TELECOM AUDITS
Regardless of your business’s size or industry, there are many benefits in having the ability to process credit card transactions. By accepting multiple forms of payment, you give your customers options and improve their experiences. You also introduce a new audience of customers to grow your business organically.
In addition, card processing is an efficient, convenient payment solution that helps you improve cash flow by ensuring timely, automatic deposits to your account.
HOW IT WORKS – CREDIT CARD PROCESSING
This diagram illustrates how real-time, electronic credit card processing works using Merchant Account Payment Services:
- Purchaser places order
- Merchant securely transfers order information to Merchant Account over the Internet via using a secure, encrypted messaging protocol (SCMP). Merchant Account receives order information and performs requested services.
- Merchant Account formats the transaction detail appropriately and securely routes the transaction authorization request through its payment gateway to the processor.
- The transaction is then routed to the issuing bank (purchaser’s bank) to request transaction authorization
- The transaction is authorized or declined by the issuing bank or card (Discover, American Express)
- Merchant Account returns the message to the merchant.
- Issuing bank approves transfer of money to acquiring bank. The acquiring bank, in turn, credits the merchant’s account.
However, all credit card processing companies are not alike. The fees are not uniform in the industry, and understanding the fees that you pay the processor is impossible to glean from your monthly Merchant Activity Statements. Try it, and you will see.
Of critical importance is to know is your Net Effective Rate charged for your daily transactions. There are over 12 variable fees that account for your Net Effective Rate. We will analyze your statement and let you know exactly what you are paying, and then research the marketplace to find the most competitive and reliable credit card processor to suit your needs.
ECS BUSINESS SERVICES CREDIT CARD ACCOUNT ANALYSIS
When comparing any merchant processing rates, it is very important that you know exactly how much you are currently paying and for what you are paying. Most merchants assume that they are currently paying the advertised rate that was issued by their current processor when they signed up for service. Research indicates that most merchants are paying higher effective credit and debit card processing rates to their current merchant processor than originally advertised. This is often the case regardless of industry types and business sizes.
Most processors (ISO / MSP’s) and banks pad your statement with hidden fees. Sometimes these junk fees are in the form of untitled line items and other times they are added by grouping all fees into one line item. ECS Business Services is experienced with analyzing these statements to find hidden fees, incorrect fees and other discrepancies. To learn more about our credit card merchant account auditing services, contact ECS Business Services