OUR WORK PROCESS

Without you, there is no us

This is our first date…but business.

Unlike most first dates, we won’t talk about ourselves the whole time – we want to hear about you. Tell us what you’re looking for in a processor, bad experiences you’ve had in the past, pain points in your current process and over all, what would an optimal relationship look like with your credit card processor? You can then see what we have to say and if you like it…

This first step is simply your company deciding if you like our company.

Good, you decided you like us!

We will now analyze your current process to see how it could be done more efficiently. To us, more efficient means saving your business money. We can do this in a number of ways: making payments easier, more accessible, less time consuming, protecting you against chargebacks/fraud, new equipment, training to achieve higher data rate qualifications or a simple reduction of current rates.

This analysis will include everything from rate review, basic card acceptance to more detailed parts of your work flow. We put a number to your savings. This will be outlined in detail, listing all areas your business will realize savings, giving you a final itemized monthly and annual savings amount.

We realize every business has very different needs. This will be reflected in the program we create specifically for you and your business’ payment system.

Our industry has trained merchants to think the way to save processing dollars is through the never-ending search for that elusive “best rate.” There are far more savings in the other areas mentioned above; these areas simply take much more time (on the side of the processor) to asses, then educate the merchant. Most sales rep we come across are either not trained to do this, or looking for the quick fix/sale.

This is our favorite part of the process!

Here, we take the time to explain the “how” and “why,” not just show a number. When somebody doesn’t understand exactly how and why they are saving money, it makes it very difficult for them to tell (after switching processors) if they are actually saving the money — this is a favorite trick of the processing industry.

With Smart Pay, you will have detailed understanding from where your savings are coming. We will then show you how to calculate your exact savings, based upon each rate category. This is important to understand your cumulative cost. Lastly and in our opinion most importantly, we will show you how to track your effective rate – this will be the indicator whether you are still saving, or your processor has changed your rate.

We will not increase your processing rate, ever.

You decided to go with Smart Pay… Welcome!

Savings have now been found, explained, and you are ready to start the program we have created for you – It’s time to integrate our technology into your system. Integration is seamless – you will experience no down time.

This process will always happen one of two ways:

A) We use your existing equipment

In this case, we will reprogram your existing equipment to work with the program we created for you. This service will be at no cost to you.

B) You want/need new equipment

We will then program your equipment and have a technician drop off at your business. You and your staff will be trained on all operations of the new equipment.

We view this step very differently than the rest of the industry – This is not the last step in the process, but the beginning of a relationship!

Smart Pay will always follow up with you after your first full month of processing; we call this our “Integrity Check.” There are many promises made before you make the move, and we want to make sure each one has been realized. This integrity check consists of three points:

1. Is everything running smoothly? We will check both technical and operational.

2. We will perform a rate review – sitting down and comparing side by side, the rates we promise (before you switched) and the rates you received (from your first months processing statement). It feels good to know you got what you were promised.

3. Overall satisfaction. Are you happy? We take your feedback seriously and will do what it takes to keep you happy.

Like every company, we have a story – it’s a simple story.

After running the gauntlet within the merchant services industry, as a sales rep, territory & regional manager and eventually Co-founding a processing company, we found one thing to be omnipresent: unsatisfied small businesses. To merchants, sales representatives are the face of the processing organization; this being the case, unfulfilled promises are typically placed at the feet of sales people. In the majority of situations, sales reps take the heat for a company decision. Any promise, big or small that sales reps make to merchants are only as good as the processing company standing behind them — here lies the problem.

Smart Pay was founded to bring much needed equability to small businesses in the merchant services industry. We do this by implementing the needed structures at a company level, creating a platform that not only facilitates, but lends a systematic foundation for high integrity relationships, restoring the ability for sales representatives to stand on their word and deliver.

These are the pillars upon which Smart Pay operates:

1. Operating on Merchants’ best Interest

This is #1 for a reason.

In a sales driven industry, we realized in order to change the way sales people think and operate, we must change the way they are incentivized. Every processing company we have ever come across offers their sales people compensation structures that reward through sales bonus upon signing a new accounts. Most will give higher bonuses the more accounts they sign, per month. The incentive here is clear: sign as many as you can, how ever you can.

At Smart Pay we do not give bonuses, ever. All sales people are rewarded through profit sharing. This creates a dynamic shift from high pressure sales, to service and accountability. Seeing we do not have contracts making merchants free to leave at any time, the only way accounts are retained is through top notch service and follow through on promises. It is in both company and sales rep best interest to keep merchants happy.

2. Real Customer Service

At Smart Pay you deal with people, not call centers. You will have a designated customer service rep, specifically assigned to your account. Our tech will come on site an help you, not forward your call to a tech support desk.

3. No Contracts & No termination Fees.

It’s a company wide policy: We don’t do contracts – we don’t have termination fees. We even have a place on our application to write, while sitting with you, “No Contract – No Termination Fees.” Your credit card processor should earn your business, each month.

4. No Rate Increases, Ever!

Two reasons this never happens when in our industry when promised: A) Sales rep making such a promise does not have the authority to do so B) Company you signed up with has investors/shareholders, requiring certain profitability.

This may be one of the most over promised and under delivered vow in the merchant services industry. We have the authority and have made this promise to merchants from “the top down,” because we control our rates. We have no shareholders or investors to which we answer — we only answer to you.

5. Affordable Equipment: Never Leases.

Do not ever ever sign a lease or fall for “free” terminal programs. We sell equipment only when needed, at our wholesale cost. All equipment purchased through us carries a lifetime warranty – welcome to the last terminal you will ever purchase.

6. Honest, Above Board Pricing.

This means more than fair and competitive rates – it means transparency. When we tell you your rate won’t change, don’t take our word for it. We will ensure you understand all processing costs, giving you the ability to track your rate over time, watching it remain consistent.

Industry secret:

Every processor, big and small have the same cost. All of us. Smart Pay fully discloses true processor cost and any mark-up, giving your business a simple, functional solution to tracking rates.