Monday, November 16, 2009

Merchant Account Providers - Selling the Superior Points

By Anne Torres

So you're an online merchant and you get it why you need a merchant account. It's not about trend, of course, but a universality you won't bother escaping because there's not a lot of chance you'll get away with it. The Internet has become another word for convenience and if you can't deliver on that, you'll have to answer why. And you better do it faster than a looming click-away. That's why you need to get serious about finding a merchant bank that allows you to give your customers the full advantage of electronic payment while making sure you're getting the same royal treatment.

Knowing how much it matters to your customers that you care about their convenience is a good start to finding a merchant company that will care about yours. Customer service is, thus, paramount whichever side of the fence you're in.

Keep in mind that first-rate service hinges on accessibility, so if you're getting busy signals too often or hold times that last ages, that's not a good sign. Neither are apathetic-sounding phone attendants who seem to have no idea what they're doing with a call like yours or those who couldn't give you straight answers since their business isn't any straighter.

One more signal of a good merchant account provider is a fine turnaround which should be no later than three days for a sale to arrive in the bank. If it takes longer, it's taking too much from clients. There may be no way of telling turnaround unless you're truly holding an account, but a merchant bank will at all times have a track record.

Sometimes, it's enticing to overpay in exchange for really excellent customer service. Companies that charge exorbitantly explain that to enjoy this kind of service, you have to pay a higher price. It almost makes sense except for the fact that the premium a company puts on its clients is evidently effectively priceless. A higher paid telephone service attendant, for illustration, won't inevitably serve you better than the one who receives a few hundred dollars less. Or an operations manager won't inevitably treat you better than a receptionist who just got the job.

Choosing your merchant account provider is rather a dreary task with customer service comprising but one feature you have to look into. Fees are another, all sensibly priced from Discount Fees to Monthly Statement Fees and your contract should not bury you with uncontrollable time and cost demands, particularly when the danger of fraud is high.

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