Total Merchant Services has been providing merchant services to companies for more than twenty years. But while TMS provides services that seem appealing on the surface, they don’t compare with what you will find through Host Merchant Services.
Let’s look at what makes Host Merchant Services so valuable when compared with Total Merchant Services. You may find that Host Merchant Services provides more things for your use and that it is more convenient for your website than you might expect. It doesn’t take much for HMS to start working, as it gives you an affordable approach to taking care of your payments.
Transparency In Fees
HMS provides full details on all its merchant services programs. HMS lets you know what you would spend on each transaction, plus you’ll see it costs $15 to use the service every year and $25 for an annual 1099 report.
Total Merchant Services doesn’t provide details on its processing costs. Total Merchant Services does this to try and negotiate higher rates. The agent isn’t going to give you their best price. The agent will instead give you something that’s slightly better than whatever you might be paying right now. Even then, they may not match what HMS provides.
You can read about all the fees Host Merchant Services charges for its services on its website. This includes points on the fees HMS will not charge. You won’t find these details on the TMS website.
Terminal Operations
Host Merchant Services provides quality terminals for physical locations. You could get a free EMV card terminal when you sign up if you process at least $20,000 a month. You could still get a quality deal on something if you process less than that total each month. The hardware you use will be free for as long as you use it on the HMS system. Host Merchant Services also opposes the concept of terminal leases.
Total Merchant Services also offers free terminals, but there’s a significant catch. The Payanywhere hardware TMS provides for terminal use is available for “free placement,” meaning you are leasing it and then returning it when you terminate your agreement with the company. You could be charged the cost of the terminal after returning it following your lease. The charge is on whether TMS notices any damages. There’s a strong chance the company might try and trick you out of your money in this case.
Shopping Cart Integration
Host Merchant Services provides full shopping cart integration. Host Merchant Services will help you find a shopping cart that fits your business’ needs if you’re trying to establish an online presence.
Total Merchant Services uses a payment gateway that includes a virtual terminal and a hosted payment page. But it does not provide full integration with most shopping carts. You might have to engage in trial and error to figure out whether whatever you use fits.
You can figure out a suitable shopping cart program for your site that fits your needs, but you have to check how well it can function. Host Merchant Services gives you extra flexibility in getting a cart running, but you have to note what you’re going to use when planning your work effort.
PCI Compliance
Working with PCI-compliant processing efforts is critical to your success. But TMS isn’t going to go all the way in giving you the support your business deserves here.
TMS can support many PCI-compliant payments, but it does not monitor what you are using. The company could potentially charge fees if you process non-PCI payments. You’d also have to spend $95 per year on PCI compliance charges.
Host Merchant Services never charges PCI non-compliance charges. HMS even provides $100,000 of data breach insurance, protecting all your merchant accounts from potential harm.
Contract Concerns
Total Merchant Services requires a contract for service when you sign up. A contract can last for about two to four years on average. You could also spend $295 on an early termination fee. The worst part is that your sales agent won’t likely contact you again after signing your contract. The deal is no longer that person’s problem, making it to where you’re no longer going to get the help you deserve.
Host Merchant Services does not put people in lengthy contracts. The company will not charge anything for when someone leaves, as it focuses on monthly charges for services. The effort provides flexibility when you’re trying to handle your payments.
Hosting Functions
Having a functional online commerce page is essential to your success. But you also require a system that functions well and provides a careful approach to management.
Host Merchant Services provides web hosting services to clients. You can get a free standard website alongside a business email account for your convenience. It costs extra to use additional features, but it helps to note what you’re going to find.
Total Merchant Services does not have any web hosting services available for its customers. You’d have to provide your outside website to make things function.
Agent Issues
Host Merchant Services provides direct sales to its customers and has a reputable nationwide network of independent agents that are carefully matched to company values of transparency and integrity.
TMS agents have varying reputations, and while some maybe great, the company does not have a good overall reputation for customer service. Some agents are often tough on customers and can engage in deceptive sales efforts.
Host Merchant Services is a better option all around than TMS, so take a look at what HMS provides when you’re looking for a merchant services group. Host Merchant Services will ensure your data stays under control and that you have a plan for what fits. It is also easier to afford Host Merchant Services, plus you will know what you’re going to spend on HMS services before you sign up for a plan.