Marketing
For the most part, Ingenico promotes its services through various strategic partners, traditional advertising, and the customer base it has grown through the companies it has acquired. Other than these channels, it regularly uses social media platforms, like Twitter and Facebook, to promote news about the company and its services.
Honesty
Ingenico does not promote any deceptive rate-quoting or offer up any unrealistic promises or terms about its merchant services. We could not find a single complaint about Ingenico engaging in unethical business practices, or operating in a dishonest manner. With that being said, most of the information the site provides is way too general to be useful to any merchant. For instance, it boasts 230 acquiring partners and banks, as well as 225 certified partners, but it does not disclose who they are.
Sales
Ingenico uses in-house sales representatives and resellers to broaden its base of customers. We found no evidence that the company uses independent sales agents to sell its products and services. We did not turn over a single complaint about unscrupulous selling or business tactics.
Support
For sales inquiries, customers can fill out an inquiry form. For questions about transactions and account integration, customers are to call its support line. The line is available Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (GMT). It does not offer a live chat option. However, it does offer a frequently asked questions section and information center.
Staff Responsiveness
It took a long time for Ingenico to respond to our inquiries. We submitted multiple inquires before we received a single reply. The reply told us to provide some additional information and that an agent would call us back soon. We never received a call. We attempted many times to reach the business, but we were only able to reach a live representative on one occasion. The process was long, frustrating, and disappointing, and obviously, a window into how it deals with customers.
Staff Interaction
The little interaction we had with a team member from Ingenico was fruitless. She sounded confused, lacked enthusiasm, and was rushing to get us to submit an inquiry via the website. The only thing she was inconsistent about was asking for more details about our actual business, so she could begin the application process. We felt that getting the sale was what mattered most.
Staff Education
We had virtually no interactions with team members, so we are unable to assess the team’s training and education levels. The person we spoke to briefly was abrupt and not very helpful. We hope that this is something that Ingenico will work on in the future. Since it does not offer much information on its site, we find it invaluable for merchant service providers, such as Ingenico, to have staff that is clearly and articulately able to provide details about accounts, pricing, and contracts.
Pricing
Ingenico offers three plans – Starter, Premium, and Enterprise – for merchants that want to accept phone, online, and mobile transactions. The starter plan is for smaller businesses that want to take phone and mail order payments. The premium plan is for larger businesses that want a complete package, and the enterprise is a customizable online and mobile solution for larger businesses.
Ingenico does not provide pricing for any of these plans. Since Ingenico works with hundreds of acquirers, merchants can expect to pay a range of rates and fees. However, since it works with so many acquiring banks, expect to be given a good mix of pricing options. When discussing rates, ask about monthly minimums, PCI-compliance, and set-up fees. In general, what merchants pay depend on their industries, average ticket prices, and average transaction volumes. To find out what you will pay, you will need to request a quote directly from Ingenico.
Early Termination Fees
Ingenico provides no information about lengths of contracts or terms. Typical contract lengths are between three and five years. Some have automatic renewal clauses, and some force merchants to pay early cancellation fees. Those that do not have early termination fees, often force merchants to pay out the rest of their contracts to be released from them. Since Ingenico does not share any of this information, it is imperative that merchants find out the terms before they sign for anything.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that we did not find any negative reviews about equipment terms or charges.
Hardware Costs
Ingenico was well established a credit card terminal supplier before it began offering other services. Despite this fact, Ingenico does not include any buying or leasing information on its site. Ingenico’s terminals can be purchased online at many popular retailers. Depending on the specific machine, prices start at £49.99. Leasing prices depend on the company. In general, we believe firmly that it is much more cost-effective to buy than lease. In general, merchants pay exorbitant prices for lengthy leases that force them to replace equipment or use equipment that does not always work properly. If you do decide to lease, make sure you know the length of the contract and full terms. It is common for contracts to last four years, and to have automatic renewal clauses.
Complaints
Ingenico Group has a poor rating on TrustPilot, but it has only six reviews. The complaints are related to slow customer service and some hardware not working properly. Overall, for a company that touts tens of thousands of customers, these are not many complaints. Though this is a good sign, there is a good chance that customers with merchant account problems are posting their complaints on acquirers or third-party processors sites. To avoid issues, it is imperative that you thoroughly read contracts before signing and look for reviews and complaints about the processor and acquirer that you plan on enter into agreements.
