Managing multiple teams with one payment system: solutions for service businesses
Scaling up is never easy. If your service business has gone from a one-person operation to something bigger involving multiple teams, then your payment system needs to move with the times. Read on to discover how the SumUp ecosystem gives you tools that grow with your business and take the pain out of scaling.
When growth leads to chaos
What does it mean to scale up your professional service business? It's something that can look different for every company. Perhaps you're taking on more staff. Maybe you're adding a new location that will lead to more work opportunities. You might be putting a second vehicle on the road, allowing you to expand your food truck or mobile massage service.
Whatever scaling up looks like for you, it can bring a number of challenges. In particular, it can turn taking and managing payments into a major operational headache. If you're used to working on your own, scaling up introduces fresh drama into your business operations. You may find yourself searching for a user-friendly payment system for multiple service teams. How do you simplify payments when you're no longer a one-person show?
The problem with fragmented team payments
When your business scales up, you suddenly have to juggle payments like you've never done before. There are a number of potential issues to look out for, and each brings a new kind of challenge for running your business.
Inconsistencies across devices
First of all: how do you physically take payments? Do you have the same kind of device in each location, or are you using different types? If it's the latter, you may be creating problems. Devices all have their own particularities and idiosyncrasies. Staff may struggle to master multiple types of devices, leading to delays and mistakes.
Shared terminals
After you scale up, you might have multiple team members taking payments on the same terminal. This can cause a huge heap of issues: as you lose track of who's taking each payment, you can potentially run into problems with accountability and transparency. If you don't have a way to track mobile worker payments, you could face serious problems down the line.
Staff handling cash
If you've previously been working as a one-person show, you already have ideas about what to do with cash. Once you take on more staff, you'll have to formalise your cash-handling routines. Team members who don't know exactly what you want them to do are likely to make mistakes. This means you'll need a clear system, and your new workers will require some training.
Lost receipts
When you have to juggle multiple locations, terminals, and devices, it gets harder to stay on top of things. You already know how important it is to keep a paper trail, but that's harder than ever when you scale up. If you're moving things between locations, then paperwork, especially small items like receipts, can easily go missing.
A feeling of losing control
Scaling up means that, as the business owner, you can no longer micromanage everything. That can be good in some ways, but it also causes problems. Specifically, you may not be able to monitor your accounts accurately until the end of the week or even the end of the month. You might not know what's going on or how to nip issues in the bud until it's too late.
All this means that if you want to scale up effectively, you need a good way to simplify multi-location payments. It's important to get on top of this quickly, or small issues could spiral out of control.
Why a centralised payment system matters
Centralised payments for field staff are essential for any business in the process of scaling up. You need one system that takes care of the hard work, minimising the potential for mistakes and problems.
With a centralised payment system, things should be easier for both you and your staff. Look for a system which offers essential tools like:
Real-time tracking of transactions across teams. This means there's no need to wait until the end of the week to keep track of your vital financial information.
Simple reconciliation. Accounting doesn't have to be a headache if your payment system is user-friendly.
Clear cash flow visibility. The faster you can see your cash flow on a regular basis, the faster you can identify problems.
A single dashboard containing all the information you need. For a business owner, having many teams in one dashboard keeps things simple.
A good centralised payment system brings peace of mind for both you and your team members. It's one of the most effective tools you can use to keep problems from springing up and to stop them quickly if they arise.
How SumUp supports multi-team payment coordination
The SumUp ecosystem isn't just for very small businesses. It's built to scale up with you, matching your business needs as your company grows.
You may be using some SumUp tools already, as there are many that are suitable for micro businesses and one-person shows. However, as your business scales, you should look into new tools that can help you. These include:
The Dashboard
The SumUp Dashboard is at the heart of your business. It's a simple, user-friendly interface that shows everything that's happening in your business, even if you've got multiple teams in multiple locations. You can easily monitor accounts and coordinate team payments from one single place.
Staff accounts
If you've got multiple team members using your terminals and devices to take payments, SumUp lets you set up accounts for each of them. That's key when it comes to improving accountability and transparency. As the business owner, you'll always know which of your staff members is responsible for every transaction.
Notifications and receipts
Lost receipts are never a problem when you've got instant, real-time notifications to help out. You'll get instant alerts and confirmations, along with digital receipts, to solve the problems with paper trails.
Portable POS
Businesses on the go need portable solutions for taking payments. SumUp has different options for portable contactless card readers that can travel with you. Alternatively, the Tap to Pay app allows you to accept payments on your phone, which is very handy for growing mobile businesses.
Invoices and payment links
This is a must for scaling professional services. When you've got teams in remote or consultative roles, a good invoice system is worth its weight in gold. SumUp Invoices are simple, user-friendly, and work for the entire team. You can also easily generate secure links to accept payments online.
Real-world examples: how mobile service teams use SumUp
Stacey started her beauty business working alone. As it grew, she took on new nail technicians to help spread the workload. Thanks to her strong business skills and great social media presence, she managed to expand to lead a team of six stylists operating across two different cities.
With so many moving parts, Stacey needs to stay on top of everything. The SumUp Dashboard provided an answer to her concerns. At a glance, she can check her team members' diaries and payments; if any customers want to offer feedback, Stacey can see which stylist they're talking about with just one click. Stacey's team uses Tap to Pay on their phones for simple, seamless payments.
From friction to flow: real stories of scaling with SumUp
Paul's plumbing company has gone from strength to strength in the last few years. Today, he's got a full-on fleet of five vans. Whenever a van heads out on a job, it's equipped with its own SumUp card reader. Paul's team members can take payments in seconds, so there's no need to waste precious time.
As the head of a mobile massage team, Roberto wanted to give his staff members the freedom to work autonomously. He gave each team member their own SumUp account, which connects centrally to a single dashboard. Roberto's staff members can handle their own appointments and don't have to travel to meet him in person to hand in reports; all the data he needs is right there on his SumUp Dashboard.
Additional tips for scaling smart
Still got concerns about scaling up? Make life easy for yourself by following these tips.
Set up signs and use SMS links for quick, hassle-free checkout and contactless tips.
Create shared QR codes for your team. This makes it easier to track team by team.
Keep your devices charged. Set up Tap to Pay on team members' phones as a backup, just in case something goes wrong.
Check your analytics regularly. Scaling up is a time when cracks can show in a business, so you should do plenty of analyses to stay on top of things.
Managing payments across multiple teams doesn't have to be a headache. With SumUp, growing service businesses can stay agile, informed, and in control — no matter how fast they scale.
