Credit Card Processors Chains

[Highlands John]

It has taken me 3 months to get rid of my old card processor accounts, I didn't realise at the time what I was getting in to, so I'm posting this so others are aware.
When we first had a machine we arranged it with a card processing company, however I didn't realise that basically they were just an agent. The machine was leased to us by a holding company and the transactions were processed by another, maintenance of the machine was handled by yet another, the machine manufacurer.
At the start of December I called company A, the agent, and told them I wanted to cancel my account. After ages waiting in queues and getting passed around I was told that first I had to call Company B, the leasing company, cancel the account with them and return the machine.
I called company B who said I need to put my cancellation in writing and then they would send me details of where to send the machine, this I did. Christmas came and went, so I cancelled the direct debit to company B so they couldn't charge me anymore. The day after the direct debit was due I got a phone call from a woman who was rude, obnoxious, curt and generally unpleasant. I'll not go into all the details here but in the end I got the address of where to send the machine, it was sent recorded delivery.
3 weeks passed and this obnoxious woman called again to say I still owe them money, I pointed out that I had returned the machine and heard nothing, she then tells me that she can't close my account because the machine I returned was not the machine I was given. It transpires that in 2012 a thunder storm killed my machine so company C, the manufacturer replaced it. Company B/obnoxious woman tell me they need it in writing from Company C that the machine was replaced.
More weeks pass, more obnoxious phone calls, finally I get an email to say Company B have closed my lease account.
I now call company A who say they will now contact Company D the transaction processor to close my account with them, whilst all of this has been going on Company D is still charging me minimum transaction fees.
The lesson: If you are changing card processors or getting a machine for the first time, make sure you're not dealing with a chain like this.

 

[Madeleine]

Wow! That is horrible!
Our first year here we got a call from a guy who was all friendly and personable asking about the original owners and were they still around and blah, blah. (This happens all the time, btw.)
Turns out he was a collection agent from a cc processor and when he got hold of the original owner's very young daughter on the phone he threatened her.
This looped around and around thru all 3 owners as someone supposedly had a machine that was never returned. What a mess.

 

[Generic]

That's awful. Thankfully we are direct with the processor, but they still haven't figured out how to add JCB or Discover to my account, so I gave up. They send me to Discover, Discover sends me back to them and around and around it goes.

 

[Breakfast Diva]

What a horrible experience you had! And it sounds like it's still ongoing with company D.
Another lesson for people who are just starting out is to buy your own machine. It's much cheaper in the long run. In the next year+, we're supposed to switch over to the chip & pin machines. I can only imagine what a mess it's going to be!

 

[gillumhouse]

Wow! That is horrible!
Our first year here we got a call from a guy who was all friendly and personable asking about the original owners and were they still around and blah, blah. (This happens all the time, btw.)
Turns out he was a collection agent from a cc processor and when he got hold of the original owner's very young daughter on the phone he threatened her.
This looped around and around thru all 3 owners as someone supposedly had a machine that was never returned. What a mess..

Wow! That is horrible!
Our first year here we got a call from a guy who was all friendly and personable asking about the original owners and were they still around and blah, blah. (This happens all the time, btw.)
Turns out he was a collection agent from a cc processor and when he got hold of the original owner's very young daughter on the phone he threatened her.
This looped around and around thru all 3 owners as someone supposedly had a machine that was never returned. What a mess.
[/quote
And it was probably a machine that by this time, was out-dated, out-moded, and would not function with the latest bank software so was a complete circle of intimidation.

 

[JBloggs]

You see this is something they need to think about, share the names with the online world of innkeepers, and then have them backpeddle as to how they treated you? You are too nice HJ.

 

[Madeleine]

What a horrible experience you had! And it sounds like it's still ongoing with company D.
Another lesson for people who are just starting out is to buy your own machine. It's much cheaper in the long run. In the next year+, we're supposed to switch over to the chip & pin machines. I can only imagine what a mess it's going to be!.

One good thing from our debacle with our processor last year was buying the new machine... It is ready to roll with the new chip & pin cards. I'd like to test one tho.

 

[Copperhead]

Sorry!!! I can relate as this was very similar to my first processor. Learned quickly there after to buy my own machine and no contracts. With processors being a dime a dozen these days, and with these horror stories out there for us to learn from, be wise and get all the facts before agreeing to any terms.

 

[OnTheShore]

Here's another nightmare story that involves multiple players, where the business did not get the full details of the contracts (even though he specifically asked for them), and since has been given the run-around in trying to back out of the deal: http://www.small-business-forum.net/starting-your-business/10593-looking-get-out-merchant-services-mobile-set-up-thoughts.html

 

[gillumhouse]

Sorry!!! I can relate as this was very similar to my first processor. Learned quickly there after to buy my own machine and no contracts. With processors being a dime a dozen these days, and with these horror stories out there for us to learn from, be wise and get all the facts before agreeing to any terms..

Sorry!!! I can relate as this was very similar to my first processor. Learned quickly there after to buy my own machine and no contracts. With processors being a dime a dozen these days, and with these horror stories out there for us to learn from, be wise and get all the facts before agreeing to any terms.

And, having purchased the machine, BEFORE changing processors be sure that the machine you have is compatible to the software of the new processor. If they will not talk to each other, another purchase will be in your future.

 

[Arks]

I guess another reason to love Square!

 

[Copperhead]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

I guess another reason to love Square!

And that said, Square has just changed their policies and now do not have limits as they use to. No $2k weekly max, no holds.

 

[Generic]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

 

[Arks]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

I thought about that today too, and did a little looking. There seem to be several who have developed devices that can read C n P on an iPad, so SURELY Square will do it. I'll bet they're just keeping quite until its ready, and they won't do it (send a new free scanner to every Square user) until they have to!

 

[Copperhead]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

Been thinking about this since my 1st use of the Square. Watching and waiting.

 

[Generic]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

I thought about that today too, and did a little looking. There seem to be several who have developed devices that can read C n P on an iPad, so SURELY Square will do it. I'll bet they're just keeping quite until its ready, and they won't do it (send a new free scanner to every Square user) until they have to!
.

Don't know. In Canada we keep on asking them about accepting debit cards. Debit is supposed to be all C&P in Canada and it's under 10c per transaction in fees.

 

[Madeleine]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

I thought about that today too, and did a little looking. There seem to be several who have developed devices that can read C n P on an iPad, so SURELY Square will do it. I'll bet they're just keeping quite until its ready, and they won't do it (send a new free scanner to every Square user) until they have to!
.

Don't know. In Canada we keep on asking them about accepting debit cards. Debit is supposed to be all C&P in Canada and it's under 10c per transaction in fees.
.

We can now do debit cards. To offset the lower rates they get the processor added a debit card acceptance fee. We get charged this every month whether we ever see a debit card or not.
I check every card and if it has 'debit' on it I ask the guest if they want to use it as such.

 

[Generic]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

I thought about that today too, and did a little looking. There seem to be several who have developed devices that can read C n P on an iPad, so SURELY Square will do it. I'll bet they're just keeping quite until its ready, and they won't do it (send a new free scanner to every Square user) until they have to!
.

Don't know. In Canada we keep on asking them about accepting debit cards. Debit is supposed to be all C&P in Canada and it's under 10c per transaction in fees.
.

We can now do debit cards. To offset the lower rates they get the processor added a debit card acceptance fee. We get charged this every month whether we ever see a debit card or not.
I check every card and if it has 'debit' on it I ask the guest if they want to use it as such.
.

Our debit card system is completely separate from our CC system.
If your card has our debit system logo, it processes on the debit automatically. If it has a Visa/MC logo, it processes as credit automatically. There is no choice. But I love those debit transactions!

 

[Madeleine]

I guess another reason to love Square!.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.
.

But still not a single word from square about what they are going to do about chip & pin. October 2015 is the liability cut-off date.

I thought about that today too, and did a little looking. There seem to be several who have developed devices that can read C n P on an iPad, so SURELY Square will do it. I'll bet they're just keeping quite until its ready, and they won't do it (send a new free scanner to every Square user) until they have to!
.

Don't know. In Canada we keep on asking them about accepting debit cards. Debit is supposed to be all C&P in Canada and it's under 10c per transaction in fees.
.

We can now do debit cards. To offset the lower rates they get the processor added a debit card acceptance fee. We get charged this every month whether we ever see a debit card or not.
I check every card and if it has 'debit' on it I ask the guest if they want to use it as such.
.

Our debit card system is completely separate from our CC system.
If your card has our debit system logo, it processes on the debit automatically. If it has a Visa/MC logo, it processes as credit automatically. There is no choice. But I love those debit transactions!
.

My machine asks how to process the card so I ask the guest.

 

[Joey Camb]

when we changed last it was a nightmare and the company we are with is crap and we will be changing again as soon as the contract runs out! 4 working days to get your money which they neglected to mention so if it is a Thursday it takes till the Wednesday to come through - we will be changing to retail merchant services and Evalon which is a better rate again and in our account next day