Referrals
1.
The cardholder will attempt to pay for their purchase. The terminal will display a
warning message (the exact text depends on the terminal model) informing you that a
referral is needed. Call the displayed number. Do not return the card until the referral is
completed.
2.
Follow all directions from the Authorisation Centre and any on-screen prompts on the
terminal – you may need to enter your Referral Password at some point during the
process.
3.
During the call, you may need to quote business details such as your Merchant ID number
and be required to pass the phone to the customer. When the details are confirmed and
the phone returned to you, the Authorisation Centre will issue you an authorisation code if
successful – do not accept an authorisation code from the customer.
4.
In the event that the transaction is declined, you may also be asked to retain the card. If
this occurs, do not return the card to the customer. The Authorisation Centre will advise
you on what to do with the card.
If you feel that retaining the card presents a threat to yourself or others, safety is your
primary concern – return the card without hesitation.
There are many reasons why a card might fail this authentication and it is not always
the customers fault – if they have questions as to why they were declined, refer them to
their card issuer.
5.
Do not allow the customer to try again using the same card, or split the transaction to
avoid an authorisation call.
12 Referrals
