Beyond Payments is a relatively new processor founded in 2017 by the former CEO of Heartland Payments, a popular provider known for its transparent pricing and commitment to customers. As Beyond Payments CEO is the same, people expect them to share Heartland’s values. This Beyond Payments review will dive into the pros and cons of the provider.
Beyond Payment promises a commitment to transparency, above-average customer service and a suite of business tools to help merchants run their businesses effectively. Other than the promises for above-average merchant service, the provider is a partner of Give Something Back. Give Something Back is a non-profit organization that provides schooling and mentoring to students from low income homes, which gives working with the provider a sense of doing something positive for the community as well.
Beyond Payments commits to provide processing services to all types and sizes of merchants. Keep reading to get a better idea of the offerings and pricing of the provider, so you can judge whether Beyond is suitable for you.
10 Beyond Promises
A standard Beyond contract cannot be found on the internet, and there is no pricing information on their website either. However, the company advertises ten promises to their clients:
Ethical Business Practices
Beyond Payments commits itself to the highest ethics and transparency in business. They promise their customers ethical business practices as a core part of their company mission, and claim they know that this legally binds them to be much more revealing and accommodating in terms of their business practices.
Stable and Protected Fees
Beyond claims that they will only charge additional fees if they offer additional services. They claim that they will disclose all prices clearly and entirely at the time of the agreement. Furthermore, they claim that they will not increase any fees until the business methods or transaction volumes see a significant change.
Lenient Contract Terms
Beyond Payments claim that their customers will have complete autonomy over choosing a contract length that best suits their needs.
No ETF
Early termination fees are a common phenomenon for several merchant service providers. Some providers have such exorbitant fees that merchants are trapped in the contract till the term ends. However, Beyond claims that there are no early termination fees whatsoever, and merchants can terminate their service whenever they want.
Transparent Billing
This means that there will be no hidden fees in their statements and all prices will be disclosed openly and fully in monthly reports.
Business-Specific Solutions
The Beyond Payments team is instructed to tailor their product and service offerings to best fit client businesses. They even claim that they will do their best to integrate with the existing hardware of their clients.
No Added Fees
Beyond Payments does not add extra fees such as surcharges and chargebacks according to claims on their website.
Competent Customer Support
Beyond Payments endorses all of their equipment, and they will provide all assistance that clients need. They have a very active customer support system that commits to their client’s needs.
Reasonable Equipment
Exploitative equipment leases are a typical story in the payment industry, but Beyond Payments claim that they do not offer equipment on expensive leases. Instead, they provide it at reasonable costs.
A Bigger Cause
As described above, the company has a philanthropic cause to provide for the disadvantaged youth of America by providing them funds so they can continue their education. The company partners with the Give Something Back organization to do this.
Services and Products by Beyond
It is essential to include details about products and services in a Beyond Payments review, making it easier for businesses to decide on the provider. Beyond Payments has its line of terminals that the provider has made to tackle the needs of modern enterprises, and they are made to accept all payment methods – including magstripe, EMV and NFC-based methods. They have options that can work through wired or wireless methods based on the client’s preference.
Besides robust hardware options, Beyond has a strong payment processing platform that allows merchants to accept all payments, including the latest payment methods. But there is not much information to review on their website, especially pricing. Based on statements on their website, merchants can expect interchange-plus pricing and transparency in billing.
Red Flags of Beyond Payments
Beyond has a spotless record in terms of customer reviews. There are no negative reviews that can be found on the internet. A significant reason for this can be that Beyond is a relatively new processor. While there are no complaints that can be looked into, there are a few concerning things about the provider:
Lack Of Disclosure on Their Website
While this can be seen as nitpicking, it is a valid concern. Based on the norm in several payment processor reviews, a lack of disclosure often means there is something to hide. There is a severe lack of information on their website, especially in regards to pricing. While there are many promises, there is little factual information to back all of them up. Lack of pricing information can be because they do not offer the lowest prices. Several processors provide unbeatable prices, especially payment service providers that process low-ticket and low-volume merchants.
SEC Lawsuit Against the Founder of Beyond
Even though this does not directly address the company and its services, it is a part of this review as it is something that merchants should know about the company. The ex-CEO of Heartland Payment Systems, Robert O. Carr, was allegedly involved in insider trading. He bought shares of Heartland Payments and sold them at a personal profit the very next day. His attorney claims that Global Payments withheld some information, and this transaction was not illegal, but merchants doing business with Beyond Payments should know about this.
Conclusion
Beyond touts itself as one of the best payment processors in the market, and their offerings make payment processing comfortable for their clients, but nothing is extraordinary about their services. These services should be standard in the payment industry. Still, considering the climate of the payment industry, the provider deserves appreciation for their mode of business.
While the founder has a shady reputation and the lack of information on the website is concerning, the clean record of the provider is worth noting. While it may not offer the lowest prices or the best services, Beyond Payments is an adequate processor for the everyday practices of the payment industry.
