In this PNC Merchant Services review, we’ll give an overview of what it can offer your business and take an objective look at the company’s reputation.
News
In 2017, law firm Webb, Klase & Lemond filed a class action lawsuit against PNC Merchant Services alleging that the company consistently and knowingly charged more than permitted in merchant agreements to clients across the country in what it calls an example of systematic overbilling. The case, Healing for the Abused Woman Ministries v. PNC Merchant Services Company, alleges breach of contract and seeks return of amounts paid to PNC that exceeded the fees outlined in the merchant agreements signed by the businesses.What processing services can PNC Merchant Services offer my business?
PNC offers an array of processing services that can be fashioned to fit your business’ specific processing needs. With PNC you can accept payment cards or checks whether your transactions occur in a traditional store environment, on-the-go with mobile processing, online for ecommerce, or taking mail/phone orders. The company also offers a gift card program to those who are interested.
Payment Card Services
You can worry less about making a sale when you offer a variety of convenient ways of payment. Credit cards, debit cards, EBT payments, and gift and loyalty cards can all be processed using PNC’s services. The company also offers equipment for facilitating these transactions.Check Services
Accepting checks is still an important way of receiving payment for many businesses, but you don’t need to be burdened by excessive trips to the bank or worries about the check bouncing anymore. PNC Merchant Services offers TeleCheck Electronic Check Acceptance; it converts paper checks into electronic transactions for added security and deposits them directly into your account. You can convert the checks electronically with any terminal that supports TeleCheck.In Person Processing
PNC Merchant Services offers a variety of payment methods for businesses like retail, restaurants, and others that work out of a traditional brick and mortar location. You can process payment cards and checks using terminals, PIN pads, point of sale systems, check readers, and equipment for EMV and contactless payments.Mobile Processing
If your business can’t be tethered to one spot, mobile processing offers the flexibility you need for making sales while on the move. PNC Merchant Services offers different options for mobile transactions including wireless terminals and card readers that plug into your smartphone. These options can be beneficial for those who work at tradeshows, festivals, or offer in-home services.Online Processing and Mail/Phone Orders
Whether you are an ecommerce entrepreneur or looking for a way to enable mail order or telephone order payments, a payment gateway can meet your processing needs. PNC Merchant Services offers the payment gateway Payeezy. Along with the ability to process credit card payments, Payeezy offers hosted checkout pages that can be customized for collecting sensitive billing information, a real-time payment manager for reporting and obtaining transaction information, and programming tools to help integrate your current website or app.Gift Card Program
Gift cards can be a great way to expand your influence and allow your customers to share your business with others. They also offer a means for analyzing spending trends and patterns. PNC Merchant Services has a program that will allow you to customize cards or choose from pre-made designs, as well as create signs, displays, and other accessories to go with them. Programs can be tailored to meet your business’s individual needs.Cash Flow Insights
Cash Flow Insights is a collection of computing tools for analyzing and managing your business’s cash flow. The tools can be accessed online anytime and offer accounting software syncing, invoicing, document management, and more. The service is not included automatically with an account, but can be added for a monthly fee.What equipment does PNC offer?
PNC Merchant Services can provide several options for equipment, including traditional card processing terminals, check scanners, point-of-sale solutions, and mobile options. Multi-location terminals are also available for companies with more than one branch. The company, however, does not offer much specific information regarding the models of equipment offered. PNC Merchant Services does offer an assortment of Clover products. One option is the Clover Station, a point-of-sale solution for retailers and restaurants. The comprehensive system replaces your existing cash register, payment terminal, receipt printer, and barcode scanner. It has touchscreen functionality, can be accessed via the internet, and includes comprehensive tracking, including inventory, transactions, and employee activity. Clover Mobile and Clover Go are also available options for accepting mobile payments. The misleadingly named Clover Mobile is actually still a point of sale solution, not a reader for smartphones as “mobile” usually refers to. The tablet-based system can be paired with the Clover Station for taking tableside payments and has other features such as a built in barcode scanner and EMV card reader. The Clover Go is the smartphone solution. With Clover Go, you can download an app that will allow you to key-in payments on your smartphone, as well as take payments with a plug-in card reader.Are there any security benefits to working with PNC?
If you are looking for hands on help you might need to look elsewhere, but PNC Merchant Services does dedicate a large section of its website to PCI compliance and security information. Pages include understanding data security requirements, tips to minimize chargebacks, protection from phishing, and protecting cardholder data, understanding PCI, validating PCI, TransArmor seamless solution for tokenization, and Trustwave compliance validation information.PNC Merchant Services Rates and Fees
PNC Merchant Services doesn’t publish pricing information on its website, and will set pricing differently for each business. If you would like to know what you would be paying for PNC’s services, you can request a quote directly through this profile using CardFellow’s free quote request tool.PNC Merchant Services Reviews
A good place to start when researching a company’s reputation is by reading through the complaints at the Better Business Bureau. Unfortunately in this case, there’s nothing to go on: PNC Merchant Services does have a profile with the BBB, but it is not accredited and holds no rating. There are no complaints or reviews. This is likely because a note from the BBB informs people that the profile’s address is incorrect and that they must contact the BBB directly to make a complaint. This might mean that zero complaint status is misleading, but it is unclear if the BBB would post the complaints or if anyone has made an attempt. There are also no reviews to be found on Google or Yelp, but Ripoff Report has 7 reviews listed between 2012 and 2015. The main complaint seems to be that the contracts are intentionally deceptive and not fully disclosed. People report being unable to cancel their accounts, rates being raised, and hidden fees. With only 7 reviews to go on, a valid assessment of PNC Merchant Services’ online reputation isn’t really possible. It could be that complaints about the company are few and far between, or maybe we aren’t getting the whole story.
Ben Dwyer
Ben Dwyer began his career in the processing industry in 2003 on the sales floor for a Connecticut‐based processor. As he learned more about the inner‐workings of the industry, rampant unethical practices, and lack of assistance available to businesses, he cut ties with his employer and started a blog where he could post accurate information about credit card processing. As the blog gained in popularity, Ben began directly assisting merchants in their search for a processor. Ben believes in empowering businesses by providing access to fair, competitive pricing, accurate information, and continued support. His dedication to transparency and education has made CardFellow a staunch small business advocate in the credit card processing industry.
