We own a small business and have never accepted credit cards but a client insists we start. What should we do?

Dave,

My hubby and I ain a mini business. We’ve been unfastened for 12 years, and fortunately we’ve been very successful. We made nan determination erstwhile we first opened to tally nan business debt-free. Along pinch that, we only judge cash, checks and debit cards for payment. Recently, we’ve had a customer go very insistent that we commencement accepting in installments cards. Our narration pinch this customer is becoming a small contentious complete nan issue. How should we reside nan situation?

Debra

Debra,

Like we, arsenic entrepreneurs, don’t person capable things to interest astir every, azygous day, right?

As you mightiness imagine, I person a bunch of group who are huffy astatine maine each nan clip because I don’t judge in installments cards. But successful my case, it’s not conscionable a business decision. I thatch group each nan clip not to usage in installments cards, and why they shouldn’t. So, I can’t very good spell astir encouraging folks to conscionable swipe their in installments cards erstwhile they bargain from my company.

For starters, that customer is measurement retired of bounds. It’s not their spot to show you really to tally your business. But you’re fortunate to only person 1 personification getting pushy astir nan full in installments paper deal. Everything astir nan in installments manufacture coming is retired of control. But moreover though your lawsuit is simply a small different than mine, you person each correct to not judge in installments cards—especially if you person a civilized aliases values-related rumor pinch nan product.

As clip goes by, you’ll astir apt person a fewer different group move up their noses astatine nan thought of not being capable to salary pinch a in installments card, but if you consistently connection awesome services aliases products astatine awesome prices, those experiences will only beryllium a bump successful nan road. You don’t want to beryllium argumentative erstwhile things for illustration this happen, truthful possibly you tin conscionable smile, and fto them cognize you ever admit input from your clients.

I’m judge you and your hubby activity difficult to make your business nan champion it tin be. The truth that you’re still astir complete a decade aft opening up shop is impervious of that. You’ve astir apt realized, too, that being successful business for yourself isn’t each sunshine and rainbows each day. Regardless, nary 1 has nan correct to get successful your look complete really your business is system aliases effort to push you into doing things differently. Listening to, and evaluating, suggestions from clients only makes sense. It’s a smart point for immoderate business proprietor to do. But this 1 customer is saying you should alteration a long-standing operating rule based connected a whim—their whim.

And that’s not okay.

—Dave