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Help, I Need a New Check Guarantee Service

Posted by Joe Gargiulo | Fri, Aug 24, 2018 @ 07:45 AM

check guarantee

Check guarantee companies are a small segment of the financial services industry, and CrossCheck has seen competitors come and go since launching in 1983. Over the years, some privately owned check guarantee firms have been gobbled up by much larger conglomerates, yet CrossCheck has remained independently owned throughout its distinguished history.

More importantly, though, CrossCheck is periodically contacted by merchants who are looking for a new check guarantee company because they just parted ways with their old one. Disgruntled merchants come in all shapes and sizes, but their reasons for dissatisfaction generally center on a group of check processing faux pas:

  1. Poor customer service or a lack there of
  2. Loss of personal touch (i.e. no follow-up from their sales rep)
  3. Unresolved equipment issues
  4. Too many declined checks

The first two areas are people problems, the third is technical and the fourth has to do with management decisions.

As a matter of fact, those four reasons happen to be areas where CrossCheck shines, and successfully delivering them has led to 34 years of providing check guarantee services to U.S. merchants in verticals such as retail automotive, auto aftermarket, powersports, heavy equipment, home furnishings, building materials, dental and veterinary offices, and building construction.

In order to remain on the positive side of the situation, the following sections discuss proper approaches to customer service, follow-up, equipment and check approvals.

Customer Service

Customer service generally represents the front lines of communication between companies and their customers. Note: for the sake of clarity, “merchants” are the customers of check processing companies while “consumers” are the customers of merchants.

Thus, in the realm of check processing, providing excellent customer service translates to making sure merchants are getting the most out of their monthly service agreement.

CrossCheck takes customer service seriously: merchants can call the CrossCheck Customer Service department any time of day or night, including weekends and holidays to receive free assistance. For example, a retail specialty shop needing help with a check payment at 8 PM Christmas Eve can call 800-552-1900 and speak with a live human being to receive support.

The company also believes in thoroughly training — Customer Service reps must complete an initial training program lasting up to three weeks that includes classroom instruction, practice sessions and real-time customer assistance under the watchful eye of a Customer Service Supervisor. The goal is to achieve the high level of satisfaction that longtime CrossCheck merchants have grown accustomed to receiving and to offer “one-call resolution.”

Standing behind Customer Service are two other departments responsible for assisting merchants:

Account Implementation is responsible for onboarding new accounts, ensuring they are operational, and merchant training. Retail Systems Support covers the hardware used by merchants (see details in the below section).

Personal Touch

Responsible sales people take a genuine interest in their customers before and after a sale. CrossCheck sales people check in with their new merchant customers during the first few months to make sure their needs are being met, they understand how to use the services and equipment, and their equipment is functioning properly. Depending on the situation, the sales people will connect merchants with appropriate department to provide further assistance: Customer Service, Account Implementation or Retail Systems Support.

Equipment

CrossCheck understands that merchants rely upon properly functioning equipment to process and submit checks.

The CrossCheck Retail Systems Support team (aka “Tech Support”) helps ensure that new merchant operations are running smoothly by remotely programming equipment already in use or providing them with loaner equipment. The department also provides tech support to longstanding merchants with occasional equipment issues.

The bottom line is that merchants should never have equipment issues that are unresolved by their check guarantee provider.

Declined Checks

check guaranteeOur September 2016 blog article, “Why Are Checks Declined?” lists several reasons for declining checks: out-of-state checks, problems with drivers licenses, issues with the MICR code (unreadable digits, bogus accounts, etc), and check amounts over the limits authorized by the vendor.

Check limits are specified in merchant service agreements, but some check guarantee companies sometimes reduce the limits to protect themselves, causing an increase in declined checks for merchants. CrossCheck addresses this issue with favorable terms that minimize check declines for its merchant customers.

“We have the highest limits in the industry and are in the business of helping merchants complete sales more efficiently,” said Senior Vice President Charles Dortch III, “CrossCheck approves more checks than other guarantee companies because we are willing to take more risks!”

Why Hire a Check Guarantee Company?

Check guarantee companies provide business functionality that most companies can’t effectively fulfill on their own. When properly executed, these services can help reduce risk, increase sales revenue and streamline transactions to the benefit of merchants and consumers alike.

CrossCheck offers check guarantee, check verification and electronic processing services as well as unique solutions addressing specific needs such as the CrossCheck’s Auto Industry RDC Solution (C.A.R.S.) program for automotive retail.

Download our free guide to learn more about CrossCheck Check Guarantee services.

Check Guarantee Insider's Guide

Topics: Check Guarantee

Written by Joe Gargiulo

Marketing Specialist Joe Gargiulo has 25-plus years in marketing, communications and copy writing. As a writer, he enjoys connecting story leads to all aspects of the human experience.