Shift4 and ChargeAutomation: How the Payment Gateway Works Together
Shift4 is a payment processor built for hotels, resorts, and casinos. It can connect with ChargeAutomation to automate the guest payment side of your property.
If you already use Shift4 for point of sale and folio charges, you can use it for more. You can extend it to pre-arrival payments, security deposits, and automatic retries.
This article looks at what Shift4 does in a hotel's payment setup. It also covers how Shift4 and ChargeAutomation work together, and what to expect when you connect them.
Key Takeaways
Shift4 is a payment and commerce tech provider. Hotels, resorts, and casinos use it to take card payments at many points on a property.
If you connect Shift4 with ChargeAutomation, you can automate pre-arrival charges, security deposits, and payment retries. You keep your current Shift4 setup.
ChargeAutomation is PCI and PSD2 compliant and supports 3D Secure. This can help Shift4 hotels cut fraud-related chargebacks.
Hotels can choose from 120 or more payment gateways in ChargeAutomation. Shift4 is one option for properties that already use it on site.
Automating deposits through a connected gateway can help hotels release security deposits faster than manual work allows.
What Shift4 Offers Hotels and Resorts
Shift4 offers built-in payment processing for hotels. Its tools cover point of sale, property management system charges, and guest payments across a resort.
It handles payments at many points on a property, from the front desk to the spa to on site dining.
Many hotels already use Shift4 as their main processor for on-site purchases. They often do this long before they connect it to booking or pre-arrival payments.
Using the same processor for pre-arrival charges can keep your payment reports in one place. You don’t have to split them across several providers. Hotels using Shift4 on site often use it for:
front desk folio charges
point of sale purchases
spa and amenity charges
on site dining charges
How a Shift4 and ChargeAutomation Integration Can Work
ChargeAutomation connects with many payment gateways. Shift4 is one of the options hotels can set up.
Once connected, you can schedule partial or full charges before arrival. You can set automatic retries for failed payments. You can also pre-authorize security deposits with no manual follow up.
ChargeAutomation supports 3D Secure and is built to be PCI and PSD2 compliant. So Shift4 hotels can add a security check to online charges without changing how the front desk uses Shift4.
The two systems work side by side. Neither replaces the other’s role on property.
A Shift4 and ChargeAutomation setup can usually handle:
pre-arrival deposit collection
automatic retries on failed cards
security deposit pre-authorization and release
3D Secure checks on online charges
Getting Started With Shift4 and ChargeAutomation
If you already use Shift4, you don’t need to drop it to add automated pre-arrival and deposit workflows.
ChargeAutomation is free to start and needs no long term contract. That makes it a low-risk way to test automated payments next to your Shift4 setup.
You can start automating payments at chargeautomation.com and see how the two systems work on a live booking. Most of the setup is connecting the gateway and choosing which charges to automate.
Before you connect Shift4 to an automated payment workflow, check:
charges tied to your cancellation policy
reusable payment links for phone or email bookings
which charges to automate and which to handle at the front desk
how to authorize and release security deposits
whether to notify guests before a scheduled charge
how to retry failed payments
Frequently Asked Questions
Does ChargeAutomation integrate with Shift4 Payments?
Shift4 is one of the payment gateways hotels can connect to ChargeAutomation. If you already use Shift4, you can automate pre-arrival charges and security deposits.
What is Shift4 used for in hotels?
Shift4 processes payments for hotels and resorts at many points, like the front desk, point of sale, spa, and dining. This gives you one processor for on-site sales.
Can hotels use Shift4 for security deposits?
Yes. When you connect Shift4 through a platform like ChargeAutomation, you can pre-authorize a security deposit. It is then released after checkout, with no manual work.
Is ChargeAutomation compatible with a hotel's existing Shift4 setup?
ChargeAutomation is built to connect with your current payment gateway, including Shift4. You don't need to replace your processor.
How does 3D Secure work with Shift4 payments?
ChargeAutomation supports 3D Secure on connected gateways. This adds a check to online Shift4 payments. It may also help a charge qualify for fraud liability protection.
