9 Tips for Optimizing Your Field Service Mobile Payment Experience 

Mobile payments are no longer a new technology. Today, they’re an essential service deeply ingrained into consumers’ everyday lives. Already, one in six consumers use their smartphones to make everyday purchases. 

People are also using cash less often. A recent consumer survey found that over half use cash less or not at all for everyday purchases. 

With this shift toward digital and mobile payments, field service businesses have a massive opportunity. Because the business is mobile, on-the-go payments are a big win for you and your clients. 

You can generate and send invoices from anywhere. Customers can pay on-site. Overall, payments are faster and more efficient. And they’re more secure. 

But will offering mobile payments alone really boost customer experience and streamline operations that much? 

The reality is that simply having mobile capabilities isn’t enough. You also need to optimize your field service mobile payment strategy to reap all the benefits this technology offers. This guide will help you do just that. 

RELATED ARTICLE: How Field Service Companies Can Improve Cash Flow with Digital Payments 

Understanding Field Service Mobile Payments

Mobile payment processing allows field service businesses to collect payments in the field. Instead of sending an invoice and waiting for your client to pay online or mail a check, they can pay at the time of service using their credit card, mobile wallet, or app. 

All you need is payment processing software and a card reader. 

If you’re using field service management software with built-in payment processing, you can generate invoices, send them, and accept payments from one app. And everything can happen in the field. 

Here’s how field service mobile payments fit into your technician’s workflow: 

1. Convert a job into a digital invoice. 
2. Send the invoice digitally at the time of service. 
3. The client pays on-site. 

There are a few ways field service techs can accept mobile payments: 

• With a mobile card reader, such as Stripe or Square. Clients can pay by card or their mobile wallet. 
• Through an online payment form. Your client can complete the form on your company’s tablet or smartphone. 
• Through a digital invoice. The client submits the payment using their mobile device. 

RELATED ARTICLE: How to Set Up Card Readers for Technicians in the Field 

The Benefits of Accepting Mobile Payments 

Mobile payments are already important. But they’re likely to become even more foundational in the future. Just look at the expected growth in the mobile payment industry. From 2024 to 2032, the global market is expected to grow at a 28% compound annual growth rate. 

Accepting mobile payments helps your field services business stay ahead of the game. 

Cash is expected to drop from 41% of transactions in 2019 to around 20% of global payments by 2030. At the same time, consumers are embracing more convenient payment methods like digital wallets, apps, and other mobile payment types. In 2024, 39% of Americans will use proximity mobile payments to purchase goods or services. 

With mobile payments, your field service business can meet customer expectations and enjoy other benefits: 

• Faster payments. You don’t have to wait for a check to come in the mail or for a client to stop by your office to pay in cash. They can pay right away before your technician leaves the job. 
• Greater payment flexibility. Your clients have their own preferred ways to pay. With mobile payments, you can give them the options they want, including mobile wallets, payment apps, card payments, and direct deposit. 
• Less time spent managing payments. No more trips to the bank to deposit checks or cash. Payments are deposited directly into your business bank account. 
• More accuracy. All transactions are tracked digitally. That means you’re less likely to make bookkeeping mistakes. 
• Better cash flow. Your business has fewer liabilities because you have fewer unpaid invoices. That also means more cash on hand to pay your business expenses. 
• More time for jobs. With less time spent chasing down payments and tracking transactions manually, your team has more time to provide high-quality services. That can translate into more revenue. 

And if you optimize your mobile payment strategy, you can also gain a competitive edge. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: How Does Mobile Payment Processing Work? 

9 Tips for Optimizing Your Mobile Payment Experience 

The more strategic your business is regarding payments, the more you stand to gain. Here are nine tips to help your field services company deliver a phenomenal mobile payment experience. 

1. Get the Right Card Reader 

A mobile card reader is a portable device that attaches to a smartphone or tablet. It’s usually supplied by your payment processor. This small piece of payment hardware allows your techs to accept payments in the field. 

The reader should have a few features to help you optimize the mobile payment experience: 

• Near-field communication (NFC) technology. NFC allows the reader to accept contactless payments, including contactless credit and debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. 
• The ability to accept chip and swipe payments for clients using cards that aren’t NFC-enabled 
• End-to-end and point-to-point encryption for adequate security 
• Bluetooth connectivity 

2. Integrate Mobile Payments with Your Field Service Management Software 

You’ll want to connect your payment processing software with your field service management system. Integrating will sync your data, ensuring your transaction data is updated in real-time.  

It reduces the need to switch between apps, making payments more secure. This also allows you to do in-depth reporting on the status of your payments and cash flow. 

With a solution like Fusion Pay, your mobile payment technology is already built into the field service app. That means your payment data lives in one system. It also enables you to create digital invoices in one click. Even better, you can collect digital payments in the field with just a few more clicks. 

This ultra-streamlined mobile payment processing means your business spends less time chasing down payments and looking for lost checks. Instead, you have more time to focus on business growth. 

3. Prioritize Payment Security 

Security is a major concern among consumers when trying new payment technologies. 

Give your clients peace of mind and protect your business by prioritizing mobile payment security. 

Use a payment solution that keeps sensitive data out of your hands so your field service business can easily stay PCI compliant and reduce risk. PCI compliance means a business follows certain standards to protect customers’ credit card data. 

Use strong authentication measures. For instance, you can use two-factor authentication to allow access to invoices. 

Monitor your accounts. You can use fraud protection software, and many payment processors have this feature built-in. Still, it’s a good idea to review transaction data to spot any anomalies periodically. If something doesn’t look right, check it out. 

Limit access to sensitive information. Restrict access to customer payment data to only those who need to see it. This can reduce the risk of a data breach caused by human error. 

4. Offer Multiple Mobile Payment Options 

Give your clients different ways to pay. 

Some people prefer to pay with an on-site card. Others will want to pay with their mobile wallet or an app. And some clients will prefer bank-to-bank transfers. 

Be sure to offer several payment options so your clients can use their preferred methods. If you’re unsure what options to provide, look at your past transaction data. You can also gather customer feedback with email surveys. 

As standard, make sure you accept the following types of mobile payments: 

• Credit and debit cards 
• Some type of peer-to-peer payment app, such as Venmo or Paypal 
• Mobile wallets, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay 
• A low-fee option such as ACH bank transfers 

5. Use Automation to Streamline Further 

Automation can help your company take the payment experience to the next level. 

Whether you’re using an all-in-one field service management system or you have separate software for invoicing and payments, the following automation features can help you elevate the mobile payment experience: 

• Automatic payment reminders and confirmations 
• Invoice templates that let you create a professional invoice quickly 
• Auto generation of invoices from completed jobs 

6. Level Up the Client Experience with Data 

Software gives you a wealth of information at your fingertips that can help boost client satisfaction. So, use it. 

You can look at past transaction data to determine how your client prefers to pay. Then, your technician knows what to offer first when accepting payment on-site. 

Look for payment trends. Do most clients use a certain method? Is there any way your technicians could make this method even better for them? 

What about payment methods not being used? Could there be a reason they’re not using a certain method, such as frustration with a step in the process or security concerns? 

The more convenient and secure your mobile payments, the more likely you’ll impress your clients with your payment experience. So, pay attention to your data to see how you can improve things. 

7. Educate Your Clients 

Despite the popularity of cashless payments, some people may not know how they work. So, help your clients get started. 

Offer information about how mobile payments in the field work on your website. You can list the steps or create a video showing how it works. 

Train your technicians to explain the process to new clients. 

Send occasional announcements by email or social media reminding customers how easy it is to pay for your services. Mobile payments can make service appointments less stressful for your clients. So, share this information as a unique selling point. 

8. Save Payment Information for Future Use 

Ask your clients if they want your business to save your payment data for future use. 

This can make future payments even faster. Instead of pulling out a card or filling out an online form, they can approve a payment with one click and move on with their lives. 

9. Use Mobile Payments for Job Deposits 

Mobile payments aren’t only great for completed work. Your field services techs can also collect job deposits in the field. 

This can help you schedule work faster because you’re not waiting for a client payment to get started. That means completing work more quickly, more revenue, and happier clients. 

FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: Why Your Small Business Should Accept Mobile Payments 

Next Steps for Improving Your Mobile Payments Experience 

• Compare mobile card processors. There are a few on the market. Stripe, Square, Clover Go, and PayPal are some of the most well-known. Compare pricing, security, and ease of use. Brand reputation also matters. You want your clients to trust your processor. 
• Evaluate your tech stack. Does your field service management solution have built-in mobile payments? If not, it may be time to switch. Otherwise, you’ll need a payment processing solution you can integrate with your field management tool. 
• Document your on-site payment process. Your technicians will need to be on the same page. Give them training documentation so they know how to deliver a consistent customer experience. 
• Set a date to audit your process. In a few months, reassess your mobile payments. Listen to customer feedback and insights from your techs. Then, look at how to optimize even more!