March 22, 2006 BOISE, IDAHO Small businesses have often been barred from the benefits of automated payment processing because of high set-up costs, monthly charges, minimum transaction charges and high line item fees. Now Cougar Mountain Software has introduced a variety of affordable, innovative options in payment processing programs designed with small to mid-sized organizations in mind. These new programs give smaller firms methods to streamline operations, collect funds faster and reduce costs.

The new services are available with Cougar Mountain’s accounting, fund accounting and point of sale software programs. The software publisher has developed relationships that provide options for point of sale check conversion, credit and debit card processing, automated electronic payment and collection services as well as gift cards. Each service works transparently with Cougar Mountain software.

“We’ve developed each of these merchant transaction services with small to medium-sized organizations in mind,” said Jim Stone, chief operating officer for the software publisher. “By eliminating set up fees and minimum monthly charges, and through establishing relationships with processing firms that have affordable transaction costs, we can help Cougar Mountain customers improve their cash flow and simplify their operations.

“We believe that the range of transaction services, the level of integration to our software and the low cost is truly unique in the industry. It establishes Cougar Mountain as a leader in providing point of sale, accounting and transaction services to small and medium-sized businesses,” Stone continued.

Cougar Mountain Point of Sale now allows for check conversion for both consumer and business checks. Electronic conversion of consumer and business checks is completed in the same easy, affordable process, allowing merchants to have funds from checks quickly available in their bank account, often within one business day.

Many small businesses consider the high cost of processing credit and debit cards an unpleasant but necessary cost of doing business. Often they don’t realize these costs can be lowered by choosing the right payment processor. Cougar Mountain’s processing partner, Pivotal Payments, has highly competitive rates, 24/7 customer support and a rebate for new merchants.

Using Cougar Mountain’s processor for providing direct deposit of payroll can mean substantial savings to employers with fewer than 250 employees. “By avoiding the monthly minimums and service charges imposed by large national banks, organizations can save over $1200 a year in many cases,” said Stone. “That’s a big contribution to the bottom line for many of our customers.”