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Rates are only one factor to consider when contemplating a potential change in your merchant services plan or provider. In conjunction with the various pricing strategies, others dynamics should motivate your decision for change. These include:

• Integration of payment gateways with merchant business systems
• Access to prime technology services, including shopping carts, mobile payments, multi-currency processing, e-invoicing, electronic funds transfer, and more
• The highest standards of security, i.e., PCI standards of compliance
• Frequency of funding—every day vs. weekly
• Removal of or reduced collateral requirements, e.g., security deposits, letters of credit, rolling reserves, hold backs

For many small business owners, the contracts involved with merchant services are a jumble of legalese, numbers, and mysterious technology. As one small business owner recently explained, “I felt so lost. Out of three companies that approached me when I started my business, I simply went with the one whose representative seemed most trustworthy.” Even though this ambitious entrepreneur felt highly uncomfortable with this selection process, he just didn’t know what else to do. He had to focus on his product offerings, services, and clientele. He simply didn’t have a lot of time to spend selecting a merchant services provider.

Understanding the gradations and nuances of credit card processing is a job that requires a specialist. How can a business owner, for example, know whether or not his or her business will be classified by the provider as a high-risk merchant? There are many complex issues that impact the true cost of merchant processing. Eric Douay, a leading expert on merchant processing, is passionate about educating clients about merchant services, so they can fully understand all their options in this complex marketplace.

Douay’s company, Fair Merchant Solutions, knows the importance of properly preparing small business owners regarding the rules and dynamics specific to their particular business as it relates to merchant services. Eric Douay and his associates offer a quick and simple approach. They request a single copy of your most recent 30-day merchant statement. Other than that, they ask only that you complete a simple one-page questionnaire. That’s all it takes to get started on making your business more successful, by not allowing merchant services fees to drain off a sizeable portion of your hard-earned profits.