

Questions to ask a processor

How exactly will I be charged for each transaction?

Ask for the pricing model by name and in writing. With interchange-plus, you pay the card networks' actual cost plus a fixed margin, so you can see both parts on your statement. Whatever a processor offers, make sure you understand how in-person, keyed-in, and remote payments are each priced, since an auto shop will likely use all three.

Am I locked into a contract?

Ask about term length and what it takes to leave. TouchSuite accounts are month-to-month, and you can cancel anytime with no fees. Read any agreement carefully before signing, wherever you go.

Will this work with my shop management software?

Name your specific software and ask how payments post to repair orders, whether there is an added monthly cost for the connection, and who supports it if something breaks. With a TouchSuite merchant account, our ERP, CRM, and e-commerce integrations are included at no monthly fee, and we can tell you whether your system is supported.

Can I collect payment when the customer is not at the shop?

For an auto service shop this is a must. Ask how you can take payment by phone, through a link, or from a card on file for repeat and fleet customers, and how those payments are documented if a customer later disputes the charge.

Is there a way to reduce or eliminate my processing cost?

Some shops use a cash discount program to eliminate processing cost, and TouchSuite offers one if you want it. Ask any processor how such a program works at the counter and on invoices so your customers see clear, consistent pricing. Also check current state and card network rules that apply to your setup.

How soon after approval can I take cards?

Ask for a realistic timeline from application to first transaction, not just approval. Most TouchSuite merchants are processing within 24 to 48 hours of approval, so the main variable is how quickly your application is complete and approved.

Get payments sorted before your Orlando shop opens

Tell us about your bays, your software, and how your customers like to pay, and we will walk you through a setup that fits. If you are already processing, 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.

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