Gloucester local Tony Bowden, founder and director of Smart Communications has been heavily involved in the Gloucestershire business scene for well over a decade and is very much part of the community. Married to Emma with a seven-year-old son, George, Tony is an avid sports fan supporting Liverpool FC and Gloucester Rugby, as well as being a keen supporter of local charities such as The Pied Piper Appeal, Increase The Peace and Goals Beyond Grass.

Smart Communications offer local and national businesses an all-in-one, print, communications and payment solutions with clients including Gloucester Rugby, Jamie Carragher, and Wincanton Distribution. Their presence within the wider Gloucestershire community and beyond has continued to grow since they first started almost 13 years ago and they now offer a variety of services from print and design, to digital and social media marketing, through to telecommunications and card payment services as smartcardpayments.co.uk – this year marks their 5th anniversary working with EVO Payments.

With a demonstrated commitment to delivering value for money for their clients Smart Communications’ positive reputation has continued to grow as a trusted provider. The positive connections they have built up with other business providers over the years enables them to do this along with their own expertise and knowledge of the Gloucestershire business landscape. “As well as our own capabilities, our working relationships with quality partners allows us give our customers exactly what they need,” reflects Tony

It is a natural step for Smart Communications to offer competitively priced and reliable card payment solutions given the supports they were already offering to many businesses. “We already do website design, implement SEO strategies, set up online shops and payment gateways,” reflects Tony, “but, there was a real demand from customers for a reliable payments provider. We felt it was an obvious move for us to fill this need with fair and transparently priced card payment solution”

Tony’s team work to find clients the most suitable payment solutions for their business requirements, and offer excellent after-sales support and a local account manager to ensure a long-lasting relationship. Their card terminals suit the specific needs of any business, whether it’s a countertop device, ideal for retail environment, or a well as remote or mobile terminals, perfect for restaurants, taxi drivers and tradespeople. They also facilitate over the phone and online payments with both payment gateway and virtual terminal options.

It’s now 5 years since Smart Card Payments looked for a payments provider that they could rely on. Keeping in mind the high reputational value of Tony’s business as a whole, their priority was to work with a partner who wouldn’t let their customers down on price, support or reliability. Having looked at the reviews of other providers, EVO Payments stood out as the clear winner. Their values of offering a fast and efficient service with competitive pricing aligned with Smart Card Payments’ commitments too.

Tony’s own experience of starting and building a local business gained him first-hand experience of business owners’ needs and pressures. Understanding the frustrations caused by confusing charges and hidden fees formed the basis of Smart Card Payments’ package, which eliminates additional costs other than the standard terminal rental and the transaction charges. This makes bills more transparent, eliminates hidden fees like authorisation fees and monthly service charges and offers businesses fairer pricing.

Smart Card Payments’ aim is always to improve the pricing, service and reliability businesses are currently getting. “if you do have a payment solution in place why not move across to us and get a better deal, or if you don’t have a card payment solution then let us quote you one,” says Tony. “They start from just £6 +VAT a month and you get a local account manager too which is an added bonus. To find out more, just visit us at www.smartcardpayments.co.uk”