Banc Certified Merchant Services Review

An Elavon Reseller

As an ISO of Elavon and other providers, BCMS has the freedom to modify the contract terms of its processors to a certain extent. As a point of reference, a typical Elavon contract offers a swipe rate of 2.65% + $0.19 an a keyed-in rate of 3.50% + $0.19. That contract usually includes a PCI compliance fee ranging from $29 to $59 per month as well as a $10 monthly fee.

According to a BCMS representative the company’s current standard contract is a month-to-month agreement with no early termination fee (ETF) unlike Elavon. BCMS sometimes offers different contract terms depending on the circumstances under which the account was signed.

BCMS also partners with Talech for POS solutions. Talech offers 3 tiers of plans to its merchants, its Starter, Standard, and Premium plans. The Starter Plan costs $528 per year or $49 per month. The Standard Plan costs $744 a year or $69 month for a merchant’s first POS system and $420 per year or $39 per month for each additional device. Lastly, the Premium Plan costs $1,068 per year or $44 per month for the first POS system and $528 per year or $49 per month for additional devices. Talech markets the Starter Plan to cafes or basic retail outfits, the Standard Plan to casual and medium-sized retail merchants, and the Premium Plan to full-service restaurants, multi-location retails, salons, and spas.

BCMS Contract Pricing Complaints

The terms cited in online complaints suggest that the former terms of Banc Certified’s contract included an early termination fee ranging from $195 to $295 and a monthly statement fee of $5-$10, but our understanding is that any new merchants boarded with the company will receive the month-to-month contract. Because the company hires independent sales agents, it is possible that specific pricing may vary depending on the agent setting up the account. Merchants are also advised to bear in mind that many of these terms are often negotiable (see: Fee Sweep).

Low Complaint Total

We are able to locate only one Banc Certified Merchant Services review on other non-BBB consumer protection websites, and the comment section of this review has received one complaint since its initial publication. The merchant in this case complained of poor customer service and misrepresentation of rates by a sales agent. The other complaint we found mentioned irritation with the company’s sales calls.

BCMS Lawsuits

We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against BCMS. However, Elavon, the merchant account provider BCMS resells the services of has a legal history.

In 2012, Elavon was sued by one of its merchants, a restaurant named Cisero’s, for PCI compliance fines. The problem started when U.S. Bank (Elavon’s parent company) was fined $90,000 by Visa and MasterCard, who alleged that Cisero’s had not secured its network and experienced a data breach that resulted in fraudulent transactions on a few of its customers cards. In reaction, U.S. Bank debited Cisero’s checking account of $10,000 without notice and then filed a lawsuit against Cisero’s owners to obtain the remaining $80,000, stating that their merchant account contract makes them responsible for such fines.

Dissatisfied merchants who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.

BCMS Customer Support Options

Because Banc Certified Merchant Services is partnered with Elavon, it is possible that many Banc Certified complaints get funneled to Elavon’s online profiles. However, we’ve found no evidence to suggest that this is occurring. BCMS offers a dedicated phone line and an email form for merchants on its website. The company’s support channels are not sufficient to qualify it as a top-rated credit card processor for customer service.

No BBB Complaints

Banc Certified Merchant Services maintains an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau as of this update and has been BBB accredited since 2002. 0 complaints have been filed against the company’s profile. Because of the company’s affiliation with Elavon, it is possible that some complaints about Banc Certified may have been improperly diverted to Elavon’s BBB profile. However, we have seen no evidence of this.

What Merchants Say

Though BCMS has not received any complaints on its BBB profile, the company has received 9 informal reviews. Unsurprisingly, considering its low complaint total, the reviews have been overwhelmingly positive. All of the 9 reviews are positive in tone while the remaining 1 is negative. The latest review was written by a merchant who has used the provider’s services for the last several years:

Very helpful and honest. We have 2 merchant accounts set up by them and they have always been responsive with questions and issues that have cropped up from time to time. We have been with them for about 5-6 years.

Retaining a customer for more than 5 years is certainly indicative of a reputable merchant account provider. However, this company still does not rank among our top merchant account options.

An “A” Performance Overall

Given the company’s complaint rate and resolution ratio, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Merchants should note, however, that there is reason to be skeptical of the BBB’s reviews.

Outside Sales Agents

Banc Certified appears to hire independent sales agents and use telemarketing to market its services. The use of independent sales agents is a common industry practice that unfortunately can result in an unregulated, untrained sales team. We were able to locate a few Banc Certified reviews that mentioned misrepresentation by sales agents, but there does not appear to be an overall pattern of nondisclosure by the company’s sales team. That said, if you suspect that Banc Certified’s sales team is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.

Pricing Models

The company’s website offers a page explaining interchange fees and touting its “cost-plus” pricing structure, which is described as “the basic interchange rate plus a few basis points to cover our services.” At first glance, it is unclear whether BCMS is referring to Interchange-plus pricing, which is the most transparent pricing plan available. According to a company representative, BCMS provides both tiered and Interchange-plus pricing to merchants, but the company strongly prefers to offer Interchange-plus whenever merchants are comfortable with it. We would encourage merchants to request Interchange-plus pricing through Banc Certified Merchant Services in order to receive the most transparent pricing model.