Checks cost your club money. It’s a simple fact. While the actual amount might be disputed and vary from club to club, somewhere in between $1.22 and $8 per payment all told is a conservative figure.
And what are you getting for that extra expense? Lost time on top of fewer dollars to your bottom line, and 90 days later it’s shredded into a landfill. Check out these resources for validation:
- A survey by NACHA revealed that accepting paper checks adds an additional $1.50 in actual processing costs compared to digital payment methods, plus $8 per check in hidden costs.
- The Bank of America Bank estimates that a check can cost you anywhere from $4 to $20.
Digital is the Answer – And the Future
Digital payment methods save time, costs, and are easier for everyone involved, including members. As a payment facilitator, Clubessential provides one trusted partner to handle all of your club’s payment needs from start to finish. That means one service and support partner, funding within two days, consolidated settlement reporting, and a simplified reconciliation process. With conventional checks, you don’t know when or if you’ll be paid until the check arrives. With digital payments, you know immediately when a payment is made - no more waiting for a check that’s “in the mail." And you can get your money in just a few days, which significantly improves cash flow.
For your members, they can complete their transactions in just seconds, or set up an autopay schedule and never worry about forgetting a payment or searching for their checkbook. Digital payments are a convenience the next generations will assume and expect as an option.
What Nay-sayers Say
The next generation is already on board with digital payment options and doesn't need to change its mindset. For others, change takes time. But as we’ve seen with everything from cellphones to social media, common sense, convenience, and ease will prevail. Here are some common arguments we hear about moving to digital payments.
1. Our members prefer using checks. They won’t use digital payments.
We’ve found that when businesses make digital payments available, their customers flock to the online option. Paying online is easier for your customers and actually saves them time (and money). Paying can be as simple for your customer as paying by credit card, but costs you much less. And when you set up an autopay option, your customer can “set and forget” an automatic payment every month, so you always get paid on time.
2. Our members aren’t tech-savvy and will be confused.
Don’t underestimate the pervasiveness of technology. More than likely these same members you fear will be intimidated by technology are making online reservations for their next trip, banking online, and on a video call with family members across the country. They’ll be able to navigate a couple of clearly marked simple drop-down menus and data entry points.
3. We don’t want to ask our members to do anything that might be an inconvenience.
This argument makes the least sense. Instead of taking a couple of minutes (at the most) of your member’s time once, you’d rather waste hours of their time for the next couple of years? And your time and that of your staff? It’s time they’ll want back when they inevitably switch to digital because that’s the way the industry is headed.
4. Our members are worried about security
It’s true: everyone should be worried about security. That said, the more touchpoints and hands in the mix of the payment process, the less secure it is. Clubessential payments as a single source payment facilitator dramatically limit the opportunities for bad actors to work their way into the transfer of funds, utilizing the latest updates and most current security options available.
Getting Started
Learn more about the advantages of CE Payments and how they can benefit your club. We're ready with a full set of resources to help you and your members make the transition to modern secure digital payments.