Fall 2020 PCA Magazine

48 PCA The Magazine | AUTUMN 2020 PREMIUMCIGARS.ORG merchant statement you receive requires deciphering by a mathematician. Then, when you contact your sales agent or customer service rep, it’s nearly impossible to get a straight answer — and that’s if you can even get them on the phone. It is no wonder that the credit card industry has such a negative reputation and creates such frustration with you. So, what do you do? Shopping for a more cost- effective solution is practically hopeless when the industry has made it so difficult to do so that you do not even know the right questions to ask. If the phrases “smoke and mirrors” or “bait and switch” resonate with you when you think of credit card processing, you are not alone. Sadly, the credit card processing industry is aware of these perceptions and has done little if anything to change them. This is by design. You see, the more confused customers are, the more likely they are to believe anything they are told. We are Premium Tobacco Payment Processing (PTP), powered by Nuvo Merchant Services, an affinity partner of the Premium Cigar Association (PCA), and we are pulling back the red curtain and eliminating the smoke and mirrors to give you an understanding of how the credit card industry truly works. Since 2008, Nuvo has built its reputation on honesty, integrity, education, unparalleled customer support and, most importantly, fair and transparent pricing. Unlike other processing companies, we want our customers to understand what they are paying for and why are they paying for it. Education and understanding will eliminate the stress, confusion and anxiety associated with the thought of reviewing your credit card processing operations. P remium T obacco P ayment P rocessing Credit Card Processing: Frustrating? Yes. Does it have to be? No. Is it Really Necessary? Absolutely. PCA AFFINITY PROGRAM AS business owners and managers, we all must deal with painstaking tasks on a daily, monthly or even annual basis to help ensure the success and health of our businesses. One area that seems to cause most operators stress, confusion, anxiety or even anger is the review of their credit and debit card operating expenses. The rates and fees charged by Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express are enough to make your head spin. Add to that the fees charged by your credit card processor to provide service, and the A D V E R T O R I A L