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Bank of Ireland Merchant services for online business - what a joke!

  • 05-02-2009 2:07pm
    #1
    Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭


    Its like applying for a mortgage. Ok heres whats bothering me. I just contacted Bank of Ireland. I am setting up an online travel business initially starting from home.

    Because my business is online I dont require a public office and thought it would be advantagous to setup with less overheads in the current climate. Its not that I am lying in bed with a laptop - I have a seperate converted garage about 60sqm with heating, flooring etc. Probably more comfortable than a serviced office and definetly more space.

    So Im shopping around and stumble upon Bank of Ireland merchant services. When I eventually got through I was launched into a screening process and hurled with a load of questions one of them being - "Will you be trading from a commercial premises?" ...............What difference does that make? When I said I would be initially trading from home I was told "you have no chance with our credit underwriters" in the most abrupt of manners ............. I subsequently put down the phone.

    Is this what our banks have become. Turning down start up business. Yet the Directors are not even reprimanded for taking 84million. Its a farce and yet again they believe they control the country and how it is run. - Well they are wrong and I am going to go to the Uk and do my business from there. Much more accomodating on the phone and can get me setup in a matter of hours instead of a matter of weeks here. People can vote with their feet.

    I hope this bank is nationalised after that response.

    What is wrong with this country? :mad:


«1

Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭heggie


    yes, it's very hard to get started in e-commerce with the banks unless you have a previous trading history, it's not all lost though, there are 3rd party payment processors you can use. Good luck!


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    Any recommendations with regard to third party?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,879 ✭✭✭heggie


    paypal would be the easiest, realex or worldpay, realax would be preferable though.

    http://www.realexpayments.com/


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    They are a payment gateway. You need these companies to process the payment. You need a Merchant account to land the monies in. So in effect you need both for processing.

    Realex and the likes are not a problem to set up with it. Its the banks and the customer not present for the credit card transaction where the problem arises.


  • Registered Users Posts: 379 ✭✭TheWaterboy


    I had the same porblems with Bank of Ireland when trying to setup a merchant account. I am registered as a Sole Trader and they wouldnt even entertain the idea of me getting a merchant account as i would be "working from a home address"

    Worldpay will be your merchant and payment processor but they sure do charge you for the privalege. Also it takes 4 weeks before they pay you. This can be tough with cashflow.

    I would try AIB or maybe Ulster Bank. Ive heard they dont go into that as much.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,388 ✭✭✭delllat


    I had the same porblems with Bank of Ireland when trying to setup a merchant account. I am registered as a Sole Trader and they wouldnt even entertain the idea of me getting a merchant account as i would be "working from a home address"

    Worldpay will be your merchant and payment processor but they sure do charge you for the privalege. Also it takes 4 weeks before they pay you. This can be tough with cashflow.

    I would try AIB or maybe Ulster Bank. Ive heard they dont go into that as much.


    you can register a limited company at your home address and give that as a "business" address

    you could give a differnt address like parents as your "residential" address


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,655 ✭✭✭1966


    delllat wrote: »
    you could give a differnt address like parents as your "residential" address

    -thats not gonna work 'cause you have to show proof of address e.g esb bill, landline phone bill, bank statement for residential address


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    Thanks for that. I have just contacted Aib and Ulster and both so far seem accomodating. Ill keep this upadated with my encounters.

    However there seems to be a serious niche in the market here for a merchant bank who is prepared to put some trust in their customers who wish to get this economy back on its feet. With the bad attitude experienced from the Bank of Ireland I will have no sympathy with them when they eventually go under.

    I just get annoyed when a country so small as Ireland has such huge barriers to trade. In the US for example there are ample ways to get setup in a number of hours. Whats the problem with our guys here?

    They seriously need to look at their internal fraud monitoring systems before implimenting such tough standards for their customers to trade.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,388 ✭✭✭delllat


    1966 wrote: »
    -thats not gonna work 'cause you have to show proof of address e.g esb bill, landline phone bill, bank statement for residential address

    worked for me!

    just tell them the bills are in your parents name as its their house

    why wouldnt it work?


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    If this is all that is between me and setting up a merchant account with Bank of Ireland - they seriously need to review their customer service skills instead of having this dated Celtic tiger pretentious attitude spoken with a marbles in her mouth accent on the phone. Doesnt do anything for me - just turns the milk in my tea sour!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 1,388 ✭✭✭delllat


    If this is all that is between me and setting up a merchant account with Bank of Ireland - they seriously need to review their customer service skills instead of having this dated Celtic tiger pretentious attitude spoken with a marbles in her mouth accent on the phone. Doesnt do anything for me - just turns the milk in my tea sour!

    they really dont have a clue

    how exactly would operating from an expensice rented premises make u less likely to rob your customers anyway?

    it would increase your need to rob people!

    its easy to get an esb bill in your name anyway if they wish to be awkward about it

    just get ur dad or friend to call them and change the name and they will send out a letter confirming the change and the new account number

    it doesnt cost anything,its just hassle


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    I cant be Bothered with Bank of Ireland merchant services after that. First impressions last and all of that.

    If I dont potray my business as being open for business then I wont have customers. _ Same applies to the Banks - especially Bank of Ireland Merchant services. Good Luck to them!

    Plenty of places in the EU that will do business with me. We are no longer confined to Ireland to do business as most of the country is aware of now. We as a nation need to compete on a European level and until the country wakes up to this they are going to lose lots of their custom.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    The company BOI use is called Elavon (http://www.elavonfs.com/) who used to be part of the Group. Since BOI sold them in 2004, they've got sh1t. Don't know why BOI still use them.

    However OP, you certainly have a bad attidute - "I hope they're nationalised" :rolleyes. You probably gave it to the person over the phone as well as if it's their fault. It's no wonder they dont want to deal with you.


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    stepbar wrote: »
    The company BOI use is called Elavon (http://www.elavonfs.com/) who used to be part of the Group. Since BOI sold them in 2004, they've got sh1t. Don't know why BOI still use them.

    However OP, you certainly have a bad attidute - "I hope they're nationalised" :rolleyes. You probably gave it to the person over the phone as well as if it's their fault. It's no wonder they dont want to deal with you.


    Not at all. I dont have a bad attitude but I do expect to be treated the way I would treat anyone wanting to offer me business. I simply wanted to setup a merchant account - nothing more nothing less. Not to be bombarded with a look down your nose attitude because I am a New business.

    Wake up and smell the coffee we are a country in desperate need of job creation and new business and if this is the way the institutions treat you when you pose a simple enquiry well then they dont deserve to survive. ROLLEYES!:rolleyes:

    You obviously have an interest in Bank of Ireland and your conflict of interest is not welcome here in this thread.


  • Company Representative Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭TheCostumeShop.ie: Ronan


    Merchant services can be a very weird creature, what i found helps is getting on to your account manager and asking for help to sort it out. A manager vouching for you will carry as much weight as jumping through all the hoops and is less time consuming.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    Not at all. I dont have a bad attitude but I do expect to be treated the way I would treat anyone wanting to offer me business. I simply wanted to setup a merchant account - nothing more nothing less. Not to be bombarded with a look down your nose attitude because I am a New business.

    Wake up and smell the coffee we are a country in desperate need of job creation and new business and if this is the way the institutions treat you when you pose a simple enquiry well then they dont deserve to survive. ROLLEYES!:rolleyes:

    You obviously have an interest in Bank of Ireland and your conflict of interest is not welcome here in this thread.

    You obviously have a problem with understanding english as well as a bad attitude problem.

    I'll spell it out for you. Elavon is not the Bank of Ireland and vice versa. The Bank of Ireland refers customers to Elavon and it is Elavon who decide if you are suitable or not. The Bank of Ireland have no control who Elavon accept as customers.

    As for your little snide comment regarding the "conflict of interest" I may or may not have is irrelevant, so irrelevant it's not even worth commenting on.

    If you don't understand the risks behind providing such a machine / merchant service then perhaps you shouldn't be in business at all. If you feel there's a grivance, put it in writing to Elavon, instead of posting here with posts of crap about directors loans, nationalisation etc which have absolutly nothing to do with you getting a merchant a/c or not.

    Finally if you feel it's "easier" to open all sorts of banking a/c's in the UK by all means go ahead. The country maybe in sh1te but if there's anything I can't stand is the poor me attidute. Move on. Get over it, because if this is the way you approach every set back you have in business you won't be long in same.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 456 ✭✭sm.org


    stepbar wrote: »
    The company BOI use is called Elavon (http://www.elavonfs.com/) who used to be part of the Group. Since BOI sold them in 2004, they've got sh1t. Don't know why BOI still use them.

    However OP, you certainly have a bad attidute - "I hope they're nationalised" :rolleyes. You probably gave it to the person over the phone as well as if it's their fault. It's no wonder they dont want to deal with you.

    I was going to say thats a surprisingly enlightened post by you then you went and spoilt it all.

    He's the cutomer BOI should be threating him like God. He has a bad attitude LOL, it wasn't you on the other end of the phone by any chance?

    I had similar problems with BOI myself and I dont give a rats ass if Elavon are a subsidery/part of/independent of BOI they are acting on their behalf and should act accordingly. There's no point in calling them ****e while continuing to use them.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    sm.org wrote: »
    I was going to say thats a surprisingly enlightened post by you then you went and spoilt it all.

    He's the cutomer BOI should be threating him like God. He has a bad attitude LOL, it wasn't you on the other end of the phone by any chance?

    I had similar problems with BOI myself.

    Elavon yeah? Problems with Elavon.

    As for treating customers like God, well that's just ridiculus. There's good service and then there's taking the p1ss. They're 2 different things. Some people think organisations should bow down and lick their ass. Others think they should get something for nothing and others have an entitlement problem.

    Finally Elavon act for plenty of organisations and are non exclusive to BOI. Direct from the website-
    And, because we act independently, we provide choice. We're not affiliated with any issuing bank in Europe, and we stay focused. Not everyone wants to put all their business with their main bank.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 456 ✭✭sm.org


    What Bank would you refer him to Step?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    sm.org wrote: »
    What Bank would you refer him to Step?

    What's stopping him from going to any other provider in the country? Nothing. In fact he's done that already so good luck to him. Bitching, moaning and bringing in all sorts on nonsensacle crap that has nothing to do with anything will not change anything at all.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    Obviously the attitude problem seems to be inate in the Bank of Ireland if Mr. Step is employed by them.

    Learn from this thread. There are lots of unhappy customers who simply just want to do business. Not deal with A*se holes like you and your gang.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    Obviously the attitude problem seems to be inate in the Bank of Ireland if Mr. Step is employed by them.

    Learn from this thread. There are lots of unhappy customers who simply just want to do business. Not deal with A*se holes like you and your gang.

    All sorts of dodgy business clearly with the rush you're in :rolleyes:

    Its Elavon FFS. Elavon. Let me say it again, Elavon, a seperate legal entitly owned by US Bancorp. There's no such thing as Bank of Ireland merchant services. It's Elavon Financial Services. I hope this is clear by now because if it isn't I give up. This has very little to do with BOI if anything at all. Elavon have no obligation to provide you with service at all. You haven't mentioned once if you contacted your local branch for assistance. If you had a relationship with BOI then this shouldn't be a problem because your advisor would have referred you.

    I'm advising you that if you have a problem take it up with Elavon or better still go through the application procedure they have in place or even another company instead of moaning, bitching and bringing in all sorts of crap irrelevant to the equation.

    And finally calling me an "asshole" won't help your cause.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 69 ✭✭Kine


    I usually don't respond to threads once "teh flaming lolz" starts, but I figured I'd add my two cents about BoI. I have been dealing with BoI on a variety of issues from personal accounting, mortgage advice and business advice from day one. ALL of which I conduct in person at my local branch. Personally, if I'm attempting something big and important, I willnever use the phone as I am a firm believer that face-to-face communication is the only real way to get these things sorted, as you meet ther person, get their business card and then keep the contact as you go forward. Oh, and back to my point, I have never had an issue (and when there was potentially one, I made sure it was sorted). Proper tact and communication with the person you're dealing with will usually help in getting issues resolved. And this isn't just for BoI, but any other bank that you need to do business with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 101 ✭✭badinfleunce


    ok Im wrong for ringing the number displayed on Bank of Ireland website for merchant services who they clearly promote. I dont bank with BOI and really just wanted to get a quote so I rang the number for merchant services and wasnt greeted with an Evalon tag. How would I know its Evalon?

    The personal banking practice is a dying trade as businesses speed up and time is precious. I lived in the UK for years and really admire their banking service. Its backward here in comparison and takes weeks to get approvals for anything etc. I can ring a bank in the uk and organise a loan over the phone without ever having stepped inside the bank or met one of their employees and the money can be in my account by close of business. Thats business! Not this cronyism that is entwined in this country.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    stepbar wrote: »
    [

    As for treating customers like God, well that's just ridiculus.

    No1 Rule of Business: Customer should be treated as the prime focus of any business. It is you who needs the attitude adjustment imho. I happened to speak with a former employees of BOI merchant services recently who said one of the reasons he left the company was the decline in standards when elavon took over.

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  • Registered Users Posts: 7,541 ✭✭✭Heisenberg.


    This post has been deleted.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    Tony wrote: »
    No1 Rule of Business: Customer should be treated as the prime focus of any business. It is you who needs the attitude adjustment imho. I happened to speak with a former employees of BOI merchant services recently who said one of the reasons he left the company was the decline in standards when elavon took over.

    And you just happened to ignore the rest of what I said :rolleyes: As in any walk of life, people take the p1ss and get away with stuff because someone did it for them before. I'll give an example, in this day and age there sits on my desk, transfer requests. Paper requests to move money here there and everywhere. For each one I have to fill out a docket and get them processed. All because said person / company is too bloody cheap to pay for Business On Line or lazy to do it themselves. Christ over the long run the fee pays for itself. I could be doing a lot more productive work than spending my time doing manual transfers and getting authorisation from high above to do same. That's my point, people not being reasonable and expecting people to move mountains because of what I've said above. People expect banks to bow down like alter boys, the amount of times I've heard someone say "I'll move my account" because they don't get their way is shocking or because said customer doesn't understand that something cannot be physically done. The anger turns to shock when I hand them the form to do so. Nobody has to take that sort of sh1te.


  • Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    Said person/company is paying your wages right?

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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,123 ✭✭✭stepbar


    Tony wrote: »
    Said person/company is paying your wages right?

    Geez, my taxes pay for the public services Gardai etc. I don't expect a one on one, hand holding, personal service from any of them. I don't expect them to be able to solve every problem in life. But I do expect them to act professionally which most do and be as helpful as possible without bordering on hand holding. So the "I pay your wages" argument is just retarded imo. Christ, it would be like reporting your bike stolen to the Guards and expecting a squad car to go the streets and find out who done it.

    And still you ignore everything I said after the comment you quoted.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 11,325 ✭✭✭✭Tony


    Who said anything about hand holding? You were bitching (to use your term) about carrying out work filling out forms, its part of your job and the service your company provides is it not? I know customers can be difficult, I've been in retail since 94 but the rules still apply , customer is always right and you never win an arguement with a customer. Perhaps you find the idea of custumer service "retarded" to use your unfortunate description..

    In the case of Elavon I can concur with the OP's view that they are unprofessional and arrogant. I signed up with BOI MS who were a joy to deal with, the present guys are amateurs.

    I'd be interested to hear of any positive experiences guys here have with other merchant companies as I would like to change at the first opportunity.

    stepbar wrote: »
    Geez, my taxes pay for the public services Gardai etc. I don't expect a one on one, hand holding, personal service from any of them. I don't expect them to be able to solve every problem in life. But I do expect them to act professionally which most do and be as helpful as possible without bordering on hand holding. So the "I pay your wages" argument is just retarded imo.

    And still you ignore everything I said after the comment you quoted.

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