How secure is the Business Balance System?

In addition to 2FA (two-factor authentication), SSL, and data encryption, the system is running on load balanced setup with failover mechanism in place.

What do I need to start accepting payments?

We support payments through Stripe only. There is no cost to setup a Stripe account.

What happens when people buy through Business Balance System, and when does the money show up in my account?

Your money is yours. We never touch your money. Ever. When you start processing live payments from your customers with Stripe, you won’t receive your first payout until 7–14 days after receiving your first successful payment. The first payout usually takes a little longer in order to establish the Stripe account. Processing subsequent payouts typically happen within two business days.

Can I use Business Balance System to sell physical products like books?

Yes, though to be fair, it's not what Business Balance System is designed for. There are two things making it a bit cumbersome: One is that Business Balance System doesn't include logic to calculate the shipping cost, so it has to be included in the price. The other is that Business Balance System doesn't have a shopping cart, so there's no good way for customers to buy two copies of your book.

How do I move my current newsletter subscribers over from AWeber / Mailchimp / my current email provider?

It’s super easy. Just export/download your current subscriber's list from your old system to a CSV file. Then go to your list (or create a new one) in Business Balance System, click "Import subscribers," upload the CSV file, tell us what's the name, what's the email, and so on, and click import. Now your list is in Business Balance System. No need to opt-in again, as long as you verify that the subscribers have all asked to hear from you. And if you need any help with this process, we provide one-on-one assistance.

Can I run more than one business from one Business Balance System account?

Yes, you can. Your account will have one name, though, so make sure to pick something you're okay with everyone seeing. Your name is often a good choice. Also, the invoice numbering will be in one sequence, and the branding, such as colors and logos, are going to be the same across the account. If all of those constraints are okay with you, then you're good to go.

However, if you’d like to add a second account, you can do that at a 50% savings.

Is there an additional cost for extra contacts?

No. You get unlimited contacts at no extra cost.

What day of the month do you charge?

To keep it simple, we bill every 30 days. That way there are no complicated rules for what happens when you buy on the 31st of the month. That means the day of month you're being charged will change slightly from month to month, except for months that have exactly 30 days.

VOIP Phone & Text Messaging

How much does the VOIP phone cost?

When you signup as a client with Business Balance System, we give you a credit of $10 to get started with using the phone and texting features. After this credit is used, you will be responsible for the phone costs on a pay-as-you-go model. The phone costs $1 per month per line plus your usage costs.

Most Business Balance System clients use two-way texting for meeting reminders and notifications. The average monthly cost is $1.50 to $5, which is 66 to 300 texts per month. This is a reference point and may not represent your usage and costs.

Below is a list of the other common features available with the Business Balance VOIP Phone system.

• SMS - both sending/receiving

• Calls - sending / receiving

• Phone number monthly charges

• Conference, campaign, warm/cold transfers on calls

• Voicemail drops

• Twilio caller ID lookup

• Call recording

• Phone number validation

How are text messages counted?

Both the outbound and inbound messages are counted towards your usage. Any unused messages are turned into rollovers at the renewal of your billing period.

Note: Not all message types are equal in terms of message deduction. Features such as extended length messaging and picture messaging will use more texts from your allotment.

What counts as a text message?

You can send messages up to 960 characters in length however, it's good to know that every 160 characters is counted as 1 text message. A standard SMS (text message) within the US is considered 160 characters or less. This only includes alphanumeric characters and symbols. This means if you send a message that is 161 characters, it will be counted as 2 messages per person. If you send a message that is 470 characters, it will count as 3 messages per person.

What is the difference between a SMS and MMS text message?

It is important to understand the complete and full difference between an SMS messages and an MMS message. SMS text messages are simply messages containing only alpha-numeric characters and symbols, usually containing up to 160 total characters. This may include links, phone numbers, email addresses, and regular wording.

What types of files may I text in an MMS message?

Supported file types for your pictures are: JPEG, PNG, and GIF.

How MMS messages counted towards my texting costs?

An MMS, or a picture message, is different in that you are now sending out a multimedia message. MMS messaging boosts your total character count from the standard 160 to 1,600.

MMS costs are higher than that of their SMS counterpart. An MMS message is simply just a text which includes a rich graphic, such as JPEG, PNG, or GIF. MMS messaging tends to see higher open rates and redemptions than a standard SMS message.

The costs associated with MMS tend to be higher as an industry "rule." The short and long as to why is simply because the carriers such as Verizon, AT&T, etc. charge more to mass send out MMS picture messages. Your cost will vary between 3-5 times the number of text messages that a single text would use. This is regardless of whether or not any characters are placed into the message.