We take our role in providing guidance and education regarding the card payment industry very seriously. At our own expense, we have vigorously defended our right to continue expose unethical and predatory practices in the industry, successfully defeating every attempt to silence us. However, fending off frivolous lawsuits is costly. To sustain these efforts, one of the ways we generate revenue is through affiliate partnerships with ethical providers. This means that some of our outgoing links connect business owners to trustworthy, low-cost payment processors, which is what most of our readers seek. We see this revenue channel as a win-win-win for everyone involved. Business owners find good processors, processors get good clients, and we are able to continue to provide a valuable service to the small business community. We also recommend and link to many services that do not compensate us. Our priority is to guide you to the best solutions for your needs, regardless of potential revenue. If you have questions, please feel free to contact us.
All mentions of rate and fee costs are estimations based on publicly available information and client feedback. Actual costs may vary based on a variety of factors unique to your business.
In this review of Allied Commercial Financial, we examine their operations and services, starting with rates, fees, and contract terms to outline the costs and commitments for clients. We highlight common complaints, industry ratings, and employee feedback to give a balanced view of their reputation, while also assessing marketing tactics and customer reviews to show real-world experiences. Our analysis covers their payment processing solutions, including mobile payments, virtual terminals, e-commerce options, gift and loyalty card programs, POS systems, and merchant cash advances. We also review leadership ties to other industry entities, legal concerns, and customer support options to provide businesses with a clear and unbiased understanding of Allied Commercial Financial.
About Allied Commercial Financial
Allied Commercial Financial Homepage
Allied Commercial Financial is a Tempe, Arizona-based merchant account provider that serves most standard-risk business types. The company is a reseller of First Data (now Fiserv) products and services. The company states that it was founded in 2012, although there is no record of its website being active before October 2014.
Products & Merchant Services
Payment Processing
Allied Commercial Financial facilitates the processing of most major debit and credit cards for businesses.
Mobile Payments
The company provides mobile payment solutions, enabling businesses to accept payments via smartphones and tablets.
Virtual Terminals
Allied Commercial Financial offers virtual terminal services, allowing businesses to process credit card payments over the phone or online without the need for physical card terminals.
Gift and Loyalty Card Programs
The company provides gift and loyalty card programs to help businesses reward repeat customers and attract new ones.
E-commerce Solutions
Allied Commercial Financial offers e-commerce solutions that enable businesses to sell products and services online and accept payments through their websites.
POS Systems
The company provides point of sale (POS) systems with features such as inventory management, sales tracking, and employee management.
Merchant Cash Advances
Allied Commercial Financial offers merchant cash advances, giving businesses access to capital for growth and expansion.
Customer Reviews & Sentiment
Moderate Complaint Total
We’ve identified approximately 20 negative Allied Commercial Financial reviews, with some alleging the company’s involvement in fraudulent activities. These reviews have been consistently filed since the publication of our initial review. Most of them describe aggressive sales tactics, persistent telemarketing calls, lack of transparency regarding equipment lease terms, and higher-than-expected rates and fees.
In addition, there are a handful of complaints filed against Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, MobiSquad, and Azura Leasing, which specifically name current or former employees of Allied Commercial Financial. While an Allied Commercial Financial representative has suggested that some complaints were filed by a disgruntled competitor, we haven’t received sufficient documentation to support this claim. Even if we discount the disputed complaints, the overall complaint volume against Allied Commercial Financial would still be relatively low for a company operating since 2012. However, it’s the substance rather than the quantity of these complaints that has impacted the company’s rating in this section, lowering it to a “C.”
Allied Commercial Financial Customer Support Options
Allied Commercial Financial offers live phone support to its merchants. However, some complainants have reported that issues related to equipment leases must be addressed through the appropriate third-party leasing provider. This level of support falls short of the standards expected from top-rated payment processors for excellent customer service.
Industry Scores & User Ratings
Online Ratings Summary
PaymentPop
5
BBB Rating
N/A
Google Maps
3
ComplaintsBoard Rating
N/A
Our Rating
2.8
Average Rating
2.9
PaymentPop Rating for Allied Commercial Financial
Negative Feedback
There are no negative reviews published about Allied Commercial Financial on the PaymentPop website.
Positive Feedback
Allied Commercial Financial took the time to understand our business and crafted a payment solution that actually fits. We’ve had stable rates, responsive service, and zero issues since onboarding. It’s clear they value long term relationships, not just transactions.
Allied Commercial Financial BBB Rating
Allied Commercial Financial currently has no customer reviews or complaints on the BBB website. The business is not BBB accredited but has an “A+” rating.
Negative Feedback
There are no negative reviews published about Allied Commercial Financial on the BBB website.
Positive Feedback
There are no positive reviews published about Allied Commercial Financial on the BBB website.
Google Maps Rating for Allied Commercial Financial
Allied Commercial Financial has a 3 out of 5 star rating based on 32 user reviews on Google Maps.
Positive Feedback
My experience with this company has been great so far. I switched from a totally dysfunctional company to ACF a month ago and I am getting quick responses to my calls, courteous support and the company functions like they say they will. Great experience so far.
Negative Feedback
Make sure you do not sign your life way. They do not provide pertinent details or paper contracts. They do not let you know ahead of time that equipment is leased for 4 years. You will spend more getting rid of these people than it’s worth it. Equipment is old and not the easiest to use. No manual a nightmare at best.
ComplaintsBoard Rating Analysis for Allied Commercial Financial
Allied Commercial Financial has received negative reviews on ComplaintsBoard, with common themes including misrepresentation, fraud, and aggressive sales tactics. The reviews describe experiences of misleading information regarding fees and equipment costs, as well as difficulties in stopping unauthorized withdrawals and resolving issues.
Negative Feedback
Sometime in Feb of 2015 my son was approached by a salesman who worked for Allied Commercial Financial after months of daily harassing phone calls. He only took the appointment so they would stop calling. The salesman told my son he had a great deal and it would cost us much less in fees for using his company. The salesman then came to me and explained that there would be a fee for the credit card equipment but it would be refunded to us each month so that the equipment would cost nothing. He gave us his cell phone number in case we had any problems. After the first month when our rebate check for $169.00 did not come we called him and he said two checks had been written and were in the mail. During the second month when the checks had not come we called and his phone was disconnected. I then called Allied Commercial Financial and they said that they do not have any program where they rebate money for equipment leases. – Review from June 29, 2015
These people at ACF will not quit calling us after repeated requests to be removed from their call lists. They seem to have a “boiler room” mentality and are very forceful and rude at times. – Review from October 7, 2015
Positive Feedback
There are no positive reviews published about Allied Commercial Financial on the ComplaintsBoard website.
Source: ComplaintsBoard
Processing Rates & Fees
Multi-Year Agreement
A review of the standard Allied Commercial Financial merchant application reveals a lack of specific pricing information. However, according to customer complaints, the typical contract with Allied Commercial Financial involves a multi-year commitment with a variable early termination fee and a long-term, non-cancellable equipment lease. While the contract includes various fees, the exact costs of PCI compliance, monthly minimum fees, statement fees, and per-transaction fees are not specified in available reviews. We recommend consulting our list of top merchant service providers.
Virtual Terminal and Payment Gateway Charges
Apart from its in-store payment processing, Allied Commercial Financial offers virtual terminal and payment gateway services. However, the company does not disclose pricing for these services on its website. Typically, additional rates and fees, such as gateway fees, technical support fees, batch fees, and transaction rates, apply to these e-commerce services.
Allied Commercial Financial Program Costs
Clients report that Allied Commercial Financial sales representatives often propose locked-in low rates in exchange for a fixed monthly “program cost” of up to $79. However, according to independent sources, this fee is, in reality, a non-cancellable lease for credit card processing equipment. Customers claim to experience fee increases rather than the savings promised. Similar tactics have been attributed to COO Blake Zinke during his tenure as a sales representative for Paradigm Direct and Entrust Bankcard.
Costly Contract Terms
The pricing and contract structure offered by Allied Commercial Financial resemble those of ElitePay Global and Harbortouch. However, it appears that the fees imposed by Allied Merchant Financial do not benefit clients. Equipment leases often result in higher costs than outright purchases and do not allow businesses to terminate services if dissatisfied. Moreover, the promise of rock-bottom rates in exchange for a lease is questionable, as equipment leases are typically separate agreements with third-party providers like First Data Global Leasing, MBF Leasing, and Azura Leasing. Similar complaints filed against Entrust Bankcard, Paradigm Direct, and MobiSquad suggest that Allied Commercial Financial’s contract terms are far from competitive with cost-effective merchant accounts.
Lease Cost Claims
A company representative claims that Allied Commercial Financial caps its lease agreements through First Data Global Leasing at $65 per month ($49 per month for outside sales agents). However, this claim lacks documentation to substantiate it.
Allied Commercial Financial offers e-commerce solutions including a virtual terminal
Lawsuits & Legal History
We found evidence of a legal complaint filed against Allied Commercial Financial in an Arizona District Court on behalf of Stephen Christian against Paradigm Services Incorporated DBA Allied Commercial Financial. While Paradigm was granted a summary judgment as a defendant regarding its telemarketing practices, specific details of the case are not readily available.
Employee Reviews & Sales Practices
Outside Sales Team
Allied Commercial Financial appears to primarily use a combination of telemarketing, inside sales, and outside sales reps to market its services. The combination of telemarketing and outside reps is commonly linked to elevated complaint rates within the credit card processing industry, and Allied Commercial Financial appears to be no exception. We are currently able to locate multiple Allied Commercial Financial reviews that cite excessive telemarketing calls, high-pressure sales tactics, and outright deception by sales agents. This does not compare favorably to our list of best credit card processors.
Allied Commercial Financial Review Details
These complaints describe a sales procedure that is typical of the industry: persistent, unwanted telephone calls trying to set up a “qualified” appointment which is then followed by a visit from a sales rep who promotes a monthly “program cost” that is in fact a long-term, non-cancellable equipment lease. A company representative has stated that these sales agents are “direct employees” of the company rather than independent contractors. If you suspect that one of these employees has misled you about the Allied Commercial Financial rates, you can double-check your monthly bill with a third-party statement audit.
Complaints Under Other Names
It is worth noting that these complaints bear strong similarities to complaints filed against Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, and MobiSquad, all of which are Arizona-based businesses that are linked to current or former employees of Allied Commercial Financial by client complaints. It is unclear at this time whether Allied Commercial Financial has an active relationship with Paradigm Direct, Entrust Bankcard, or MobiSquad, but the overlap of current and former employees suggests that the sales tactics used at Entrust, Paradigm Direct, and MobiSquad could have been adopted by Allied Commercial Financial. In any case, the company’s marketing practices seem to be average for the industry and have accordingly received a “C” rating. As a point in the company’s favor, it does not list any misleading “teaser” quotes on its website.
Allied Commercial Financial Competitors
Compare Allied Commercial Financial to competitors that earned top marks.
Allied Commercial Financial ranks as an average credit card processing provider. Despite its relatively short tenure in the industry, the company has received a moderate number of complaints, with recurring concerns focused on standard contract terms and challenges with its sales staff. These issues suggest that while Allied Commercial Financial’s offerings may be in line with industry norms, there are clear areas for improvement in sales transparency and client relations.
Business owners should carefully compare Allied Commercial Financial’s pricing with that of top-rated merchant accounts to ensure they receive the best value. This due diligence is crucial in finding a provider that offers transparent terms, competitive fees, and reliable customer service to meet their payment processing needs.
