Payments should be simple. Customer pays, you get the money, job done. But if you’ve run a business for more than five minutes, you’ll know it never goes that smoothly. Whether it’s tech being annoying, customers disappearing, or fees that make no sense, there’s always something. Here are five common problems that crop up and what you can actually do to handle them.
Card machines dying when you’re busy
There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a rush, people queuing, and suddenly your card reader decides to stop working. Happens all the time. The WiFi drops. The battery dies. The machine freezes. Whatever the reason, it slows everything down and stresses everyone out. If you’re in food service, don’t cheap out on your tech. A proper restaurant POS system is built to handle busy service, dodgy signals, and all the chaos that comes with it. It’s worth spending the money to avoid looking like you’ve got no clue what you’re doing when things get busy. Also, always have a backup. A spare reader, the ability to take payments online, something. Don’t wait until you’re in the middle of a mess to realise you’ve got nothing.
Cards getting declined
It happens. A card gets declined and the customer either looks at you like it’s your fault or says, “that’s weird, it should work” and then disappears. It’s awkward for everyone. Sometimes it’s just a limit. Sometimes they’ve blocked it accidentally. Sometimes they’re trying their luck. The main thing is not to panic. If you’ve got other payment options like Apple Pay, bank transfer, or even a link you can send, they’ll usually sort it out. If not, make it clear they can come back and pay later, but set a proper deadline. Don’t leave it open-ended or you’ll never hear from them again.
Invoices that don’t get paid
You send the invoice. You wait. Nothing. This is probably the most common and most annoying payment issue. You’ve done the work, now you’re chasing your own money. Feels wrong, but here we are. Set clear payment terms up front. Be blunt about it. “Payment due in 7 days. Late fees apply.” You don’t need to sound scary, just firm. And follow up the second it’s overdue. No waiting around hoping they’ll remember. They won’t.
Sneaky fees
A lot of payment processors look good on the surface. Low fees, easy setup. But then you check your statements and realise you’re getting stung with weird charges you didn’t know about. Fees for contactless. Fees for refunds. Even fees for not selling enough. Compare your options. Don’t just go with the first one that looks easy. And once you’re signed up, keep an eye on it. If you notice money slipping through the cracks, switch. There’s no loyalty in this game.
Chargebacks
You’ll get one eventually. A chargeback where the customer says they didn’t make the purchase, even though they 100% did. And now you’re down the money and stuck proving it. Save everything. Receipts, email threads, screenshots. If it’s a service, get confirmation in writing that it was delivered. If it’s a product, get tracking. You might still lose the case, but at least you’ve got a shot.
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