(BPT) - The way we pay is continuously evolving - from cash as king, to the dominance of credit cards, and now the contactless revolution. These payments developments mean business owners must have a comprehensive payments platform that allows customers to pay any way they want and gives the business owner a seamless, easy way to manage back-end tasks.

Intuit QuickBooks Payments helps solve the end-to-end payments needs for businesses, and unlocks three key benefits that any business owner should look for when choosing a payments solution.

1. Provide flexibility to your customers with a variety of payment methods

With so many payment options available today, it's important your business allows customers to use their preferred method. This includes more traditional options for in-person, live or digital payments - cash, credit or debit card - but also newer options like contactless payments through a smartphone or widely popular payment apps, such as PayPal or Venmo. Accepting various forms of payment ensures your customers have fewer hurdles in their path to purchase, ultimately helping drive additional sales for you.

2. Get paid faster and help close the cash flow gap

Cash flow is one of the greatest pain points for a business owner. As you make sales, it can take time for the money to actually arrive into your business bank account, which can impact cash flow. With instant deposit, eligible businesses using QuickBooks Payments can receive payments from customers in as little as 30 minutes and when banks are closed, helping close the crucial gap between the sale and when you see the funds in your account. Unlocking these funds faster can allow the business to grow in a variety of ways, including investing in new equipment or marketing opportunities, purchasing additional inventory, and more. Other payment features include pay-enabled invoices that can help ensure customers are able to easily and quickly pay in just a few clicks when they receive an emailed invoice, as well as recurring invoices that automate billing for you and allow your customers to set up autopay, providing convenience for everyone.

3. Free up time when payments is integrated with other financial tools

Managing your finances as a business owner extends well beyond accepting payments. That's why it's important to use a payments solution that integrates seamlessly with your other financial tools. This saves time toggling between different platforms and can unlock automation features that will eliminate work for you. For example, QuickBooks offers an autoreconciliation feature, which works within your books to match deposits to payments with high confidence in accuracy, helps ensure books are up-to-date come tax time, and frees up time to focus on other areas of the business. It's also important to look for a payments solution that works the way you do - whether it's web-based when running your business in an office, via a mobile app if you're on the go, or even better - one that offers both!

To learn more about QuickBooks Payments and the robust capabilities it offers today's business owners, visit here.