Element Payment Services is a Phoenix, Arizona-based merchant account provider that joined the credit card payment sector in 2001. In July 2013, Element revealed that Vantiv had acquired it. Element Payment Services mainly serves large organizations and software developers needing PCI DSS-compliant payment apps. Our team did a complete analysis and Element Payment Services review for our readers.
Despite this emphasis, the business will service merchants of all sizes. The “Element Express Processing Platform” is Element’s branded payment gateway. Element Payment Services, situated in Chandler, Arizona, is a registered ISO/MSP of First National Bank of Omaha. Element Payment Services’ president and CEO are given as Sean Kramer.
Element Payment Services: Overview
Element Payment Services allows you to accept various payment kinds through various methods. Debit and credit cards can be accepted in person using conventional point-of-sale hardware, online using a virtual machine, or via mobile device, including a smartphone or tablet.
Element Payment Services Review Based On Services
Mobile payment
Suppose you need to take money in a wide range of settings. In that case, Element Payment Services provides the TransForm Mobile or TransForm Payments2Go solutions, transforming existing mobile devices into payment terminals.
TransForm Mobile is a completely integrated payment service provider and software for business management solutions. Payments2Go is a downloadable payment app that enables payment acceptance while providing the safety of point-to-point encryption.
Landscapers, delivery firms like florists and delivery drivers, carpenters, artists, and other businesses that routinely collect payments on the go can benefit from Element’s TransForm Mobile solutions.
Online payment
Element Payment Systems provides TransForm Hosted Transactions, a completely integrated e-commerce service designed for optimal security and ease if you accept online payment. Element’s hosted payment solution handles critical cardholder data and, therefore, can store data in a confidential card vault, minimizing merchants’ PCI compliance scope. You may also set up billing for any items or services offered regularly and charged to clients.
In-person payment
The Express processing interface from Element is a scalable solution that integrates with a wide range of in-person contactless payments. The Express functionality is PCI compliant and easily interfaces with software that manages businesses for straightforward business tracking and analysis.
Virtual terminal
With Element, existing devices with internet connectivity may be used as virtual terminals. The virtual terminal enables safe process transactions and is appropriate for usage in place of a physical point-of-sale terminal or mail or phone orders. Furthermore, the virtual terminal offers recurring billing, which allows for automatic invoicing for repeat payments on a routine basis.
Element Payment Services Review Based On Complaints, Fees, Rates, Customer Feedback
Complaints and Customer feedback
Since 2005, Element Payment Systems has just been accredited by the Better Business Bureau and now has an A+ rating. Element has received 13 complaints from the BBB in the last three years. Unauthorized debits, extended stays on funds, concealed annual fees, and ongoing debits after the cancellation are also alleged in the complaints.
Aside from the accusations, Element has two posted evaluations on the BBB website. One review is negative, while the other is neutral. The unfavorable review complains about ongoing pricing rises and the introduction of service and annual fees.
According to the neutral review, the company did sign up with Element. Afterward, they did not use the services. However, they were charged a hefty fee for early termination that they did not tell them before registering.
Because Element Payment does not have a testimonials area on its website, we do not have any client reviews to publish here. We can currently find five bad Element Payment Services reviews. However, none of them refer to the business as a ripoff or a scam.
Most complaints mention billing mistakes, unexpected expenses, poor customer support, and problems canceling subscriptions. In August 2014, Element added a $199 yearly fee for all merchants, which appears to have caused a moderate increase in complaints.
Rates and fees
Element Payment Solutions does not list any fees or rates they charge on their website. That is typical of processors, but it won’t assist you in determining exactly what your charges will be in any way, shape, or form.
You will be able to obtain a completely disclosed quotation to review in the privacy of your home, which is fortunate. Simply submit your request for a quote through CardFellow for Element Payment Services.
Element Payment Services Review Based On Advertising and Sales
Element Payment Services looks to sell its services through telemarketing, partnership opportunities, and its own sales team. There is currently no indication that the business employs freelance salespeople, and we can only find one Element Online Payments review that mentions unethical activity by the company’s sales employees.
In this case, they persuaded the merchant to think over the telephone that she wouldn’t be committing to a contract, just to discover later that she had signed a three-year contract. Despite the merchant’s uncertainty, Element Payment Services fully enforced the contract’s terms. To its credit, Element Payment Services’ public materials do not appear to employ fraudulent promotional methods.
Element Payment Services Review Based On Contract and Terms
The typical Element Payment Services agreement is a 3 agreement with Vantiv that includes auto-renewal for 2 terms, a Liquidated Damage resulting in early termination cost, and either Link or tiered pricing.
At this time, we cannot confirm specifics about other charges, such as Compliance service charges, minimum payment fees, or rate structures. However, some merchants claim that the business introduced a $199 yearly fee in August 2014.
This contract’s Liquidated Damages clause is very complex, charging two distinct amounts upon cancellation depending if the merchant is now on an Interchange-plus or stratified price structure.
For Interchange-plus customers, the business doubles the average monthly fees charged for the merchant’s three most costly months of service by the number of months remaining in the merchant’s contract.
Conclusion
Based on the results of our Element Payment Services review the company is considered a merchant services supplier that is above average. However, the number of complaints submitted to the BBB has increased, even though the company has had very few complaints elsewhere.
The recent acquisition of Element by Vantiv has altered some of the rules and contract conditions that will apply to go ahead. As a result, merchants are recommended to examine their contracts very carefully and ensure they completely comprehend all the rates and fees.
