Specializing in catering to the payment processing needs of restaurants of all shapes and sizes in the U.S., Merchant Management Group was established in 2004, providing technical expertise to the hospitality industry. Headquartered in Panama City, Florida, the company is an authorized ISO of Wells Fargo Bank and resells the services of Fiserv. It aims to streamline the complexities of payment processing and provide multi-layered terminals to its clients.
Merchant Management Group promises to upgrade the existing infrastructure while adding the necessary software and equipment to enhance its client’s capabilities. It focuses on industry-leading solutions to help businesses maximize their potential and increase revenue. The provider motivates consumers to create long-lasting relationships with their customers by offering comprehensive solutions to assist them throughout.
The company aims to rely on transparency and integrity and prioritizes its clients’ interests. Its partnership with multiple companies, including Comcast (a telecommunications company) and Edward Johns (a financial firm), has proven to generate the best outcome for merchants in the U.S. Here is a Merchant Management Group review offering a birds-eye view of the many benefits and possible drawbacks merchants may have to face after signing up with the company.
Features and Benefits
The provider serves multiple standard-risk companies, online, retail, MOTO, B2B, and wholesale businesses. It offers ACH and EBT acceptance, EMV processing, POS equipment, virtual terminals, cash and e-check transactions, and mobile payment solutions. The company provides valuable features such as signature capture, receipt printing, recurring billing, shopping cart integration, and services like merchant cash advances, loyalty programs, check guarantee, mobile apps, and card readers.
Merchants can avail of MMG’s dunning management, online invoicing, and contingency billing services. They can also access business analytics, event management services, and marketing solutions to ensure improved efficiency.
POS Solutions
The company offers efficient POS solutions through Clover and facilitates Clover Duo, Clover Solo, Clover Mini, Clover Go, and Clover Flex, depending on a business’s requirements. Retail business owners can save time and focus on maintaining customer relations by worrying less about managing each transaction. The company offers new payment methods with reduced costs, helping hospitality businesses increase reservations and enhance their customer’s experience.
According to Merchant Management Group reviews, charity organizations can benefit from the company’s charitable giving solutions and manage customers’ information, collect payments for the event, and track attendance. Healthcare units can accept bank cards and allow patients to pay using the commonly used method. Merchants can integrate the provider’s payment processing solutions into their existing POS system and ensure all payment types.
Cash Discount Program
cHooZ is the company’s cash discount program for merchants to eliminate credit card processing fees by offering a 4% discount on cash payments. Contrarily, when a customer pays with a credit card, they have to pay the 4%, covering the credit card processing fee for the merchant. Cash discount programs take some weight off small businesses struggling to pay their credit card processing fee and allow them to increase their profits.
Kitchen Display Solutions
The provider offers a variety of user-friendly display solutions for restaurants, bars, cafes, and food trucks. ChefTab offers industry-leading functionality with its touchscreen and bump bars in hectic kitchen situations. Operatable at any location, it allows users to manage multiple guests at a time and bump off orders while tracking inactive tickets in the trash bin. They can also recycle order tickets to the active queueing.
With Fresh KDS designed for Clover, restaurants can improve ticket times by using detailed analytics and displaying orders on multiple screens. Consumers can integrate order ticket printers with the Fresh KDS to enhance flexibility. Alternatively, with 4 Leaf KDS, users can access web-based reports to improve kitchen efficiency and order accuracy. Compatible with tablets, TV screens, and desktop computers, this KDS allows multiple-screen interaction without additional cost.
Event Management
Merchant Management Group reviews portray that the provider has partnered with Partywirks (an event-booking software) to manage online events, bookings, payments, and invitations. Users can exhibit the food and gift options for customers to fully understand what they will be offered, gain the event details during booking, collect instant credit card payments, and display a ‘book now’ feature for future customers.
Dunning Management
Merchants can manage the complexities of a credit card payment decline with MMG’s dunning management services. They can also avoid failed payments with pre-dunning notifications. This service is particularly feasible for businesses with a large clientele making regular payments. They can keep their revenue flowing and avoid manually requesting customers for follow-ups.
Dunning management notifies customers about failed payments and allows them to update their credit card information (in case of an expired card.) It customizes the emails and saves hours of writing manual emails and sending them to multiple customers.
Contract and Pricing
Merchant Management Group reviews show merchants are bound to a three-year contract with a tiered pricing model through Fiserv. Even though the provider does not mention its rates on the website, an average MMG agreement costs 2.69% plus $0.19 for swiped and 3.69% plus $0.19 for keyed-in transactions from merchants processing $50,000 per month. Merchants processing more are charged 2.29% plus $0.19 and 3.29% plus $0.19 for swiped and keyed-in transactions.
Merchants pay a $19.95 PCI compliance fee and a $495 early termination fee. They are bound to a three-year non-cancelable equipment lease, but its terms are not mentioned.
Sales Practices
The company relies on traditional marketing and strategic partnerships to promote its name. Although it does not display deceptive quotes, MMG removed its program guide and merchant agreement from the website. It does not provide all the necessary information and maintains a bonding with several independent sales organizations.
Merchant Management Group Reviews and Complaints
There aren’t many online reviews for MMG, so there are very few complaints against it. There are no class action lawsuits or FTC reports, and merchants have not accused the company of scamming its clients. However, some complaints cited on multiple consumer protection websites are serious. Merchants are unsatisfied with the provider’s poor customer support and non-disclosure policies. They are concerned about the long-term equipment lease, high termination fee, and unaffordable pricing.
- BBB Report
The company was accredited by BBB in 2015 as rated A+ on its profile. There are zero formal or informal reviews against MMG on the review platform. However, BBB ratings cannot be trusted since they are not always verified.
- Shortcomings
MMG is a decent payment processing company, but its rates and policies are not. Consumers are unsatisfied with its sub-par customer service and do not trust the available information. Here are the most common drawbacks of signing up with the provider;
- Unreliable Customer Service
Deduced from the Merchant Management Group reviews, the company has only listed a single phone number and an email address as customer support options. There is also a live chat option for quick assistance, but complaints show that these options are insufficient for a large clientele. Merchants have indicated ignored calls, a non-responsive attitude, and unanswered queries. The company’s support solutions are not sub-par and need improvement.
- Concealed Information
MMG does not disclose all the necessary information and only provides limited disclosure. Merchants are not offered insight into the company’s contract details and pricing and can hardly know about its services from the official website. The provider does not reveal its equipment lease terms and conceals the agreement clauses.
Concealed information confuses merchants and makes them doubt the service provider. They cannot determine if they can afford the company and trust it as their payment facilitator. Not knowing what to expect, consumers may find the company unfitting for their business after signing up, increasing their problems.
- High Prices
Even though the provider maintains better rates than most payment facilitators, it cannot be listed among the top-ranked companies in terms of pricing. As stated in some Merchant Management Group reviews, the company claims a high ETF and its rates can go higher than what’s mentioned on the website. Unstable rates and a high ETF are the most unreliable factors in a service provider. Merchants can never be sure what to expect even after signing a contract.
- Long-Term Contract and Equipment Lease
MMG binds merchants in a long-term non-cancellable agreement and a locked equipment lease, two obvious red flags. Long-term contracts leave no room for flexibility and growth after a certain period. If the company’s policies do not align with your requirements, you will be stuck in an unsatisfying situation for a long time. Moreover, you cannot avail yourself of any better opportunity until the agreement expires.
Locked equipment leases are more expensive than the equipment itself. Merchants are advised to purchase the hardware outright than paying for its lease for years.
Conclusion
Deduced from this Merchant Management Group review, the company is suitable for a limited clientele and may not be reliable for all business types. Its rates are too expensive for most consumers, and nondisclosure policies are confusing. The provider does not offer flexibility and is rigid about non-cancelable terms. Its equipment lease is also problematic for most businesses.
Merchants are advised to inquire about the company’s fees and policies, ask as many questions as to satisfy their concerns, compare the available options, and ensure choosing a payment facilitator whose policies sync with their requirements. Consumers should look for a transparent service provider that emits dependency and trust.
