CashNews.co
Derby-based financial services industry, Merchant Advice Service has launched The Payments Directory; a “first-of-its-kind” platform to help businesses to secure their next merchant account.
Merchant Advice Services bosses say the service has offer “unbiased and unmatched transparency”, developed with input from experts who have previously worked on the development of MoneySuperMarket.
Libby James, founder, says The Payments Directory can help narrow down the search to the most relevant options to suit their requirements through the use of “sophisticated” filtering and algorithms.
There are already 35 providers listed within the directory, including Worldpay, Paysafe, Trust Payments and Total Processing, with the team working towards having 200 or more providers listed by the end of the year.
Businesses can input the relevant filters for their needs; initially selecting a category that suits their payment needs, along with geographical region, monthly turnover and the type of industry they’re in, and integration requirements, with some categories also requiring the location of the business or director.
With nine different categories, businesses can compare financial services and products best suited to their requirements, from business banking, cash advance and direct debits through to EPOS, merchant accounts and payment gateways.
Before the launch of The Payments Directory, this information wasn’t readily available to businesses without the need for a broker, said James. By providing this information free of charge, Merchant Advice Service hopes to empower and educate businesses, ensuring they understand all aspects of payments, banking and finance options available to them, allowing them to make informed decisions, and streamlining the operations process.
Libby James, Founder of www.merchantadviceservice.co.uk, commented on the launch of the industry-first The Payment Directory: “Having started working on The Payment Directory back in March as a direct result of my frustrations around the lack of transparency and education available to business owners navigating the complex landscape of financial services, I’m incredibly excited to be able to launch an entirely self-serve solution.
“I know it’s going to cause a stir in the industry, with this being the first time that this information has been released to businesses allowing them to take control, do the research and get educated on financial services by themselves, but I want to empower businesses and help them to understand the process and the industry better.”