Adding That Personal Touch

Among the sea of options for vacationers, it is important to attract new guests. It is equally as important to gain repeat guests or guests who will refer you to a friend or family member. It is no big marketing secret that the best way to grow a business is to nurture the business you currently have.

That is why taking a little extra time outside of your marketing to add a personal touch to your guests stay will go a long way. Here are some tried and true ways successful vacation homeowners have put the finishing touches on their guests stay that went a long way in making their vacation home both enjoyable and memorable.

1.) If you don't already have business cards, pamphlets or brochures take a little extra time and money to get some made. These materials can be left in strategic locations, perhaps with a suggestions/comment card, that will encourage your guests to take them and pass them on to friends or family.

2.) Keeping the lines of communication open for your guests to voice their concerns during the stay is helpful too. This doesn't mean you have to come at their beck and call. Most guests will be happy to have been heard, so make sure they have a number or an email to reach you at and respond in a timely manner.

3.) Go to local restaurants and shops and invite them to offer coupons to your guests to help them save a little money while on vacation. This is essentially free advertising for their establishment that offers a way for them to directly reach their target market. Make sure it is a place that you yourself would enjoy. If you are referring your guests to an establishment you want to make sure it reflects the kind of service you would offer direct if you could.

4.) Make sure the cupboards, fridge and toiletries are stocked. Think of all different scenarios for what your guests may want to cook or clean while staying in your guest home. Perishables they can purchase themselves, but if you can save them the hassle of purchasing every item needed to make a cup of coffee, you have given them more time to spend vacationing and less time running errands.

5.) A gift basket full of various inexpensive snacks or drinks is also a great way to say "we appreciate your stay!"

6.) Keep track of local events, concerts, festivals, etc. so that you can offer your guests plenty of ideas on what to do during their stay. Your booking process could even inquire about hobbies and favorite pastimes so that you could do a quick search for events or attractions relating to their special interests that they may enjoy.

Of course, no matter what you decide to do, adding a personal touch means taking a little extra time out of your day to concern yourself with the needs of others. Ultimately, if you are a considerate and gracious host, you are sure to send the right message to your guests. That message being; "You are valued." And by letting your guests know their business is appreciated you are providing incentive that will more likely lead to a referral or repeat stay.

Phishing Warning for Authorize.Net Users

Attention: One of our clients received the following email from: accounts@authorize.net. Be advised this email has been identified by Authorize.Net as a Phishing email that was in no way authorized by their organization. Also be advised that this is not the first or last attempt they have made to get your sensitive information and Authorize.Net personnel are doing everything in their power to put a stop to this.

Error! Filename not specified.

Your Authorize online service has expired. If your intention is to use Authorize services in the future you need to begin the re-activation process as soon as possible. Failure to verify your information will lead to the permanently suspension of your account.

Log-In to your account and update your information

Regards,

Authorize Accounts Review

"Log-In" is a link that you would click on taking you to a site that is monitoring you as you enter your Login ID and Password. After they obtain this information they are able to use your Authorize.Net merchant interface for whatever purposes they choose to. Please do not be fooled.

The biggest give away that the email is not valid; nowhere do they state, within the context of the email, that they are Authorize.Net. Instead, they refer to your account as your "Authorize online service". There is no official logo signifying that they are Authorize.Net or a Cybersource company. Authorize.Net/Cybersource will identify themselves correctly in every email.

If you ever have any questions regarding an email that appears to be from Authorize.Net feel free to contact Customer Service at; 877-447-3938. They will always be happy to confirm any information that they send directly to you. Or you can reach Faith at eCom Merchant Solutions; 1-888-277-3332 for further assistance.

PCI Compliance and what it means for the Vacation Home Owner

If you're one of the Vacation Home Owners processing credit cards using a merchant account service, then you may have heard about Payment Card Industry-Data Security Standards Compliance or PCI-DSS Compliance; "PCI" or "Compliance" for short. These standards are mandatory and being implemented universally for all merchants.

Initially, PCI Compliance sounds scary and like a lot of work. But, when you break it down and realize what is really being expected of you by the Payment Card Industry, it all sounds very reasonable. And, with the right merchant account service provider, very easy to manage and maintain a status of compliance.

Think about it; There have been huge breaches of credit card information resulting in thousands of people's credit card information being at risk of getting into the wrong hands. With examples like TJ Max or Heartland Payment Systems, it is plain to see the bad guys are finding our vulnerabilities and exploiting them to get the information they want. And with great success! Even the big guys are not impenetrable.

It is your job to make sure your customer's card information is safe. That is why the Payment Card Industry has asked each individual merchant to demonstrate that they handle their customer's card information in a secure manner. They will want to know some of the following;

• Do you shred, delete or incinerate full card information once it is no longer needed?
  
• Do you have firewall protections and secure passwords to prevent hackers from obtaining this information?
• Are you using a secure format, such as a Payment Gateway, that is encrypting card information at all times?
• Are you keeping full card information in a locked and secure environment?
• If you are mailing card information, are you doing this by a secured courier?

If you are one of the vacation home owners sending out contracts that ask your guests to provide credit card information in case of damages, these questions pertain to you. If your receipt's print out full card information, your guests are at risk. If credit card information is unencrypted at any part in the purchasing process you must consider your PCI Compliance.

There are 3 generally accepted ways to maintain your compliance;

1.) If your merchant account service provider offers it, you may take a "Self-Assessment Questionnaire". Taking 10-15 minutes out of your day once a year to confirm you are acting prudently with card holder information. You may even learn more by going through this process, which is the true objective of PCI Compliance. If you are not PCI Compliant the questionnaire is designed to flag reasons why so that you can take the necessary steps.

2.) You can hire a "Scan Vendor" to review your credit card processing regularly to validate your compliance. This option is often costly as these vendors charge hundreds of dollars in annual fees.

3.) Some merchant account providers allow you the option to do nothing to verify your compliance. However, this is not recommended as this method leaves you vulnerable to the possibility of steep fines from the Payment Card Industry that are incurred if and when a breach of credit card information occurs.

When looking to become PCI Compliant in accordance with universal standards being implemented by all card types and card processors within the industry, you need to find someone who is willing to walk you through the process and take the time to explain why it is needed. Look for a service provider that has flexible options for you to register as PCI Compliant. Also, ask if they are offering "Safe Harbor" for those clients who are PCI Compliant. This means, you will not be held liable for hefty fines should a breach occur while you are PCI Compliant.

Finally, make sure the PCI Compliance fees are transparent. Some providers are charging annually, some monthly and some are increasing rates, but they are all charging something for PCI Compliance. Make sure they are up front about it. If they do not offer a Self Assessment Questionnaire and force you to enlist a Scan Vendor in order to process with them, make sure you add this to your cost as if it were a fee direct from your merchant service provider.

In all, becoming PCI Compliant is good for you and your guests. Your merchant account service provider is your partner in helping you navigate the newly implemented security measures. With their help it can be an easy and cost effective way to make sure your guest's sensitive information stays secure.

eCom Merchant Solutions Shows Support For The Special Olympics of Oregon!

From left to right; Silvia Kaelin, Ryan Walters, April Navarro and Kristie Kliese at the Governor's Gold Awards. A charity event for the Special Olympics.
"You look marvelous!" Company President and CEO, Kristie Kliese and Elan Hagens at the Governor's Gold Awards.
April snuggles up to an Oregon Duck at the Governor's Gold Awards.
Ryan Walters and Jennifer Noffsinger show their support for the Beavers!

Special Olympics is a charity that all of us here at eCom Merchant Solutions are proud to show our support for. Every year we attend the Governor's Gold Awards to honor the athletes that, despite the disadvantages they face, overcome them to accomplish great things! This year our Company President and CEO was honored to be selected to take part in helping to organize the event that generated $100,000 + in donations and charity auction items.

The eCom team attended the event to celebrate the Special Olympic athletes and thought we might share some of our pics. We had a blast and want to inspire you to donate to your favorite charity! The generosity of others is always in need and always greatly appreciated!

Put Yourself in Your Guest's Shoes

Every good business owner knows they must put themselves in their customer's shoes and see things from the customer's perspective in order to achieve true success. As a VR home owner this is easier for you than most. After all, it is very easy to be a guest in your own home.

Things to Do and Questions to Ask Yourself

1. Show up unannounced, often: Don't tell the cleaning/maintenance staff you're the next to stay. When it's convenient for you, during a time that has not yet been booked, take the opportunity to enter your home as if you were a paying guest. This is the best way to see if the cleaning is up to par. Also, consider the following;

• Are the amenities adequate?- These are the little extras that make a guest feel special. Don't scrimp. This is where your home can truly shine.
  
• As a paying guest would you feel you got your money's worth?- You may feel your vacation home is priceless because it holds sentimental value for you, but try your best to think like a stranger. Someone who has yet to build memories in your home and for the sake of repeat customers you want those memories to be fond. Making the guest feel they got a great value is a part of that.
  

2. Check out your online listing: You need a listing that shouts "This is Your Home Away From Home! Come Stay Here!", and a picture is worth a thousand words.

• Do your pictures highlight your vacation home's best qualities?- No home is perfect from every angle. Make sure you don't accidentally post a pic from a bad angle. Just like people, angle and lighting can make all the difference.
• Do your pictures show off your home's personality?- Getting a feel for your home's personality is the best way for a guest to know if they will feel comfortable during their stay. If it closely resembles their own personality they will choose you over the rest.
• Do they stand out from the rest and are they good quality pictures?- This includes background color. some colors make your pictures pop while other drown out the content and make it look drab.
  

3. Make sure your check-out process is easy: Run through the booking process to make sure it's user friendly. You do not want your guest to get this far only to get frustrated with a difficult or unaccommodating check-out process and move on to someone else. Make sure you respond to inquires as soon as possible.

• Do you offer the convenience of credit card processing?- In many cases your guest may not have funds available in their bank account or they may want to charge their stay to their credit card for tax record purposes. Also, accepting credit cards speaks to you as a business owner. It means you meet the criteria credit card companies place on businesses to have the opportunity to represent their brand, ie; Visa/MasterCard, Discover, etc.. By accepting credit cards you are offering peace of mind. Credit Card companies offer cardholders recourse should the business they exchanged money with not be law abiding, upstanding businesses.

By going through the process from start to finish you get a feel for what your guests are experiencing. The benefits are astounding! You will reap the rewards of being in the know and will be better able to communicate with your guests to discover and meet their needs. The final result; happy guests who are willing to come back again and again as well as refer you to friends and family.