BEFORE YOU GO, WATCH YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS
Transcription
BEFORE YOU GO, WATCH YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS
THE WEST BOUND INSIDER ›› FALL 2013 PH. 713-554-7615 ›› WWW.WESTBOUNDBANK.COM BEFORE YOU GO, WATCH YOUR FACEBOOK POSTS o Packed. o Airline tickets. o Facebook post to family and friends. S canning social media sites such as Facebook for status updates is a growing trend for burglars to identify easy homes to target, a recent Australian study reported.* If you’re preparing to depart on a vacation, be careful not to give clues that you’ll be away from home in Facebook posts. You may think only your family and friends are viewing your online comments, but clever thieves may be following your activities too. Sites that show photos of houses, such as Google Street View, are also used by burglars to scope out security features and ease of access. SAFEGUARD YOUR HOME The good news is that there are things you can do to protect your home before you travel this summer. Here is a checklist: Resist posting status updates. Never give out your location or information regarding your travel plans and dates on Facebook or Twitter. Arrange for lawn care. If you’re going to be gone for more than a week, hire a service or friend to mow your lawn. Set timers on interior and exterior lights. This makes it look like someone is coming and going from your home. Lock all doors and windows. It’s easy to overlook a window or two so check everything before you leave and don’t forget the garage door. Alert your alarm company. If you have an automatic security system, let the company know when you’ll be away and make sure the alarm is set properly. Stop newspaper and mail delivery. Or ask a trusted neighbor to pick up those items for you while you’re gone. Don’t hide any keys outside your home. Thieves know all the tricks so don’t help them by leaving a key behind. * S ource: Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia, www.ecu.edu.au, Dec. 9, 2012. ›› FALL 2013 Mobile alerts MONITOR YOUR FINANCES AUTOMATICALLY www.westboundbank.com I f you lead a busy, on-the-go lifestyle, you may think it’s tough to find time to stay on top of your finances. Westbound Bank makes it easy! We’re in tune with the daily challenges you face, so we know you need banking at the speed of life. That’s why we introduced mobile alerts. You can set up alerts so you will receive automatic notifications on your mobile device that help you track your finances. Get the information you need anytime, anywhere. You can be notified when your balance climbs above or drops below an amount you specify, when a transaction is posted to your account and in a variety of other situations. Or just check to see what your balance is every day. You’ll receive the account information you care about as a push notification on your mobile device. Mobile alerts can help you save money on late fees or overdraft charges. You never have to wonder, as you’re standing in the checkout line, whether you have enough in your account to cover your purchase. The answer is in the palm of your hand! While you’re busy thinking about all the other important things in your life, mobile alerts automatically keep you up-to-date with your finances. Choose the alerts you want today at www.westboundbank.com. Get the information you need anytime, anywhere. The answer is in the palm of your hand! Ashley Palmer — Receptionist WESTBOUND BANK SHINING STAR A shley Palmer has been with us for the past year working as our receptionist. She is currently being trained to be one of the new tellers at our Katy location. Her family moved here from Oklahoma and she recently graduated from Seven Lakes High School. She has lived in Katy for the past four years. During her spare time, Ashley likes to go out with friends, to the movies or out to eat. She also likes to play the piano and is learning how to play the guitar. Because of her love of traveling, she hopes to tour Europe in the very near future! She has enjoyed working with us and looks forward to the years to come. 2 Ashley Palmer – one of Westbound Bank’s Shining St ars. Merchant services MANAGE YOUR ELECTRONIC PAYMENT COSTS A ccepting credit and debit card payments is crucial to remaining competitive in today’s market place, but it can also be a significant cost of doing business — if you let it. These tips can help you keep card processing rates reasonable. Do your research. Every card processor keeps a percentage of each transaction amount (the rate), and they may also charge additional flat fees. But these rates and fees can vary considerably from vendor to vendor, so it’s wise to request proposals from several companies. In addition, investigate each vendor’s track record with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org), see how easy it is to contact customer service and check how quickly they are able to resolve technology problems. Nitpick. Most merchant card processing agreements come with a variety of fees. Make sure you understand each one, and negotiate down or ask to remove anything that seems unnecessary. Sales agents often have substantial flexibility in how the contracts are written, and they may be willing to amend the terms in order to secure your business. Read the fine print. Beware of caps on monthly sales volumes, and limits on transaction frequency and size of sale. Insist on eliminating application or set-up fees, as well as cancellation fees. Consider the hardware. Your merchant card processor may promote leasing the equipment necessary to run transactions, but buying the hardware is often much less expensive in the long run if you can afford the up-front cost. Educate employees. Most card processors offer lower rates when the risk of chargebacks (when the customer successfully disputes a charge) is reduced. Help improve transaction security at your company by encouraging workers to always swipe the customer’s card rather than manually entering the numbers, and follow all prompts on the credit card terminal. Accept PIN-based payments. Because the transactions are more secure, you may be charged a lower amount when a customer selects “debit” and enters his or her PIN. REQUEST A RATE REVIEW We may be able to help you reduce your processing rates and fees and improve the efficiency of your electronic payments program. Contact Danny Henderson, our merchant processing services representative, today at www.westboundbank.com or 832-367-4292. $100 BILL GETS A NEW LOOK T his October, a new $100 bill begins circulating. It will be more colorful — and more secure — thanks to a blue, 3-D security ribbon on the front of the note that shifts patterns when the bill is tilted back and forth and side to side. Images of an inkwell and bell, and the number 100 on the front right-hand corner will also change color — from copper to green — when the note is tilted. These improved high-tech features make it easier for the public to know if a bill is the real thing, as they are more difficult for counterfeiters to replicate. Other design enhancements include a portrait watermark, raised printing and new background color. To learn more about the new $100 note, visit www.newmoney.gov. 3 655 W. GRAND PARKWAY SOUTH KATY, TX 77494 IN THIS ISSUE ›› WPH. WW.WESTBOUNDBANK.COM 713-554-7615 Before you go, watch your Facebook posts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page Mobile alerts: Monitor your finances automatically . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page Merchant services: Manage your electronic payment costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page Westbound SBA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .page 1 2 3 4 bellaire location: nw houston location: 5231 Bellaire Blvd. Bellaire, Texas 77401 13225 FM 529, Suite 107 Houston, Texas 77041 katy location: 655 W. Grand Parkway South Katy, Texas 77494 ›› FALL 2013 WESTBOUND SBA W estbound Bank’s SBA Division received their first SBA approval in May 2008. During the past five years, the SBA Division has received $91,450,000 in SBA approvals. Our volume in the Houston SBA District during this five-year period ranks us No. 3 for financial institutions headquartered in Texas and No. 2 headquartered in the Houston metropolitan area. The Houston SBA District encompasses 32 counties in Southeast Texas. We achieved this status through excellence service, which includes a “yes or no” answer on your loan application in one of the shortest time period in the area. Westbound Bank will also grant SBA loans as far west as San Antonio, north to Dallas and all parts in between. SBA Loan Facts Loan Amount $5 million maximum Use of Proceeds •P urchase of existing building with at least 51 percent occupied by business owner. •C onstruction of new building with at least 60 percent occupied by business owner. •R efinance existing debt with up to 100 percent on outstanding balances. • L oan proceeds may include inventory, working capital and closing costs. Cash Injection • As low as 10 percent for existing business. • As low as 15 percent for new business. •O wner finance may be applied for ¹⁄³ of injection. Terms Up to 25 years amortization with no balloon payment. Interest Rate Quarterly adjusting rate, which is currently 6 percent. Contact our SBA Division Al Johnson 713-559-2241 [email protected] Jason Yeow 713-559-2242 [email protected] This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. Websites not belonging to this organization are provided for information only. No endorsement is implied. Images may be from one or more of these sources: ©Thinkstock, ©iStock, ©Fotolia. ©2013 BlueSpire Strategic Marketing | bluespiremarketing.com