The front desk at Eltham Cosmetic Clinic

The Card Surcharge Ban: How to Handle It in Your Clinic Without Losing a Single Client

Compliance & Best Practice
September 26, 2026

If your group chats have been anything like mine lately, you’ll have seen the worry. From 1 October 2026, we can no longer add a surcharge when a client pays by card. There’s been so much talk in our industry about what to do, what to say, and how to tell clients without upsetting anyone.

So here is exactly how I’m handling it at Eltham Cosmetic Clinic, plus the wording you can borrow for your clients and your team.

What is actually changing

The Reserve Bank of Australia has banned surcharges on eftpos, Mastercard and Visa payments from 1 October 2026. That covers debit, credit and prepaid cards. American Express, UnionPay and PayPal have also said they’ll stop surcharging from the same date.

In plain terms: from 1 October, the price on your price list has to be the price your client pays, however they pay. You can’t add a card fee at the terminal, and you can’t rename it as an “admin fee” or “processing fee” either.

The fees you pay your bank don’t disappear, though. They’re still a real cost of running your clinic.

Don’t panic, and don’t throw out your EFTPOS machine

Here’s the part that took the stress out of it for me. Your clients are already paying this. Every time they tapped their card, the surcharge was added at the terminal. The only thing changing is where that cost sits.

Instead of appearing at the end of the transaction, it now sits inside your prices. For your client, the total at the end is almost exactly what they were already paying.

What we’re doing at Eltham Cosmetic Clinic

Our solution is simple. We’ve increased our prices by 3% across the board, and our new price list goes live on 1 October.

  • One clean 3% on treatments and retail, rounded to the nearest dollar.
  • No fee added at the till, ever. The price on the menu is the price.
  • Anything a client has already paid for, like a package or gift voucher, is honoured as bought. That’s an act of integrity to the clients already supporting and trusting our clinic.
  • Every published price gets updated on the same day: website, price lists, info sheets and ads.

That’s it. No new line items, no confusing extras, and nothing for the front desk to calculate.

Every clinic is different, so please check the right approach for your business with your accountant or payment provider. This is what’s right for mine.

How to tell your clients

Most clients won’t even notice, because the total they pay is almost the same. But a short, warm heads up builds trust, and trust is everything in our industry. Here is a template you’re welcome to copy and make your own.

Email or SMS template for your clients

Subject: A small change to how you pay, from 1 October

Hi [First name],

From 1 October, new banking rules mean businesses across Australia can no longer add a surcharge when you pay by card.

To keep things simple for you, we’ve included this cost in our prices instead. Our treatment prices have been adjusted by 3%, and there will no longer be a card fee added at the end of your appointment.

For most of you, the total you pay will be almost exactly the same as before. The only difference is there are no surprises at the terminal.

Anything you’ve already paid for, including packages and gift vouchers, will be honoured exactly as purchased. It’s our way of thanking you for supporting our clinic.

If you have any questions at all, just reply to this email or ask us at your next visit. Thank you, as always, for choosing us.

Warm wishes,
[Your name] and the team at [Clinic name]

What your front desk can say

Your team is the first place clients will ask, so give them the words before 1 October. Here are the conversations that will come up most, with a calm, confident answer for each.

Front desk dialogue

Client: “Have your prices gone up?”
“They’ve been adjusted slightly, by 3%. From 1 October the banks no longer let businesses add a card surcharge, so we’ve built that cost into our prices instead. It means there’s no extra fee at the end, and for most clients the total works out almost exactly the same.”

Client: “So I’m paying more?”
“If you paid by card before, it’s roughly the same as what you were already paying with the surcharge. It’s just all included now, so there are no surprises at the terminal.”

Client: “Can I get a discount if I pay cash or bank transfer?”
“Our prices are the same however you pay. We’ve kept it simple so everyone pays one clear price.”

Client: “What about the package I already bought?”
“That’s honoured exactly as you bought it. Nothing changes there.”

How to train your team on it

The words matter, but the delivery matters more. Clients take their cue from your team’s tone. If your front desk sounds nervous or apologetic, clients will feel something is wrong. If they sound calm and matter of fact, clients will simply nod and move on.

Team training points

1. Lead with the reason, not the number. “The banking rules have changed” comes before “3%”.

2. Keep it short. Two or three sentences, then move on. Over-explaining sounds like an excuse.

3. Never apologise for your prices. Be kind and clear, not sorry.

4. Never add anything at the terminal. From 1 October, the price on the screen is the final price. No manual fees, ever.

5. Practise it out loud. Role play each conversation above in your next team meeting, so the words come naturally when a client asks.

The bottom line

This change feels b

Pricing changes, front desk scripts and training your team through the tough conversations are exactly what my admin training and operations resources are all about. They’re coming soon, built from how we run things at Eltham Cosmetic Clinic. Because you didn’t get into this job to stress over banking rules. You got into it to build a thriving, profitable and sustainable career in the job we all love.

n’t get into this job to stress over banking rules. You got into it to build a thriving, profitable and sustainable career in the job we all love.

References

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