I get calls daily as well as some negative Facebook with people thinking I am charging $10 when the sign says $2 for vacuums or $10 when they get the $6 wash. When I explain it to them most of them understand. Well today after four calls it got me to thinking why not change the name of my car wash to Pre-auth Car Wash. I contacted cryptopay and they're going to have Worldpay change all three of my sites to say that. I know the final charge will say Pre-auth Car Wash but most people look initially and I don't think they will care after the fact. I will let everyone know if it helps at all.
Cryptopay pre auth possible solution
- Thread starter APW
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I.B. Washincars
Car Washer Emeritus
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I like it. Another idea that someone brought up a while back was to just pre-authorize your start-up price, but set your max price at whatever. Face it, if they have 2-3 bucks in their account, they have 10. On the one in a hundred that don't, it would be worth it to lose that one sale to eliminate all the calls (not to mention the ones that are pissed, but don't call). Also, the max should be some random amount, like $12.46 or whatever, so it blends in with their other transactions and may not be noticed.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
I have weekly calls on this $10 pre auth charge on $2 vacs. Is there any way we could just do away with the pre autherize charges all together. Like this is such a issue I am thinking about NOT adding credit cards to one of my sites for this exact complaint. Is Nayax a better solution on this? Or is this a WorldPay problem?
copperglobe
Active member
WashGear used to have a different way of pre-authorizations- they didn't preauthorize. Every card worked up to $10 then when the customer was done that amount was sent along. Customer was charged immediately what was used and that's the amount they saw immediately on their phones or statements. Never got a phone call. If a card, after being used, was declined then the software would not allow that card to be used again at the wash. The software would attempt to "clear" the declined charge over and over again until it cleared. Once it cleared the card was taken off the "do not approve" list and the customer could use it again. I remember looking at the list of "do not approve" cards and it was less than 50- and that was after several years. WashGear then upgraded their system and got rid of that service and now we get the calls as we do with Cryptopay at other washes.
tdlconceptsllc
Well-known member
Our town that's awsome do I just call cryptopay or worldpay I wonder
Greg Pack
Wash Weenie
Just call cryptopay, as a matter of fact just send them a message on their site and they'll do it. Mine are all set to 3.00
OurTown
Well-known member
Crytopay but keep in mind that you are risking every dollar they spend over the pre auth. For example someone may have a very small amount of money in their account but is authorized to start your bay. Then the system never checks their account again until the two hours is up and so they can literally spend as much as time will allow. For us it has not been a problem and most likely it is because their bank will fund the transaction. (plus most people have a decent amount in their account in the first place) The real risk are those reloadable gift cards because there is not a bank to fund the charge if it is over the pre auth. They concern me and I wish there was a way to prevent those from being used but Cryptopay says they can't block them.
BubblesIllinois
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I've been wondering this too. Seems like the issue and negative vibes disappear in return for the occasional customer that gets a free one. If someone doesn't have $20 to their name, I doubt a car wash is where they intend to spend their last dollars.
slash007
Well-known member
You would be surprised. I also get many complaints that the wash didn't turn on, then find out they didn't have $15 in their accounts. They think the wash is $3 and they have that much on the card and the wash will shut off after $3. Even people with money in their accounts dont' read and some of them think the wash will shut off after $3. I too get tons of calls, so I finally added a message in the voicemail that says if you are calling about a $15.25 charge, it's just a preauth. I usually answer every phone call, but since so many are about this, I just send many to voicemail now and call right back if they leave a message otherwise. Keep in mind if they wash $10 worth and only have $3 on the card, I would imagine it would become a habit.
soonermajic
Well-known member
How can you tell if that is happening ($10 wash, but only have $3 on their card).?
slash007
Well-known member
You can't. That's why I stuck with the preauth. I only know it happens because people will call complaining that the wash didn't start, or it started and shut down right after. When I tell them it checks to see if the card has $15.25, I get answers like "oh, I only have $4 on that card".
I think you can change the pre auth to what ever the max charge is.
slash007
Well-known member
You can. I set my preauth at $15.25 and max at $15. That way I know when it's a preauth.
OurTown
Well-known member
You can tell. Look at the difference between what Cryptopay said your sales were for the day and what has been deposited into your bank account. After looking at ours there is a discrepancy on some days and I need to go look at what it was before we dropped the pre auth down. The way you have it set up you can't lose but will probably have the most amount of phone calls or bad reviews.
soonermajic
Well-known member
That's 3 different washes.