SURV works with its exclusive partners in the field, which focuses on dual-price programs, surcharge programs, and value-driven payment processing solutions. Surv does not have a direct sales team or bring on direct businesses. If you don’t have a Surv partner, we can find one for you.
SURV is an industry leader with respect to providing training, tools and support to allow its sales partners, merchants, and vendor partners to both grow and build wealth.
SURV is a disruptor in the payments industry by leading through transparency and education.
SURV provides four primary programs that not only provide the ability to accept processing in a competitive environment, but more importantly we look at them from a pricing strategy for a business, which impacts the customer experience, net profit, and both state and card brand rules.
In a time when prices are rising everywhere, businesses do have options in their pricing strategy...
They can raise their prices, like everyone else.
They can implement a dual price program offering customers a choice to pay with a card or with cash.
Learn MoreThey can put in a surcharge program, which is the only program that allows a fee to be added to a transaction based on payment method.
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Modern Price is a pricing strategy that applies a card price and a cash price to all goods and services. It is great for almost all retail models, fast casual hospitality and quick service restaurants. Other business models are also able to implement a modern price strategy, but we recommend looking at the overall customer experience and how it will be impacted, for example, fine dining.
A properly executed Modern Price (dual price) program meets the following requirements:
The business must meet its state guidelines when it comes to communicating consumer pricing.
Clearly communicates that all items and services have both a card and cash price. While not required in all states, the best customer experience provides one where the two prices are clearly displayed. Visa requires that both prices be presented side by side.
Cash price is applied to EBT and like program cards.
Never implies to consumers that a fee is being applied or that a fee is being passed to the customer.
Regardless of the item price, it is all revenue, and sales tax is collected and paid as such.
Technology must be in place to either change the itemized price on the receipt through the point-of-sale system, or a parallel device will collect the difference between the card and cash total, allowing the business to reconcile the sales properly.
Watch this video for some answers to frequently asked questions. If you find that you have more questions, click the button below to download a PDF that contains even more questions that merchants like you sometimes have. If you're still not finding an answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Download pdf
Surcharging is a pricing strategy that applies a card price and a cash price to all goods and services. It is a great for almost all retail models, fast casual hospitality and quick service restaurants. Other business models are also able to implement a modern price strategy, but we recommend looking at the overall customer experience and how it will be impacted, for example, fine dining.
A properly executed surcharge program meets the following requirements:
Adds a specific fee, regardless of description or name, that does not exceed 3%.
The surcharge is never applied to a debit card transaction, regardless of whether a pin number is entered or not.
The account has been registered with Mastercard and the 30-day wait period has been utilized.
Is not applied to HSA cards, FSA cards, EBT cards, or card-branded gift cards.
The payment processor has been notified that the program has been implemented and any other needed parties have also been communicated with.
Be allowed in the state that the business resides in (all but Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, and Oklahoma).
Meets any state requirements that require “pay what you see” pricing regulations, meaning the surcharge needs to be built into any displayed or communicated pricing.
– See PDF below addressing the New York rules.
Technology must be able to recognize what a debit card is being used and not charge the surcharge.
While modern pricing, putting a card price and cash price on all goods and services, is the desired customer experience, it is not doable for all businesses.
Here are some examples:
Card not present business models.
Businesses with deductibles, co-pays and other aspects that are dictated by another party.
Businesses with technology that can not properly communicate or execute on different pricing models based on payment method.
Surcharging is a great pricing strategy for businesses that have systems that cannot run a proper dual-price program. For example, any business, like an auto repair business, that has a management system that produces estimates and final work orders with parts and labor.
Watch this video for some answers to frequently asked questions. If you find that you have more questions, click the button below to download a PDF that contains even more questions that merchants like you sometimes have. If you're still not finding an answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Download pdfCash Discounting is a pricing strategy where the business displays a single price for their goods and services and then offers a discount from that listed price if a customer pays with cash. The business usually needs to raise the prices that are displayed, otherwise, the business will lose net profit if they do not double the amount of cash transactions they currently take. We recommend looking at the overall customer experience and how it will be impacted. Businesses with pricing that have MAP policies may be limited by this program.
A properly executed cash discount program meets the following requirements:
The business must meet their state guidelines when it comes to communicating consumer pricing.
Clearly communicates that all items and services have the card price listed.
Cash price discount is applied to the transaction at checkout.
Never adds a fee and then removes a fee on cash transactions.
Never implies to consumers that a fee is being applied or that a fee is being passed to the customer.
Cash register and point of sale systems have higher pricing programmed in and provide a discount button.
Watch this video for some answers to frequently asked questions. If you find that you have more questions, click the button below to download a PDF that contains even more questions that merchants like you sometimes have. If you're still not finding an answer to your question, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Download pdf
Alternative pricing strategies may not be options for businesses. This is why SURV will always offer traditional processing programs. These programs will be competitive and value-driven. Businesses utilizing these programs will still enjoy industry-leading training, and technology geared toward customer engagement and growth.
