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Leaders

In 2000, Leaders Merchant Services became one of the first companies to offer merchant accounts, making them one of the most experienced and professional in the industry. The Leaders headquarters are in southern California. Due to the fact that they offer a complete solution, their services are good for any type of business, regardless of its size.

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Written by:Casey Newton


Company Profile

The company Leaders Merchant Services was founded back in 2000 which makes it one of the most experienced and professional merchant account service providers on the market. Its services are good for all types of businesses regardless of their size because they offer a complete solution. From merchant services and credit card processing to advanced hardware and online card terminals, it has it all. Since its inception, Leaders has served thousands of clients which have praised the company’s attention to detail and its care for customers. The Leaders headquarters are in southern California. Here is what you should know about it.

 

Why Choose Leaders

You should pick to work with Leaders if you are a business looking to also accept credit card payments and work with a user-friendly system. If you are an online business, Leaders can also provide means for eCommerce so you can also accept payments online. The size of your business or its type does not matter at all because this company is able to provide payment processing means for whatever your needs may be. You can also pick from a wide variety of hardware equipment from the website by simply contacting the company.

 

 

What Leaders Offers - Features and Functionality

Leaders provides a plethora of interesting and highly-useful features and, in a way, likes to offer traditional solutions and customer care mixed with a highly-advanced system and hardware equipment that is sure to make your job easier. Here are some of the most important features and uses that Leaders offers.

 

Features and uses

Credit and debit card payments processing: Leaders offers credit card processing methods that are meant to help businesses grow and improve. If your store is a physical one, a card machine is the best solution. The company can also offer other options for payment processing such as a mobile device that comes with a virtual terminal, classic card readers, using your smartphone, or online payments with the help of Authorize.net. You may want to use the smartphone solution if you are the type of business that moves a lot for festivals, fairs, and other similar events. The virtual terminal is also a great idea if you pick up cards via fax or phone. Leaders also claims to offer you a free terminal after signing up but you will have to contact them to find out more about this;

  • Shopping cart: thanks to CartManager, Leaders can also provide a shopping cart for your business. It comes with a lot of benefits such as the possibility to accept credit cards and e-checks, it can hold an unlimited number of products, and it can estimate fees, tax, and delivery;
  • Useful integrations: Leaders comes with a few very useful integrations but probably the most important and useful is the QuickBooks one. This provides instant access to the client through online an internet connection;
  • iAccess: this provides a way for Leaders’ customers to manage their accounts online with ease. They simply need to log in and they will have access to all of the important details of their account and will be able to keep track of everything from one place;
  • Hardware equipment: the official Leaders website also offers a wide selection of hardware equipment that you can pick from. Some of the most advanced such pieces of equipment include the Clover Station Point-of-Sale System, Clover Mini, and Clover Flex. They also offer a First Data FD150 Terminal and one that comes with an RP10 Pin Pad. In case you want more details about these items, desire to buy other versions or find out their prices, you will have to contact the company.

 

Requirements 

There aren’t any requirements for your business to use the Leaders system or any of its devices. You can already have your own equipment and simply purchase the software from the company or you can purchase both in case you don’t already have anything to help you process payments. Either way, Leaders provides possibilities for all types of businesses regardless of their size and type to make accepting all types of payments easier and therefore develop and increase their revenue.

 

Plans & Pricing

Unfortunately, apart from saying that the Leaders rates are some of the smallest in the industry and start at 0.15%, there is no other info on the pricing and fees of this company. It is, however, mentioned that, in case you want to end the contract in the first year, you will have to pay a $350 early termination fee and a $250 one if you terminate the contract after the first year. Other than that, the company strongly advises all potential customers to get in contact with its representative and obtain more pricing information.

You may also have to pay some installation fees that will depend on how difficult and advanced your hardware is. These fees range from $10 to $99. The hardware equipment presented on the website doesn’t have prices either and you will have to do the same thing if you are interested in purchasing anything.

 

Ease of Use

Apart from the entire Leaders payments processing system being very easy to use, the application process is also straightforward. The only thing that customers need to do in order to apply is to go to the official website and fill out a form with business info and proof that you are its owner. There is no need to print any documents because you can add them directly to the form.

After that is done, you will have to wait to receive your approval after which you will also get a password to activate the terminal or the software. In case you become stuck or need any extra info, a representative will always be there to help you out. In total, this entire process should take between three and five business days.

 

Customer Support

There are a lot of ways in which you can receive customer support from Leaders or simply contact the company. You can call its toll-free number (866-433-4105) which is available 24/7 and talk to a representative. You can also fill out the contact form on the website and wait for someone to call you back with an answer to your issue. There is also e-mail and phone support for training, installation, and technical support. Customers can easily manage their accounts via the iAccess portal or follow the Leaders social media platforms to stay updated on the latest developments and news.

Moreover, the website also contains some interesting and useful resources which are meant to help you understand everything better. Last but not least, its referral program can get you $250 if you know a business in need of a payments processing system.

 

Contract Terms

Leaders works on a three-year contract system for all of its merchants. However, there is a thirty-day trial period during which you won’t pay anything and you will be able to test the system. Once those days are done and you want to move on with the contract, giving up on it during the first year will cost you $350. If you want to give up on it after this first year, you will have to also pay a $250 early cancellation fee. Businesses need to know that the precise terms of each contract will have to be settled by discussing with the company directly and that there are no pre-set terms that work for everyone.

 

Conclusion

All in all, Leaders is a great choice for your business if you need to accept multiple types of payments without going through a lot of trouble. Using its system is very easy and comes with a lot of features, professional customer support, and a free trial to try everything out. Leaders is not aimed at specific types of businesses so you can give it a try regardless of the type or size of yours.

 

Pros and cons

Pros
98% acceptance rate
low rates - start at 0.15%
Hardware is also available
High-risk businesses are considered
Cons
A three-year contract is required
High cancellation fees