How Technical Support Services Work
When I started my research of this business, I communicated a number of people who I thought might have some practice in managing with such merchants and what I heard from them didn’t precisely come as a surprise to me. Most of my contemporaries warned me that such businesses were very difficult to work with — that their company practices were doubtful, that they could infrequently produce all of the required paperwork, which they were slow to follow up on information requests that their chargeback ratios were sky-high, that customer objection levels were off the chart and so on. “Where have I heard that before?”, I wondered. And my initial practice rapidly confirmed the authenticity of these warnings. However, I had the good fortune to quickly stumble upon a merchant which turned out to be hard, trustworthy and following a set of best practices, which ensured low levels of customer complaints and chargebacks. Equally as important, it also had grown to a reputable processing volume — about $500,000 a month and growing.
Finding the best payment processing solutions can be difficult for tech support merchants operating internationally.
Whether you offer remote tech support assistance or in-office computer services, Merchant stronghold provides customizable Merchant Accounts. For tech support With Merchant stronghold, you will be connected to a vast network of domestic, offshore and international acquiring banks that can approve you regardless of your geographical location.
Tech Support Merchant Account Fees
Our tech support merchant account fees are competitive and affordable, and our application process is free. Once our underwriting department matches you with one of our acquiring banking partners, the bank will then process your application and determine your merchant account fees.
Since banks determine fees on a case-by-case basis, we cannot provide you with exact fees until the underwriting process is complete. However, you can contact us for your free quote.
How to Get and — More Importantly — Keep a Merchant Account
This particular
merchant is based in the U.S. and, by the time it contacted us, it had gone through several
merchant accounts with some of the biggest U.S. processors, a couple of which were still active. Now, this is an error which you should not repeat — don’t open up many
merchant accounts at once, unless you actually need and use them all. Otherwise, processors get nervous and understandably so — what is to say that the new
Merchant Account you are applying for would not just lie dormant or be replaced in the near future? In the event, we asked our
merchant to explain why it had gone through all these
merchant accounts and received a satisfactory explanation. I should also add that the
merchant had already received notices that its remaining two accounts would be closed within a month, which brings me to the next lesson — if you operate an online tech support business, the mainstream processors would not be a viable
option — even if you do manage to get an
account with them set-up and functioning, it is inevitable that it
will be closed just as soon as their
risk department takes a
close look at it. What you need is a high-
risk solution, although not necessarily an offshore one.
Merchant Stronghold’s Technical Support Checklists’
Merchant represents and warrants each of the following by checking it and signing below:
Merchant is engaged in the business of offering technical support services and has obtained, and througout the
term of the agreement
will maintain, all local, state, and federal licenses, registrations, and approvals required to conduct such business. All technical support services for which
Merchant services charges any customer
will be provided only by the
Merchant, and
will not be referred, re-directed, or outsourced to any third party.
Merchant understands, currently fully complies with, and during the term of the agreement, will fully comply with all relevant provisions of all of the following as amended from time to time: section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. §45;
The Telemarketing and Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act. 15 U.S.C § 601, et seq(“TCFAPA”) and all regulations implementing the TCFAPA including without limitation the Telemarketing Sales Rule, 16 C.F.R. §310.1, et seq.,
The telephone consumer Protection Act, 47 U.S.C. §227, et seq. (“TCPA”) and all regulations implementing the TCPA including without limitation 47 C.F.R§64.1200, et seq.;
The Electronic Funds Transfer Act, 15 U.S.C §1693, et seq.(“EFTA”) and all regulations implementing the EFTA including without limitation Regulation E,12 C.F.R. §1005.1, et seq.:
The electronic signatures in global and National Commerce Act, 15 U.S.C. §7001, et seq.; and all other applicable federal, state and local laws, rules and regulations including, without limitation, those referring, relating or operating to the foregoing, consumer privacy and protection, credit , lending, finance, usury, and banking, and with the Rules (as defined in section 1 of the Agreement)
Merchant will immediately notify MSH and Bank in writing of any inquiry, investigation, complaint, charge, subpoena, claim, request for information, judgment, injunction order, cease and desist order, any similar judicial, quasi-judicial, administrative, or executive order, or any license or permit revocation or cancellation by any local, state or federal law enforcement or regulatory agency, entity, or official in connection with or relating to Merchant’s business including without limitation any complaints, charges or claims against Merchant by any customers of Merchant or by any local, state or federal official.
In addition to the indemnity obligations set forth in the Agreement, Merchant will also indemnify and MSH and Bank, harmless from and against any and all losses, costs, liabilities, damages and expenses (including attorneys’ fees and collection costs) resulting from or incurred in connection with any inquiry, investigation, complaint, charge, subopena, claim, or request for information of or against Merchant, or against or involving MSH or Bank in Connection with Merchant,
By any local, state or federal law enforcement or regulatory agency in connection with or relating to Merchant’s business including without limitation any complaints, charges or claims by any customers of Merchant or by any customers of Merchant or by any local, state or federal official. Merchant understands that MSH or Bank may terminate the agreement effective immediately in the event of any breach of this addendum or as otherwise set forth in the Agreement.
