Matthew Focht, president and founder of Tru, a consulting firm specializing in payment processing, says online payment processing services can improve efficiency and security while saving money. Here’s how:

• Save money The most common method to process credit/debit cards and checks remains a phone line hooked directly to a terminal. Yet many jewelers find that a simple online method to process these payments not only saves money on processing fees but also eliminates a dedicated phone line that might cost $500 a year or more.

• Improve efficiency By processing payments via the Internet, you can speed up transaction times, pull reports from every store and every employee, and print just about any kind of report from any computer in the world. This makes tracking transactions a cinch and eliminates the need to have employees print, fax, and file reports.

• Increase security With certain online systems, jewelers can assign employees their own user names and passwords. Jewelers also can control who is allowed to issue returns. This eliminates employee keying errors and prevents theft from unauthorized returns.

• Take the tip JA members can get attractive rates on services offered by Tru, including credit/debit card processing, check conversion/guarantee, and custom gift cards. Members also can get a free copy of iTerminal, Tru’s online processing method, which offers the benefits mentioned above.