Based in Memphis, Tennessee, and currently headquartered in Florida, Emerald Business Solutions is a merchant account provider established in 2009. The company reselling the processing services of Fiserv is a verified ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank, offering accounting, tax planning, and bookkeeping services to small businesses in Edmonton. It specializes in providing tax-saving strategies to subcontractors, helping them take complete charge of their companies.
Emerald Business Solutions serves mobile, retail, and online businesses, catering to various industries and offering free quotes and consultations. Small business owners can benefit from the company’s corporate and personal tax filing, payroll management, business advisory services, audit assistance, and GST set-up and filing. The company helps businesses stay on track by regularly notifying them about their paperwork and bookkeeping due dates.
Merchants are charged one monthly fee for a package of services and are assisted in organizing their documents. The provider trains a unique team of specialized management professionals to introduce a proactive business approach to its clients. Here is an Emerald Business Solutions review concerning its pros and cons for merchants to gain a better understanding of what they are getting into;
Rates and Contract Intricacies
Merchants are bound to variable contract terms with a negotiable early termination fee ($500 on average) through Fiserv. The company does not offer valuable information about its contract. However, a standard Emerald agreement includes a $19.95 PCI compliance fee, a swiped card rate of 2.69% plus $0.19, and a keyed-in per transaction rate of 3.69% plus $0.19.
Reviews indicate a long-term, non-cancelable equipment lease but fail to provide further information. Moreover, the provider can alter the contract conditions at any time, a potential red flag for most clients.
A portion of the official website is reserved for the company’s online payment solutions and gateway services. It utilizes the expertise of Payeezy, Authorize.Net, and eProcessing Network for its virtual terminal and payment gateway options. Merchants pay variable charges depending on their chosen gateway. Consequently, the company’s rates are not competitive with the top-ranked service providers.
Customer Support Options
The provider outsources its consumer service from Fiserv and has dedicated one email address and a phone number for clients to access. Merchants are offered inadequate support options and probably address their complaints directly to Fiserv instead of Emerald Business Solutions. It explains the low complaint rate on the company’s part.
Sales and Marketing
Emerald Business Solutions reviews indicate that the provider hires independent sales representatives and avails referral programs to advertise its services. Since outside sales agents are undertrained, they lack better insight and become the root cause of a company’s high complaint volume. Even though the provider has dodged various complaints, merchants are displeased about this sales practice and have complained about misguidance by the sales representative.
Emerald Business Solutions Benefits and Services
The provider offers a Clover POS system, cash advances, EMV card readers and swipers, bookkeeping and reporting, fraud prevention tools, and online payment solutions. Merchants can avail of its international payment processing services, recurring billing option, and loyalty programs. Here is a detailed Emerald Business Solutions review regarding its most beneficial features;
Point of Sale Solutions
The company provides efficient POS solutions through Clover, allowing merchants to personalize it to fit their requirements. Consumers are provided with employee management features to improve workflow and track their staff’s workplace activities. With the provider’s sales reporting and inventory management features, merchants can keep track of their products throughout the supply chain and get notified about the generated revenue. This way, they can evaluate their sales performance and be ahead of the game.
Bookkeeping and Payroll Services
Small businesses are offered bookkeeping, mobile pickup services, reminder calls, and reporting tools. Merchants are advised about the required papers and documents and provided with strategies to maximize their tax write-offs.
The company’s payroll solutions advise consumers if and when they need a payroll account. They are assisted by the payroll-certified staff, helping them with ROE slips, pay stubs, and T slips. The provider does all the grunt work and notifies the client when it’s all done.
Merchant Cash advances
Merchants with bad credit or needing instant cash can benefit from the provider’s cash advance program. According to a few Emerald Business Solutions reviews cited online, the company offers quick funds that can be repaid with a percentage of a business’s future sales without justifying the purpose of the advance. Compared to traditional loans, this method is a flexible funding source enabling consumers to pay back as much as they can depending on how much money they make each month.
Online Payment Processing
Merchants can process international payments and recurring billing options to ensure timely payments and avoid requesting payments regularly. It facilitates multiple gateways for e-commerce businesses, enabling them to sell their products and receive payments through a website. With its fraud prevention tools, consumers can detect and eliminate data breaches and secure their customer’s information.
Emerald Business Solutions Reviews and Complaints
Even though the company is not accused of spamming its clients, several online reviews indicate excessive and unjustified charges. There are complaints about misrepresentation by the sales agents and irresponsible customer service team. There are no note-worthy FTC reports or class-action lawsuits against the provider. However, the low complaint rate proves most merchants are directing their complaints toward Fiserv.
Better Business Bureau Report
The provider is not BBB accredited but displays an A+ rating on its profile on the review platform. Consumers have posted zero formal or informal complaints on the site, but the BBB rating cannot be trusted for obvious reasons.
Shortcomings
Emerald Business Solutions provides reasonable services and features to most business types but lacks in some prominent areas. The lack of adequate customer service, untrained agents, and undisclosed information are some of the most common complaints posted online. Some merchants have shown frustration about hidden charges during the contract and unexpected fees even after account cancelation.
Undisclosed Information
Complete disclosure is the most integral factor in choosing a payment facilitator. A company that can eliminate its client’s doubts and satisfies their concerns by offering answers is what every business deserves.
The company fails to offer price transparency and deprives merchants of knowing its services and contract terms. It does not disclose most of its fees, confusing potential consumers. Merchants cannot determine if they can afford the provider. They are unsure if they should rely on its services to meet their needs and trust it with their brand’s reputation.
Below Average Consumer Service
A domestic phone support line and an email address are the only support options mentioned on the company’s official. There is no dedicated account manager or live chat feature to offer quick assistance. Most Emerald Business Solutions reviews cited on various consumer protection websites indicate sub-par customer service.
Merchants have shown frustration about unanswered queries and ignored complaints. Inadequate customer service is a drawback for merchants, forbidding them from getting their issues resolved. It proves to be a long-term hurdle in making their business a success.
Unexpected Charges
Merchants have complained about being forced to pay excessive charges after account cancelation. There is evidence of hidden fees and unreasonable price fluctuations during the agreement period. Hidden charges can reduce productivity and come in the way of a company’s positive reputation. Consequently, merchants cannot trust the provider and doubt its ability to offer reliance.
High Termination Fee
Multiple Emerald Business Solutions reviews portray expensive charges and a high termination fee. The provider mentions variable pricing depending on the payment gateway and other factors. Consumers have complained about the ETF starting from $500 and going higher for unknown reasons. Furthermore, the company’s overall pricing is not competitive with the top-rated service providers.
This is a huge disadvantage for merchants and is usually a tactic by payment facilitators to keep their clients. A high ETF is a way to force customers into keeping an unwanted agreement if they cannot afford the fee. On the other hand, service providers who fail to offer up-to-par services charge an ETF after tricking merchants into signing up with them. This way, they make money out of each contract cancelation.
The Takeaway
This Emerald Business Solutions review concludes that the provider does not provide adequate information, fails to offer reasonable customer service, does not train its sales agents well, and charges a ridiculously high termination fee. Its tiered pricing plan and non-cancelable equipment lease are worrisome for most business types. Even though the company caters to all businesses, it is only suitable for small businesses but too pricey for them.
Merchants are advised to weigh the pros and cons of the available options, compare their choices, and settle for a payment facilitator that ticks all the right boxes. Consumers looking forward to signing up with the company should negotiate the rates and lay out their conditions for the provider, making sure it agrees to their terms. They are advised to ask the necessary questions to gather as much important information as they can before signing the agreement.
