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If you see a customer’s credit card declined, it can be tough to know how to respond. As a business, you work hard to compete for and attract customers, so when they’re ready to seal the deal, and you’re ready to accept credit card payment, it can be frustrating and a bit awkward to have their payment declined.
Unfortunately, the situation of a failed payment is fairly common, but the reasons for seeing a customer’s card declined is often unclear. Shoppers may assume the worst, but sometimes the reason has nothing to do with the customer’s finances.
So, what happens when a transaction is declined?
Declines come in two types: hard and soft.
A hard decline happens when the issuing bank doesn’t approve the credit card payment. This could be due to a maxed-out card, a mistake in the entry, or potential fraud.
A soft decline is when the card-issuing bank approves the purchase amount, but a failure takes place in another part of the transaction. For example, the processor’s system could be down, or the merchant isn’t running the latest version of their point-of-sale (POS) software.
When setting up your store, make sure you have the proper payment security in place to accept credit card and EFTPOS payments. According to the Reserve Bank of Australia, Australians prefer electronic payments. And while this is great for increasing convenience, it also increases the likelihood of having a payment declined when compared to the use of cash.
While there are many reasons transactions can be declined, it helps when retailers have a set way of troubleshooting or remedying the situation to provide the best customer service.
What to say to the customer
Telling a customer their card was declined can be an uncomfortable conversation. The best approach is to be as understanding as possible. Most people have had a card declined at least once in their life, but it can still be embarrassing.
As discreetly as possible, explain to the customer that their bank has declined their card. If they used their card on a mobile POS device, they might see the declined message themselves.
In Square’s POS System, you’ll see one of the following four credit card declined codes when handling declined payment:
- Declined. Card has expired. Please use a different card.
- Declined. Please use a different card.
- Declined. Please have cardholder call issuer before retrying transaction.
- Declined. Please verify the card number, expiration date, CVV, and postcode.
This can give you some insight on next steps.
Check the customer’s information
If it’s a manually entered transaction, the information entered must exactly match the cardholder’s account information that is on file with the issuer. Confirm with the customer that you have the correct billing address and postcode.
If you’re using the Square Point of Sale app and the card numbers turn red on the screen when entered, it’s likely due to a data entry mistake. Verify with the customer that the information entered is valid. It could be that the customer has recently moved and you have the wrong postal code, and a quick fix helps the transaction go through.
Confirm the card is valid
You’ll also want to make sure the card is valid. Sometimes customers forget to replace an expired card with the new one sent to them. If the card is valid and the information is correct, the customer should contact their card-issuing bank for more information.
To remedy the situation quickly, you can also ask the customer if they want to try another form of payment.
Eliminate the potential for fraud
Another reason you’ll see a credit card declined is due to potential misuse. According to the latest information from Australian Payment Network, card issuers lost $464 million in 2019 due to fraud. That puts payment card issuers on high alert.
If the purchase looks suspicious, it’s not uncommon for them to decline the transaction. This often happens when the customer is travelling or attempting a large purchase that is unusual for their established buying habits. In some cases, the customer will receive a text message or phone call from the card issuer to alert them to the potential misuse of their card. In this case, you may be prompted to wait a certain amount of time and rerun the transaction.
Should you try the transaction again?
Sometimes a customer might ask you to try the card again. However, a declined card is a final decision, and swiping it over and over likely won’t remedy the situation.
A better solution is to ask the customer to call their card issuer (typically via a toll-free number found on the back of their card) to look into the potential problem. Then you can attempt the transaction again once it’s been preapproved.
Give your customers credit
Losing a sale can be disappointing, but permanently losing a customer due to faulty handling of the situation is worse. The most important step when a customer card is declined is to stay professional and sympathetic.
Acknowledge that technology can provide challenges at times. This indicates that you assume the problem lies outside the cardholder’s control. When you take steps to relieve the tension, you can make your customer feel valued and respected.
You can learn everything you need to know about accepting payments with our payments 101 guide to make sure you’re prepared for when a credit card is declined.
