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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849

    PayQuake Problems

    I've been with PayQuake for 7 months now. I've always recommended them and never had any problems with them. For the past couple months, however, I've had a few problems with them and am about ready to move to a new provider.

    1. Called my sales rep a month ago and left a voicemail about upgrading my account. Never got a call back.

    2. I was approved by American Express (through their application) and gave them my merchant ID. They said I was setup to accept Amex. However, I cannot process AMEX transactions. Called tech support and they said they'd call me back -- never did. Tried to call to follow up and nobody answered.

    3. Payments not coming in on time (like a $425 batch that should have been here by today) and customer service can't seem to access my record.

    4. No supervisors available to talk to (just voicemail)

    #3 and 4 I just called about today, so I'll see about those. But, I'm so frustrated right now I'm about ready to leave.
    Big things coming soon

  2. #2
    Does your sales rep have a personal number you can contact? Many do that such as email etc.

    Id hang on might be a valid reason to all this or could be genuine or busy.

    Hope all goes well.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849
    Just as an update. I found the Sales VP's AIM here on WHT and IM'd him. He called me right away and got all these issues sorted out for me. I guess I have to admit now that's some awesome customer service -- especially around the holidays!

    Thanks again PayQuake
    Big things coming soon

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849
    Quote Originally Posted by Nick H
    I've been with PayQuake for 7 months now. I've always recommended them and never had any problems with them. For the past couple months, however, I've had a few problems with them and am about ready to move to a new provider.

    1. Called my sales rep a month ago and left a voicemail about upgrading my account. Never got a call back.

    2. I was approved by American Express (through their application) and gave them my merchant ID. They said I was setup to accept Amex. However, I cannot process AMEX transactions. Called tech support and they said they'd call me back -- never did. Tried to call to follow up and nobody answered.

    3. Payments not coming in on time (like a $425 batch that should have been here by today) and customer service can't seem to access my record.

    4. No supervisors available to talk to (just voicemail)

    #3 and 4 I just called about today, so I'll see about those. But, I'm so frustrated right now I'm about ready to leave.
    Just an update.

    As for #1 they got me upgraded right then and there when I called the VP of Sales. He also spoke to my sales rep.

    #2 they STILL haven't gotten back to me about. Will call AGAIN tomorrow.

    #3 The payment was held because they needed to contact my customer. They allegedly released it last Tuesday, but I still don't have it. If it's not there by tomorrow, I'll call back again.

    #4 We'll see when I call back again tomorrow

    All in all, probably going to leave unless they get all my issues taken care of. Looking into CDGCommerce.
    Big things coming soon

  5. #5

    Similar Problems

    Hi Nick,

    My experience has been similar to yours. I've been relatively happy with PayQuake for over a year now. Then on 11/8 I had a ticket that was way over my average ticket price ($1000). After a week and it hadn't been deposited in my bank account, I called and found it was being held by the risk department.

    After much argument about the fact that this charge was from a friend of mine for services provided, and their refusal to treat me as less than a criminal, I finally caved and went along with their request.

    I had to issue a credit to the customer (11/16), wait for it to be debited from my checking account (11/21), get a printout from a teller showing the debit, FAX it to them, wait 2 weeks, and they would release the funds they are holding.

    Last Thursday I called to get the money released (2 weeks and 2 days from the debit). Now my calls are being screened and sent to voice mail. It seems they don't want to talk to me after I've done everything they asked. Nor will Allen or Alash return my calls. It's been over a month now that they're holding my $1000.

    I found the thread on this board with participation by the "VP" of PayQuake so I registered (last Saturday) so I could try to contact him. However, I still don't have clearance to see his profile and IM him.

    Needless to say, I'm not at all happy with PayQuake and it seems to me that the only activity verging on fraud has been on their end.

    John
    Sky Blue Music

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Apr 2005
    Location
    San Francisco, CA
    Posts
    1,031
    I would suggest you guys to work with the LOCAL bank - you can get merchant account from LOCAL bank and resolve issues in face-to-face conversations.

    When Merchant Providers located so far away - you don't really know what's is really going on - may be company has issues or who take care about you.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
    Posts
    3,381
    There are a lot of quality Internet merchant processors to choose from and I'd suggest that as being your best option in most cases.

    Local banks typically do not handle any kind of merchant services in-house, almost all of the smaller and regional ones just outsource to a 3rd party provider who handles agent bank programs... and in that case, you are just going to be referred right back to the third party.

    In addition, local banks do not generally understand Internet merchants and they certainly can't assist with any technical support issues that you might run into and the most frustrating thing is to get the run around and be pointed from Party A to Party B to Party C who points you back to Party A.
    CDGcommerce.com - Trusted Merchant Account Solutions since 1998
    Many thousands of successful, growing businesses benefit from our expertise every day. You can, too!
    We help merchants to eliminate gateway costs, reduce & mitigate fraud and achieve streamlined PCI compliance.
    Learn more today at http://www.cdgcommerce.com - we look forward to helping your business grow!

  8. #8
    nick or eidco,
    do you have any updates on payquake?
    Has their service improved since the holidays?
    I am looking for a merchant acct and like payquakes pricing.

  9. #9
    Quote Originally Posted by jackt32 View Post
    nick or eidco,
    do you have any updates on payquake?
    Has their service improved since the holidays?
    I am looking for a merchant acct and like payquakes pricing.
    I'd like to know too. I have been thinking about trying them for my startup website.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
    Posts
    3,381
    It looks like their pricing models have changed since the last time I looked a long time ago.

    Their Lite plan now has a small monthly minimum on it.
    CDGcommerce.com - Trusted Merchant Account Solutions since 1998
    Many thousands of successful, growing businesses benefit from our expertise every day. You can, too!
    We help merchants to eliminate gateway costs, reduce & mitigate fraud and achieve streamlined PCI compliance.
    Learn more today at http://www.cdgcommerce.com - we look forward to helping your business grow!

  11. #11
    I used Payquake for over 2 years, when I originally signed up, I went with thier no monthly fee plan. I paid a higher rate, but I was expecting low volume, some months with no sales, and it worked well. For a while. Then I started getting a $10.00 monthly gateway fee, which I was not supposed to get. I did not mind, it still was a low cost merchant account, so I said nothing and paid it (automatic withdrawl from checking account). Well, in January of this year I closed the website, and contacted payquake via EMAIL and phone (no one ever answers, left a voicemail) advising them I was closing my account. I did the same with Authorize.net. Well come to find out, they have been still billing me $10 a month since January. So I called, and left a detailed message requesting a call back. Guess what, no one called me back. So, $10 a month still was getting deducted.?
    So then I sent a certified letter, with a copy of my latest statement, telling them to stop billing me, I cancelled in January. Also left another voicemail and Email.

    Guess what, no one called me back, no EMail reply, and the post office says the certified mail was not accepted. WHAT???!?!?!?
    So now I have to file an online complaint with the Arizone Attorney General's Office. What would you do? I'm sure if I wanted to open an account, I'd be able to talk to someone, but need customer service, HA, good luck. So who is this "VP" that is supposed to be on this site anyways? Sure would like to talk to him. I'd bet he is "VP", "sales", and "customer service" all rolled into the one and probably only person who runs this "company".
    BUYER BEWARE

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849
    I spoke with the Paul Drainville (the Sales VP)...He told me that they recently started doing all their underwriting and Customer Service in house, without going through Applied Merchant Systems (AMS). AMS is the company that is *still* holding my $425. However, now that payquake is not affiliated with them, I will most likely return.
    Big things coming soon

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Chesapeake, VA
    Posts
    3,381
    It looks like PayQuake has officially abandoned their no monthly fee option.

    Their most basic plan now has a $9 monthly minimum fee on top of a 3.49% discount rate. That makes that particular plan very easy to beat by any number of competitors out there. You could easily get a very similiar monthly cost and pay a substantially lower transaction cost on all of your sales.

    BTW - are they going to make things right with all of the clients that they had submitted through AMS? I find it a little disturbing that it *seems* that they are just basically saying "oh well - we did sign people up as clients but now we're with a different acquirer so we'll just let the previous acquirer do whatever they want with those customers of ours even if it wasn't what we promised."
    CDGcommerce.com - Trusted Merchant Account Solutions since 1998
    Many thousands of successful, growing businesses benefit from our expertise every day. You can, too!
    We help merchants to eliminate gateway costs, reduce & mitigate fraud and achieve streamlined PCI compliance.
    Learn more today at http://www.cdgcommerce.com - we look forward to helping your business grow!

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849
    Quote Originally Posted by Nick H View Post
    I spoke with the Paul Drainville (the Sales VP)...He told me that they recently started doing all their underwriting and Customer Service in house, without going through Applied Merchant Systems (AMS). AMS is the company that is *still* holding my $425. However, now that payquake is not affiliated with them, I will most likely return.
    Just an update, I *still* don't have my money.

    PayQuake is nothing but a bunch of scammers -- avoid them like the plague.
    Big things coming soon

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Oneida, NY
    Posts
    2,849
    UPDATE!

    I stirred up a little trouble at PayQuake - sent them a letter via Fax, Email (to 2 contacts within the company), AND certified mail.

    Yesterday, I received a phone call from the CEO of PayQuake to personally apologize for all the problems I experienced. He said there is absolutely no excuse for it, but the person that caused the hold up "is no longer with the company".

    It turns up the CEO and I grew up in the same area - so we're kind of like neighbors.

    I was so impressed by the response I got that I've since switched back to them.

    Will post a re-review in 3 months
    Big things coming soon

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