How to Pay by Phone: A practical look at MOTO payments

Written by Admin | Mar 21, 2025 12:00:00 AM

MOTO – short for Mail Order/Telephone Order – lets businesses accept card payments without needing the customer to be physically present. It's simple: customers share their card details by phone, mail, or email, and your team enters the data into a secure portal.

It's not flashy, but it's reliable. And in industries where timing and service matter—think travel, healthcare, or premium goods – it still plays a key role.

Who still uses MOTO?

MOTO is often the right choice when convenience or urgency wins out over digital-first experiences:

Travel and hospitality: Adjustments to bookings or last-minute reservations
Medical services: Remote consultations and billing follow-ups
Luxury retail: Personalised service over the phone
Field services: Payments collected by technicians or delivery teams
Memberships: Phone signups for gyms, learning platforms, or clubs

It's not about nostalgia. It's about meeting customers where they are.

Why MOTO still matters

Not all transactions fit neatly into an app or online checkout. MOTO fills the gaps:

When speed is critical and a phone call is faster than a form
When web tools fail or aren't available
When trust matters and customers want to speak with someone

It's a live support tool disguised as a payment method.

How to set up MOTO payments

You don't need to rebuild your systems – just follow a few key steps:

1. Choose the right processor

Look for a payment processing provider that:

Supports card-not-present (CNP) transactions
Offers PCI DSS Level 1 compliance
Gives access to live transaction monitoring
Has a straightforward, transparent fee structure

2. Create a merchant account

This links your business to card networks. Most providers walk you through this during setup.

3. Build in security

Remote payments carry more risk. Secure them with:

End-to-end encryption
Tokenisation for recurring payments
No card data storage unless fully encrypted—and absolutely necessary

4. Train your staff

Every team member handling payments should:

Follow a clear entry process
Avoid writing down or repeating card numbers
Know how to recognise red flags in customer behavior

5. Test your setup

Before going live, check for:

Data entry issues
How declined payments are handled
What the confirmation experience feels like

Security requirements at a glance

Measure	What it does	Who needs it
PCI DSS compliance	Protects cardholder data	All merchants
Encryption	Secures data during transmission	Any remote transaction
Tokenisation	Limits exposure, simplifies compliance	Recurring or stored payments
Customer verification	Helps detect fraud	High-risk transactions
Staff training	Reduces manual errors	Any payment-taking employee

Use cases that rely on MOTO

Travel agencies finalising bookings from low-connectivity areas
Fitness centres renewing memberships over the phone
Sales reps closing deals on live calls
Emergency services collecting payment at the moment of dispatch
Clinics scheduling follow-ups without a website visit

Handling sensitive data

Keeping data safe isn't optional. Here's what to prioritise:

Use secure channels

Avoid plain emails or unencrypted calls

Use encrypted VoIP tools

Stick to PCI DSS protocols

Individual logins for access control
Role-based permissions
Regular audits

Only collect what you need

Don't keep more data than required
If retention is necessary, tokenise it

Keep teams trained

Refresh best practices regularly
Run occasional spot audits

MOTO and costs

MOTO payments usually fall in line with other CNP transactions in terms of fees. Here's what to expect:

Processing fees: Comparable to other card-not-present payments
Operational effort: Slightly higher due to manual entry
Chargebacks: More exposure, but manageable with good controls

For service-heavy businesses, the added flexibility justifies the cost.

MOTO in the big picture

MOTO won't lead your payment strategy. But it's not going away.

It fills the gaps left by apps and websites. It supports real-time, human conversations. And it works – quietly, consistently, and often when everything else is down.

Antom makes MOTO easy to run alongside your broader setup, so you don't have to choose between flexibility and control.

Want to add MOTO to your payment mix? Let's talk.

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