What Are ACH Payments?
Enabling ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments in SmartMoving via our partner, Remedy Payments, offers a streamlined and secure way to process digital transactions, allowing your business to handle electronic checks (e-checks) effortlessly. By integrating ACH payments, you can give customers the flexibility to make payments directly from their bank accounts, which offers more benefits over credit cards, including more secure and consistent processing of large transactions.
This guide will walk you through the process of setting up ACH payments, using the feature within your system, and understanding how it enhances your integrated payment offerings in SmartMoving.
Why Enable ACH Payments?
Integrating ACH payments provides several benefits:
Cost Efficiency: ACH transactions typically have lower fees compared to credit card payments.
Secure Payments: ACH reduces the risk of fraud by using bank account verification processes.
Seamless Customer Experience: ACH payments can be made just like any other form of payment in SmartMoving, making the process frictionless and easy for you to manage.
Setting Up ACH Payments
If you are interested in enabling ACH payments in SmartMoving, contact our partner Remedy Payments.
Phone: 714.461.2200
Email: [email protected]
Remedy will handle the initial process and communicate all necessary information with your SmartMoving Customer Success representative, who will get you setup in SmartMoving.
How to Take an ACH Payment
Once ACH is set up, you can begin accepting payments through multiple workflows. Here’s how to do it from both the web app and the invoice portal.
Note: ACH payments are not currently available for deposits.
Method 1: Using ACH Payments in the Web App
Open an opportunity and click the Payment button.
Select Take Payment.
A new ACH card will appear on the screen.
ACH payment options now display as cards rather than drop-down lists, making them more visible.
Click on the ACH card to proceed.
Read the customer authorization script provided by Remedy, which appears in-app and is also provided here. This script complies with legal requirements unique for authorizing over-the-phone transactions for ACH payments. It is recommended that you record these calls for auditing purposes.
Script: “[Full Name], by providing your bank account information and verbal authorization today, [DD/MM/YYYY], you [Full Name] are authorizing [Company Name] to create an ACH debit to your account and that this Check by Phone may be drafted from your account as early as today. In the event your Check by Phone is returned from your bank unpaid, you further agree that a fee of $25.00 or as allowable by law shall also be charged to your account via draft or ACH debit. Do you authorize [Company Name] to proceed with this Check by Phone?”
Ask the customer to confirm their authorization for the ACH payment, then select Yes.
Enter the payment amount and click Next.
Collect the customer's Routing Number, Account Number, and Account Type (usually checking).
Confirm the payment.
Method 2: Taking Payments via the Pay Your Invoice Portal
Customers can also pay via the Pay Your Invoice portal. Here's how it works:
The customer accesses the Pay Your Invoice link.
A one-time passcode (OTP) will be required (delivered via text or email) to verify the customer’s identity.
The passcode is sent to the contact information on file (email or phone number) within the SmartMoving estimate.
Once the customer verifies their identity, they will click Make a Payment and will choose the ACH payment option.
4. The customer enters their payment details, including the account holder name, routing number, account number, and their bank account type.
5. They confirm the payment.
Method 3: Paying Storage Fees with ACH
Customers can also use ACH to pay for one-time storage fees. The process is identical to paying for other services:
Log in to the Pay Your Invoice portal using the one-time passcode.
Choose between Credit Card or ACH as the payment method.
Enter the required bank details and confirm the payment.
Method 4: Using ACH Payments in the Crew App
While the Crew App does not allow crew members to directly enter bank details, they can still facilitate ACH payments:
The crew selects ACH as the payment option in the Crew App.
Once the ACH payment type has been selected, hit the Send ACH Request button.
A link is sent to the customer via email or SMS message, guiding them to the Pay Your Invoice portal.
The customer enters their account and routing numbers in the portal. The Crew App will display a loading icon while awaiting confirmation of the payment.
Once the payment is complete, the crew can proceed with closing out the job.
New Functionality for OTP and ACH Payments in the Customer Portal
We’ve introduced a new feature for ACH payments and One-Time Passcodes (OTP) that allows you to designate a specific contact as the "Customer Portal Payer" within the Customer Portal.
When a customer has ACH enabled in their SmartMoving account, you will be able to designate them as a "Customer Portal Payer" by doing the following:
Accessing their contact information through the edit feature or pencil icon
Clicking the Mark as Customer Portal Payer
Saving the changes.
When a contact is marked as the Customer Portal Payer, you will see a tag indicating this status when sending an invoice. This tag helps you identify the designated payer quickly.
On the "Verify Identity" page, the contact information associated with the Customer Portal Payer will be displayed, showing where the audit trail is sent. This ensures that the correct party is verified during the payment process.
This update enhances the efficiency and clarity of the payment workflow within the customer portal.
Deposits via ACH Payments
With our latest release, customers can now pay deposits via ACH! This enhancement provides a convenient, secure way to collect deposit payments directly from customer bank accounts. To ensure added security, One-Time Passcodes (OTPs) are required for any customers choosing to pay their deposits through ACH.
When processing an ACH deposit:
Customers will need to enter their bank account details.
A One-Time Passcode will be sent to the customer for verification.
Once the passcode is verified, the deposit will be processed securely.
This feature helps streamline payment collection while maintaining robust security for your customers.
Legal Considerations for ACH Payments
It’s important to follow legal protocols when collecting ACH payments, especially during phone transactions. Use the provided script to ensure you are in compliance with laws and regulations governing e-checks. This protects your business and ensures that the customer’s payment authorization is properly documented.
Conclusion
Integrating ACH payments into your system opens up new possibilities for secure, cost-effective transactions. Whether processing payments over the phone, through the Pay Your Invoice portal, or via the Crew App, ACH provides a reliable and efficient alternative to credit cards.