Started as an ‘operating from home’ project in 2004, Reliance Merchant Services is a payment processing company headquartered in Madison, Connecticut. The provider, offering payment solutions to businesses in the tri-state area, is a verified ISO/MSP of Wells Fargo Bank. It launched its subsidiary Reli-Bid in 2018, specially designed to facilitate fundraising for non-profit organizations.
RMS serves multiple industries, including pest control, wellness, home improvement, food and beverage, event management, car dealership, medical, and consignment stores. The company is most suitable for small businesses looking for a cost-effective platform for all their needs. It aims to deliver exceptional services with efficient hardware and consumer-friendly features, helping merchants reach their goals. RMS prides itself on practicing an honest approach toward processing all payment types while providing face-to-face customer service.
The company accepts all major credit and debit card brands and maintains a one-stop shop for online, mobile, and in-store card payment processing. It prioritizes its clients by combining the best of its people and technology-driven solutions to project a secure shopping experience for merchants and their customers. Here is a Reliance Merchant Services review listing out the basic aspects and pros and cons of choosing it as your payment facilitator;
Reliance Merchant Services Fees and Contract Intricacies
The provider does not lend information about its contract terms and offers variable contracts depending on a business’s risk profile, processing history, type, and size. In an average RMS contract, merchants are charged 1.00% to 4.99% swiped and keyed-in transaction rates, but this is just an estimate. Merchants should expect a higher rate after signing up since the pricing is not disclosed beforehand.
Reviews indicate that the provider does not charge a statement, account setup, and application fee. There are no signs of a gateway setup or monthly fee. However, merchants should inspect all the details and ask relevant questions just to be certain.
Sales and Advertisement
The Reliance Merchant Services reviews portray that the company has trained an in-house sales team and utilizes traditional advertisement methods to promote its name. It also relies on existing customers to boost its sales and market its products. There is no indication of hiring independent sales representatives or using deceptive marketing tactics by the provider.
Customer Support
RMS has reserved multiple customer support numbers and an email address for merchants to reach out to the provider. There is a support form on the website to address queries regarding technical issues. Merchants are provided with a knowledge base with user manuals and instructions regarding the services they avail of.
Reliance Merchant Services Products and Benefits
The provider caters to all business types for level 2 and 3 processing but mainly focuses on mobile and online companies. It provides ACH acceptance and e-check services and facilitates wireless terminal solutions, next-day funding, online ordering, loyalty and gift card programs, and gateway solutions. Healthcare businesses can benefit from FSA (Flexible Spending Account) and HRA (Health Reimbursement Arrangement) services to cover major costs. Merchants are offered recurring billing, API and QuickBooks integration, online invoicing, and event payment processing solutions.
Cash Discount Program
Merchants can lower their credit card processing fees by availing of the company’s cash discount program to balance cash and card payments and reduce processing fees. This program works by offering discounts to customers for every cash payment. Consumers can offer a dual pricing model but incentivize customers to pay with cash to avoid the high processing fee charged by their credit card network. This way, businesses can keep their customers satisfied while reducing their company’s expenditures.
Next Day Funding
The payment facilitator offers a next-day funding option to its clients to eliminate the long waiting time, enabling merchants to access the money instantly after submitting a transaction. According to the Reliance Merchant Services reviews, the company helps merchants increase cash flow by directly funding all MasterCard, Visa, and Discover transactions the next business day. This way, merchants can fulfil financial needs and avail of opportunities by utilizing the money instead of waiting impatiently for days.
Recurring Billing Services
With RMS recurring billing solutions, merchants can reduce their burden and eliminate unnecessary clutter by scheduling future payments. They can charge the customer’s credit card automatically after a pre-defined interval based on their desired subscription plan. This service, designed to prompt regular payments, can also be used for one-time payments and molded to fit individual preferences. This way, merchants can eliminate manual labor, save significant time, and enhance customer experience by avoiding displeasure caused by delayed payments.
ACH Debit
The company enables businesses to lower expenses by accommodating ACH debit transactions to transfer funds and bills electronically. This method is more economical than credit card payments and allows merchants to control their cash flow and eliminate mail float. It is more secure than traditional wire transfers as the ACH network enforces strict regulations and keeps the account information confidential. Merchants can reduce the risk of human error by replacing manual work with an automated system. Furthermore, ACH payments can be reversed, unlike wire transfers, which is a huge bonus.
Restaurant Online Ordering
According to Reliance Merchant Services reviews, restaurants are offered useful and economical features like online food ordering to streamline daily operations. Merchants can display an uncomplicated ordering system and receive all orders directly on the kitchen printer.
This feature is especially useful for large orders, allowing customers enough time to browse the menu and order food from anywhere. It increases a brand’s popularity and attracts more customers who prefer getting food delivered without interacting with anyone. Merchants can personalize the system to match their brand theme and increase the ticket size to accelerate sales.
Reliance Merchant Services Reviews and Complaints
The company has not received many online reviews on consumer protection websites, and a few complaints have been posted against it. No mentionable lawsuits exist, or FTC reports are staining its name, indicating that the provider has maintained a decent online reputation. However, the lack of positive feedback shows that few complaints can be because merchants prefer to avoid posting their dissatisfaction online.
Better Business Bureau Profile
RMS was accredited by Better Business Bureau in 2011, displaying an A+ rating on its BBB profile ever since. The company has not received any formal or informal complaints, and zero reviews have been posted on the platform in the last three years. However, the BBB rating is not reliable.
Disadvantages of Choosing RMS
Multiple reviews prove that the company does not offer price transparency, making it difficult for merchants to find its contract details and other necessary information. The provider claims to offer excellent customer support but offers limited options. Merchants cannot determine its pricing and contract clauses because of high variability. Here is a Reliance Merchant Services review concerning its shortcomings;
Undisclosed Information
RMS does not reveal its pricing model, and its annual, monthly minimum, and payment gateway fee is unknown. Merchants are not provided insight into its PCI compliance criteria and equipment lease terms. They are deprived of knowing the provider’s early cancellation fee and virtual terminal rate. The company keeps secretive about its contact details and only mentions variable pricing, which is not enough for merchants to determine if they can rely on it.
Inadequate Support Options
The provider claims to provide the best customer service, but the Reliance Merchant Services reviews do not verify the claim. Even though customers have not posted complaints against it, the available options are inadequate for a large clientele. Merchants are not offered the live chat option for quick answers and are not assisted by a dedicated account manager to answer queries and guide them through the process.
Inadequate customer service by the payment facilitator causes unresolved issues and stops merchants from providing the best experience to their customers, reducing a company’s popularity.
Variable Pricing and Contract Terms
Offering variable contracts and pricing has its perks, but it can be confusing for new merchants. It is a complex system and difficult to implement and maintain. Not providing fixed contract terms can confuse merchants. It is difficult for consumers to determine if the provider is suitable for their business since they cannot evaluate anything in advance. Variable pricing allows the provider to make changes without providing an authentic explanation, which can be troublesome for most businesses.
Conclusion
Deduced from this Reliance Merchant Services review, it is evident that the company is a reliable payment facilitator for specific business types and is not recommended for in-person payments. Lack of price transparency can be discrediting for merchants, and poor customer service can be disappointing as it repulses the sense of reliability.
Merchants are advised to look for a payment facilitator that provides security, answers all their queries, and does not shy away from offering full disclosure. They should compare the company with the top-rated service providers to determine if it benefits their business more than the rest. Moreover, merchants looking forward to signing up with RMS should hire a third-party audit to detect hidden charges, ensuring they are not paying more than what they are offered.
