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Tell us about your experience with Merchant Management Group in the comment section below.
(850) 747-0664Company Overview
Founded in 2004, Merchant Management Group is a merchant account provider that serves most standard-risk business types in the U.S. The company is a reseller of First Data (now Fiserv) products and services. According to the company’s website, it has active partnerships with select businesses including telecommunications conglomerate Comcast and financial firm Edward Jones.
Article Summary
Before we dive in, here’s a short summary of what we’ll cover:
- Merchant Management Group’s various payment processing services.
- The company has received few complaints online.
- The MMG contract is no longer available but likely resembles that of First Data/Fiserv.
Merchant Management Group Payment Processing
Merchant Management Group processes all major debit and credit cards for standard-risk businesses. The company also appears to partner with Clover and Rockit POS for its POS services. The company advertises its partnership with cHooZ to offer a cash discount program to merchants. In addition to its payment processing services, Merchant Management Group utilizes Clover Insights to provide merchants with business analytics, for marketing and consulting as well as event management through another one of its partners, Partywirks. They also offer ATM services.
Location & Ownership
Merchant Management Group is a registered ISO of Wells Fargo Bank, NA, Concord, California, and is headquartered at 538 Harmon Avenue, Panama City, Florida 32401. Rodney Friend is the founder and CEO and Dave Zank is the director of business of Merchant Management Group.
Merchant Management Group Pros and Cons
pros
- Few Complaints
cons
- Little Information About Contract Available
Table of Contents
- Costs & Contract: Offers a three-year contract through…
- Complaints & Service: Has received fewer than 10…
- BBB Rating: Has an “A+” rating and has received…
- Sales & Marketing: Does not appear to hire independent sales…
Merchant Management Group Customer Complaints & Reviews
Here's What Users Think
Complaint Summary
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Total Online Complaints
<10
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Live Customer Support
Yes
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Most Common Complaint
N/A
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Recent Lawsuits
No
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Low Complaint Total
We are currently only able to locate 2 negative Merchant Management Group reviews at this time (found below this review), and there is no evidence that the company is a ripoff or a scam. Merchant Management Group has been active for over 10 years, so its clean complaint record is exemplary by industry standards. It is possible that some customer service complaints intended for Merchant Management Group have instead been filed against First Data (Fiserv) or First Data Global Leasing, but we have not found any evidence to suggest that this is happening. If you have your own Merchant Management Group review to make, please do so in the comments below.
Merchant Management Group Lawsuits
We have not found any outstanding class-action lawsuits or FTC complaints filed against Merchant Management Group. Dissatisfied clients who wish to pursue a non-litigious course of action against the company should consider reporting it to the relevant supervisory organizations.
Merchant Management Group Customer Support Options
The company offers phone, email, and web support
Merchant Management Group Customer Service Number
- 850-747-0664 – General Support
Other Support Options
- Support form
- Live chat support
- Customer service email address at [email protected]
The company does not qualify as a top-rated processor for customer service at this time.
Merchant Management Group BBB Rating and Report
Our Better Business Bureau Profile Assessment
BBB Summary
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BBB Reports
0
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No BBB Complaints
Merchant Management Group has an “A+” rating with the Better Business Bureau and has been accredited with the BBB since May 2015. The company has received 0 complaints in the past three years. It also has not received any informal reviews, although it should be noted that these reviews are not subject to verification by the BBB.
An “A” Rating
In light of Merchant Management Group’s total lack of complaints, we agree with the BBB’s rating at this time. Readers should be aware, however, that there is reason to be skeptical of the BBB’s rating system.
Merchant Management Group Fees and Rates
A Closer Look at the Contract
Cost Summary
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Cancellation Penalties
Yes
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Monthly & Annual Fees
Yes
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Processing Rates
Variable
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Equipment Leasing
Yes
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Three-Year Agreement
The standard Merchant Management Group contract is a three-year agreement through First Data (Fiserv). Though neither the company’s agreement nor program guide specifies rates or transaction fees, those likely resemble First Data (Fiserv) terms since American Merchants Inc. is a reseller of their services. However, resellers do reserve the right to alter the terms and conditions of a typical First Data (Fiserv) contract.
First Data (Fiserv) offers a wide variety of contract terms and pricing plans, but its standard agreement is typically a multi-year contract with an early termination fee of $495, a monthly PCI compliance fee of $19.95, and tiered pricing. Businesses that process up to $50,000 each month will receive a swiped rate of 2.69% plus $0.19 and a keyed-in rate of 3.69% plus $0.19. Businesses whose monthly charges exceed $50,000 will receive a swiped rate of 2.29% plus $0.19 and a keyed-in rate of 3.29% plus $0.19. Another facet of these contracts are non-cancellable, long-term equipment leases through First Data Global Leasing.
Some Red Flags
The company’s three-year term and built-in equipment lease are red flags that could trap clients in long-term agreements with punitive early termination costs. However, the contracts include the ability to write in an early termination fee of $0.00 or opt out of the included equipment lease upon signup. We will assign MMG an “A” rating in this section due to the lack of complaints about its pricing, but clients should be aware that the potential for high fees is there. Readers will more likely see savings with a top budget merchant account provider.
Merchant Management Group offers Clover POS systems through First Data (Fiserv)
Merchant Management Group Jobs and Employment
Hiring Standards and Ethical Marketing Assessment
Key Points
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Uses Independent Resellers
No
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Telemarketing
No
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Misleading Marketing
No
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Discloses All Important Terms
Yes
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Company Sales Approach
Merchant Management Group appears to primarily market its services through strategic partnerships and traditional advertising. There is no evidence at this time that the credit card processor employs a large team of independently contracted sales agents, although it is possible that it maintains some independent reseller relationships.
Public Contract Disclosure
We are unable to locate any Merchant Management Group reviews that accuse the company’s sales team of deceptive conduct, and there are no misleading rate quotes or unrealistic guarantees on its website. In fact, at the time of our last review, Merchant Management Group provided copies of its merchant agreement and program guide on its website, which is an uncommon degree of disclosure for any company in the credit card processing industry. However, as of this update, it appears the website has taken down its merchant agreement and program guide. If you suspect that Merchant Management Group is charging you undisclosed fees, we recommend seeking a third-party statement audit to find and eliminate hidden charges.
Merchant Management Group Review Summary
Our Final Thoughts and Opinions
Merchant Management Group rates as a reliable credit card processing provider according to all available information. The company is transparent about its contract terms and has received hardly any negative feedback from merchants in public forums. Readers are still advised to inquire about all potential fees and to compare the company’s contract terms to those of top-rated providers. We will continue to monitor merchant responses and adjust Merchant Management Group’s rating as we obtain more information.
If you found this article helpful, please share it!
martha
I had them for years and was pretty satisfied. Then they became very unresponsive and I left them, having been told my contract was ended and NO FURTHER CHARGES would be coming out. Certainly I owed them none. Then, unexpectedly, they took funds out of my account they no longer were entitled to that caused me an overdraft. Though they admit they should not have and should return it, over 30 days later, still nothing. Think long and hard
This post will help: Cancelling a Merchant Account Without Paying a Fee
-Phillip
Dale Williamson
I used this company for several years to handle my credit card services for my business. I was “forced” to upgrade to a machine that would handle a chip reader, since I received a $158 charge back from the credit card company for not having a chip reader. I was told that I was signing an agreement to lease the new card reader, but come to find out they were actually signing me up for an extended three year contract and not informing me until I cancelled their service to go with their competition, who offered better prices and service. I contacted the owner about the contract, he said he would think about letting me out of the $15.99 a month fee that I have been paying for over a year since cancelling their service. I continue to keep getting a bill for $15.99 and guess the owner decided to keep charging me for doing nothing. I will never use their service, not will I recommend them.I always try to keep it local, but Central Payment has saved me $40 a month, and I actually have a representative that comes by and checks to see if I need anything. I maybe saw three people the entire 5 years I used that this company. I guess since the Central Payment is saving me $40 a month, I am still ahead $24.01 a month after paying your extortion bill