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Choosing the Best Credit Card Processing Provider

Posted On : Mar-08-2010 | seen (337) times | Article Word Count : 810 |

Ready to choose a merchant account provider? Although the search process may at first seem overwhelming, if you take your time to understand the types of services available and the services that are best for your business type and goals, your search will be much simpler and more productive. Another way to determine the features that are of interest to you is to visit merchant account provider sites directly. While at each site, make note of the fees associated with each account.
Ready to choose a merchant account provider? Although the search process may at first seem overwhelming, if you take your time to understand the types of services available and the services that are best for your business type and goals, your search will be much simpler and more productive. By reviewing the guidelines in this article, your search can be simpler, and more productive.
When selecting a merchant account provider in today’s marketplace, you’ll find you have a lot of options to choose from. In addition to the different types of accounts and services, today there are literally hundreds of banks and financial institutions that are willing and eager to serve your merchant account needs.
One of the best places to begin your search is on the Internet. In addition to the websites offered by each of the merchant account providers, the web is also a great place to find discussion forums and sites where account users relate their own experiences with specific account providers. Visiting these sites can be a great way to familiarize yourself with the different services and fees associated with merchant accounts, and can also help you determine the features that are most important to you and your business.
Another way to determine the features that are of interest to you is to visit merchant account provider sites directly. While at each site, make note of the fees associated with each account. Most merchant account providers assess multiple fees, and knowing which fees are charged for which services can make comparisons much more effective. In addition, while merchant account fees were once burdened with many small fees, many account providers have done away with specific fees as competition among merchant account providers has increased, especially in recent years. However, don’t be fooled into thinking that the account with the lowest fees is the best choice for your business. Consider these tips, too:
• How long has the merchant account provider been offering accounts? For best results, you want to choose an account provider with a long and established history. New companies may offer lower fees to build up their customer base; but because they are untried, it’s generally not a good idea to trust your business credit card processing with account providers that haven’t proven themselves yet.
• Are they reliable? This is where online forums can come in handy. But to ensure you’re getting the most accurate picture, and not just listening to the complaints of a dissatisfied customer, check with the local Better Business Bureau to determine if any complaints have been lodged.
• Does the account provider have experience in serving your type of business? If you operate online, don’t choose an account provider that specializes in Internet accounts. Likewise, if you want to operate your business on the road, you’ll need an account provider that has experience in offering and servicing mobile merchant accounts. Similarly, you may want to further refine your search by focusing on companies that have a number of customers in the same, or similar, industry or business as yours. In this way, you know the merchant account provider has experience in dealing with the issues and concerns that arise in your field of business.
• Are they experienced in handling fraud and chargebacks? Most well-established merchant account providers have considerable experience in handling these issues. Because too many chargebacks can result in your account being canceled – and can make it difficult to establish a merchant account elsewhere – be sure to select a company that knows how to handle chargebacks and prevent fraud.
• Do they offer a guarantee? Merchant account providers need tangible ways to prove to you that they’re the right company for your needs. As a result, many merchant account providers offer 100% money-back guarantees for an initial period of time, to allow you to try the service and see if it meets your needs.
• How does their customer service measure up? This is another issue that is often discussed on merchant account forums and websites devoted to merchant account providers and their customers. In addition, you can perform your own test by telephoning and emailing providers with specific questions to gauge both the amount of time it takes to receive a response and whether or not the customer service representatives treat you with respect.
• What about international orders? Especially if you do business online, you may want to have the option of accepting orders from customers around the world. Some merchant account providers do not allow overseas transactions, and some charge dearly for the privilege. If international transactions are part of your business, be sure your account provider offers this service.
Your merchant account provider will be an important part of your business. Take your time during the selection process, to ensure you select the one that will help your business meet its goals today, and tomorrow.

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Choosing the Best Credit Card Processing Provider_12809.aspx

Author Resource :
Karen Zabel is a freelance writer who writes about business and merchant credit card processing services .

Keywords : merchant credit card processing services, merchant credit card processing, credit card processing, credit card, merchant,

Category : Business : Business

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