Article: A merchant account is a bank account that allows you to accept credit card payments. The bank has a processing relationship with the credit card companies. A nonprofit organization can establish a merchant account with any bank or credit card company. Merchant accounts often have various fees attached to them. Decide which credit card brands you want to be able to accept, such as Visa, MasterCard and American Express. Also, you may want to allow your donors to submit debits directly from their checking accounts. Anticipate the volume of donations you expect to received and whether or not you will be processing recurring donations. Merchant account providers charge many different kinds of fees. The kinds of fees and the amounts charged vary. Compare different financial institutions to find one with a fee structure that suits your needs. Merchant accounts charge two types transaction of fees. The first is a per-item flat rate that you will be charged for each credit card transaction. The second is a percentage fee, which charges you a percentage of each transaction. Percentage transaction fees may be assessed in a tiered fashion. Different types of transactions are classified into specific tiers, each with its own rate. Other fees associated with a merchant account may include set up fees, address verification, monthly and annual maintenance fees and gateway access fees. In addition to considering the fees they charge, evaluate merchant account providers based on the services they provide. Different merchant account providers have different software requirements and customer support options. Some institutions provide you with software and payment acceptance options, while others require you to purchase these separately from a different provider. Find out how easily you can customize your website, invoices, payment forms and payment communications. If you don't have a lot of technical expertise, you want these processes to be as automated as possible. Choose a merchant account provider with a proven reputation of secure transactions that protect your donors' financial information. Once you have chosen a provider, understand that they may put you through a rigorous application process before allowing you to accept credit card payments. Expect to provide financial records and information about your business model. In addition, you may be asked for personal financial information. You should also expect them to run a credit check on you. With a merchant account, the name of your organization appears on all financial transactions, so donors see your name on their credit card statements, which is important for branding. Also, funds arrive in your account quickly. The disadvantages of a merchant account are the expensive fees and the complicated set-up process. Log in to your merchant account software. Enter your donor's payment information. Click on the collect payment button. The credit card transaction will then be processed, and the funds will be deposited into your account.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Sign up for a merchant account. Choose how you want to accept payments. Understand merchant account fees. Evaluate merchant account providers. Apply for the merchant account. Understand the advantages and disadvantages of a merchant account. Begin accepting payments.

Problem: Article: Before you can open your franchise, you need to make sure you have all supplies ready to go. You need to buy food supplies from the McDonald's restaurant, figure out how to deal with waste management, and set your hours. In order to buy and sell food, you need to apply for the proper permits in your city. Such permits vary from district to district, so make sure you visit the Department of Health website in your town to find out the rules and regulations. This should also tell you what you need to know about trash disposal. You may need to provide your own private dumpster for restaurant-related trash or you may have access to a community dumpster for restaurants in the area. This depends on your location and the regulations of your city. The McDonald's corporation will mail you the food supplies you need from your restaurant, and you will learn the process for placing orders as well as basic costs during your training. Setting your hours can be complicated. Most cities have regulations as to how early or late businesses can operate by district. You may be in a 24 hour zone, but operating 24 hours can be risky as there's added cost of labor, utilities, and all else needed to keep a restaurant running. To determine your hours, you should see what sort of establishments are in your area and what their hours look like. You should also figure out when the peak hours are for the place where your building is located. Is it most crowded at lunch rush hour or are people more likely to stop by on the their way home from work? Is this a bar district? If so, maybe staying open until 2 or 3AM would be a good idea as people may be on the lookout for food after the bars close. Once you've established your location, you need to begin the process of hiring employees. You'll need to hire kitchen workers, servers, janitors, managers, and the full range of employees needed to keep business operations going. The McDonald's corporation has specific applications they require for the hiring process. You can download and print applications for various positions online or you can order bundles. It may be difficult to select applicants to interview and hire, especially if you're opening in an area where you can expect to get a lot of applications. You may have to make difficult choices about hiring and you may often have to choose between two equally qualified candidates. If you're nervous about hiring, and do not have previous experience conducting interviews, try talking to other franchise owners you met during your training. They can offer you advice and insights on the hiring process. Oftentimes, doing a soft opening with special promotions and deals can help you get started. It will draw in customers and generate early interest and excitement before your official opening. You should announce a soft opening a month or a few weeks before you'll officially open your franchise. Advertise the opening in flyers you leave around town, on local radio stations, and in local newspapers. Offer one time specials and deals to entice people to come. For example, you could offer buy one get one half off for entrees or allow children under 12 to eat free. Promote positive public relations during your soft opening, making sure your staff is polite with guests. Advertise when your franchise will actually open. Have flyers in the store with the date of your official opening listed. There are ongoing fees associated with opening a McDonald's franchise. Once you get your franchise going, you will still have to pay some dues to the McDonald's corporation. There is a monthly service fee, based on your restaurant's sale performance. It is usually about 4% of total sales. You will also have to pay monthly rent on your building. Cost of rent depends on the size and location of your franchise.
Summary: Get the basics set up. Hire employees. Try a soft opening. Prepare for ongoing fees.

Check the edge of the carafe to make sure the top has fit into place and that there is no gap between the lid and the carafe. Placing the top on improperly can cause a big mess when you froth! Hold the carafe firmly with your nondominant hand as you pump the plunger into the milk with your dominant hand. It may require more strength to pump the milk as the foam builds, which is normal. Lift the top off the carafe, and look at the milk. Some people prefer their milk only slightly foamy, while others prefer lots of foam. If your milk hasn't reached your desired consistency, plunge it for up to 30 seconds more. Don't plunge your milk for longer than 1 minute total by hand. Over frothing your milk can cause the air bubbles you've developed to break down. Tap the whisk at the bottom of the plunger on the edge of the carafe. This will shake any excess froth into the container. Tap the bottom of the carafe on the counter once to remove excessively large air bubbles. Your foam will settle a little bit, which is okay. Your milk is now ready to heat and serve.
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One-sentence summary --
Replace the lid of the frother. Plunge the handle up and down for 30 seconds. Check the foam's consistency. Remove the lid of the carafe. Swirl the carafe in a circular motion once.