Total Merchant Services has appointed payments industry leader Joe Kaplan as its new CEO. Kaplan brings with him more than 20 years of experience in leading large merchant account acquiring organizations as well as experience in sales and marketing, operations, finance, and technology.

Kaplan began his career in 1994 when he founded Superior Bankcard Service.  In less than a year, SBS became the 12^th largest non-bank acquirer in the U.S. Kaplan eventually sold SBS for over $100 million, and, in 1999, founded his second company, Innovative Merchant Solutions. Four years later, Innovative merged with another company, and Kaplan sold his merchant services provider company for $116.

According to Ed Freeman, Chairman and Founder of Total Merchant Services, Kaplan was the perfect fit for the job. In a press release announcing the appointment, Freedman said, “We are all really excited to be working with Joe and trust his leadership and vision of where we need to go, and how we will get there.”

Kaplan was also eager to step up to the plate. “I’m looking forward to my new role in leading Total Merchant Services through its transformation from a sales and service organization, to a next generation, payment processing company, offering innovative payment processing solutions to merchants that will be the envy of the entire industry,” he said.

Kaplan added that he has admired TMS’s approach to the marketplace. According to Kaplan, TMS has been proactive and is leading the way in the industry. He said that the company is always evolving and is expected to “grow dramatically in the coming years.”

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to lead this well-respected, successful company,” said Kaplan.

Total Merchant Services is a Colorado-based ISO that provides affordable payment solutions for merchants who accept credit cards for their goods and services.

If your business is an entirely online enterprise, then you know that the ability to accept credit cards represents much more than just another important feature for your business — it’s your lifeline and what keeps your cash flow circulating in a most desirous direction. Despite the all-too-easy-to-see potential of credit card processing, certain businesses, operating both offline and on, have been known to develop the misconstrued notion that operations will continue working without setting up a much-needed online business merchant account.

If your business is without this service, and your vision is one of growth, now is probably the best time to delve into the pre-contractual inquiry of what you want from a merchant services provider and what said entity can realistically provide you with. Important factors to consider are fees that bringing the services aboard will originate. The fees are not something to fear, but they are something to understand and grasp with a good dollop of deliberation.

An account setup typically requires the ordering and organizing of hardware and some software that may be in need of programming. All this work will more than likely be covered by your initial setup fee. An example of the hardware you get is a merchant credit card terminal. When mulling over the fees, remember that credit card payments streamline the purchasing process for customers, and when shopping is easy they’re more likely to indulge in it. Needless to say, this is all very well and good for your business. When you’re ready, go to a trusted merchant account services provider, like yours truly, where safeguarding you and your clients’ transactions are a top priority.

Can your business survive without the ability to accept credit cards? While you might “get by” today, unfortunately, the future doesn’t look so bright for small businesses that don’t accept credit cards.

Consumers today are using credit cards more than ever before. And while plastic seems to be the way of the present, it just might be the way of the future. Market research predicts that credit card use is not only growing, but will become the payment of choice for consumers in the future both in the real world and online. According to recent data from Javelin Strategy & Research, online credit card use will increase a whopping 63 percent from 2011 to 2016, compared to a 2 percent increase in debit card use.

Plastic is dominating the shopping industry, both in the real world and online. Consumers prefer using credit cards because they rather not carry cash, they can gain loyalty points, they can purchase large ticket items (such as electronics and home appliances) and they can keep more money in the bank.

This means that merchants who want to survive in the business environment of the future will need to have the ability to process credit cards online, and in their stores.   However, selecting a merchant account provider is not easy. This is why Total Merchant Services is dedicated to providing merchants with the lowest rates in the industry. Speak to a representative about our customizable payment solutions. We can help you find the best merchant credit card terminal for your type of business.

The ability to accept credit cards is vital for merchants and small businesses. Consumers simply love using plastic to purchase all types of goods and services. After all, by using their credit cards, consumers don’t have to carry cash, they can make large ticket purchases, and they can float more money in their bank accounts. For all of these reasons, and many others, credit card purchase volume is expanding.

In order to thrive in today’s business environment, small business owners will need to understand that plastic isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Numbers across the board are pointing to a major increase in purchases made with credit cards. First Data reports that credit card use increased 8.2 percent in the first quarter of 2011, 9 percent in the second, and 10.6 percent in the third quarter.

Plastic is also the payment form of choice for holiday shoppers this year.  CNN Money reports that payments made with credit cards on Black Friday rose 7.4 percent from the same day last year, while debit card purchases only increased 3.4 percent.

Without a proper credit card processing service, merchants and entrepreneurs forfeit consumer impulse purchases when they don’t accept credit cards. If you don’t want to forfeit sales, we recommend contacting Total Merchant Service, the leading merchant account service provider in the industry. We will get you started with a new merchant account so you can begin to accept credit cards as soon as possible. The holidays aren’t over yet, so give us a call to open a merchant account today.

If you want the ability to process credit cards online, you need the assistance of a competent and fully appointed merchant services provider. Having the professional equipment and troubleshooting support they administer is more than mandatory to be truly effective in today’s business world. Times are tough for everyone, but preparation and foresight can do much to mitigate the forces and factors that are beyond your control. Finding the correct provider to give you the real keys of contemporary enterprise is not as hard as it looks.

To start, it’s important to round up the facts and figures and come to a decision without too much hesitation or trepidation. Going for long periods of time without the ability to accept credit cards can prove exceptionally costly in terms of lost revenue and client rapport and recognition. The technology offered by merchant providers is not by any definition a trendy bandwagon to get on — it is the way of the present and future. With the wide assortment of resources offered by a company like Total Merchant Services, it’s not necessary, nor recommendable, to go without a merchant credit card terminal any longer. You don’t have to take our word for it, of course. Simply talk to your business peers or peer into the latest printing or online publication of the business section.