Top payment methods for your clinic vet bills: cash, card or app?

Veterinary clinics across the country are discovering a better way to take payments from customers – now with no fees

With COVID-19 restrictions, you need to limit the time customers spend in the clinic. You need to find contactless and remote ways of working. And you need to do it without sacrificing income.

So when it comes to taking payments, you need a solution that’s quick and easy for both you and your customers. Here at PetsApp, we’ve just reached £1m worth of payments taken through our platform. And to celebrate, we’re waiving all transaction fees for the rest of the year.

Of course, in-app payments aren’t your only way of billing customers. In this post, we’re exploring some of the different options you might consider.

Cash

Simple and universal. But there are lots of downsides too: having the right change, paying in the takings, figuring out safe and contact-free handling. Cash won’t be going away just yet, but there are definitely better options out there for most clinics.

Traditional card machine

You’ll already have one in your clinic so you know the ins and outs. But when you’re trying to limit in-person contact, the card terminal isn’t an ideal solution. Customers either have to be at your desk or call in with their details. Payments over the phone take up valuable time too – and you’ll have to get hold of people in the first place.

App-connected card readers

Square, iZettle, SuMup – these machines are useful for small vendors at markets or other remote locations, but you’ll pay a premium for the convenience (for example, Square is currently 1.75%). There are lots of options available, and some connect to other platforms like PayPal or Apple Pay. But for most clinics, they don’t offer much over a standard card terminal.

PetsApp integrated payments

We might be biased, but we think our own payment system is an ideal solution for many clinics – especially during the pandemic. With remote appointments and contactless drop-off being the new normal, app-based payment is a natural solution. And because it’s integrated into PetsApp, there’s no steep learning curve – you and your customers will both benefit.

‘I really like that I can pay via Apple Pay at the touch of a button’

Apple store customer review

Our payment system uses Stripe, which securely handles transactions for millions of businesses across the world. Your customers can pay by credit or debit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Fees are slightly higher than a bank’s card terminal (1.4% + 20p per payment), but hopefully you’ll find the convenience far outweighs the increase in costs. Besides, we’re waiving those fees until 31st December 2020!

Convenience, efficiency and safety in one neat package

Clinics and their customers really appreciate the ease of paying for treatments and medicines from within the app. Jordanne Turley, Marketing & Referrals Manager at Lime Trees Vets says, ‘a great feature of the app is being able to take payments which makes a seamless transition between the vet/nurse talking to the client and then paying for any treatment.’

Clinics are as busy as ever. But you need to balance that with social distancing rules and safety measures for your staff. PetsApp payments lets you do that – and gives a great customer experience at the same time. If you haven’t already tried in-app payments, give it a go. You’ll automatically benefit from no fees until 31st December 2020.