50 Most Trustworthy Companies of the Year 2020

With its impeccable service and affordable credit processing solutions, Total Merchant Concepts is revamping the payment industry

The Silicon Review

In the digital world, credit cards are being used for almost every kind of monetary transaction. This mode of payment is quite convenient, and it has completely revolutionized the business arena. Credit Card Processing is basically money transactions via electronic access directly linked to the customer's account. Both traders and customers are cashing in on credit card processing. Almost anyone can employ the use of credit card processing, whether you are a prominent trader or a small-time business owner. Credit card option gives buyers an easy option to shop, even when they are low on cash. The use of Credit Card Processing Service provides security to business owners and traders.

Globally, there are various credit card processing firms, but one that stands out from the rest is Total Merchant Concepts. The company was founded in 1996 by owners Dean and Cheri Perry. The decision to open a credit card processing business grew from the frustration of trying to find a reputable option for their existing business at the time. When Dean and Cheri Perry started their company out of their home 24 years ago, their mission was simple- pay the bills and provide a better level of service than what their research had found thus far. It’s safe to say that mission was accomplished and so much more!

We recently sat down with Cheri Perry, President of Total Merchant Concepts, and asked her a bit about the company and her vision for the future

Q. Total Merchant Concepts is a Credit Card Processing Company- how did you get started in the industry?

Dean and I were in the cellular phone business, and one of our clients wanted to do something radical: they wanted to connect their cell phone to their credit card processing machine. Today that is the NORM- but back in the day, it was a TALL ORDER! That request sent us on a journey into the processing industry, and what we found was NOT good- we felt we could provide a better experience and level of service for our clients and so we rolled up our sleeves and went to work. We started in the industry the way many companies did back then, with mailers and visiting all of the businesses we could locally. I remember sitting in front of the TV licking stamps and preparing all the new business postcards we sent out- that was a long time ago.

Q. The credit card processing industry is known for solicitors, long contracts, complicated pricing and lackluster service- how does your team do things differently?

My mentor Zig Ziglar said, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want”- we deliver what businesses want. From the very beginning, we offered month to month agreements, transparency in pricing, and an elevated level of service. Many businesses lose their way when they forget their WHY. Our team is hyper-aware of WHY TMC exists and what problems we solve for business owners. Today, our team is very proud of the fact that we are not your ‘typical’ credit card processor- they tend to have a poor reputation! Eventually, business owners get tired of wondering if they can trust the company handling their financial transactions, and with TMC, they never have to wonder!

Q. Speaking of reputation, you currently provide services for over 150 financial institutions across the country- how did you develop that path and that Niche’?

I remember the first time we got a call from a financial institution- they wanted to know who we were because a great number of their clients had moved from their service provider to TMC. Reputation is just what people say about your business when you are not around, and apparently- the word on the street was good! We signed a referral agreement with that bank, and it lasted for over 14 years until a larger entity acquired them. I wouldn’t say that we had a ‘Grand Master Plan,’ but one thing lead to another and the referrals to other financial institutions kept coming in. When you take care of people- the news spreads, I guess! Today we do serve lots of financial institutions across the country. We have earned and fiercely protect the reputation that makes cold calling and soliciting something we do not have to do. We love people, and our referral partners see and experience that with our team every day!

Q. Is it true that striving for both ‘ethics’ and ‘success’ in a business is a tough feat?

I’m not sure how you build one without the other, but I imagine there are those who can separate the two. I was fortunate enough to be raised in a family-owned business where ethics and success went hand in hand. I think it would be tough to build a successful business without ethics- at a minimum; it would be difficult to attract seriously gifted and good human beings without both elements being present! People want to work in an environment where their morals are not compromised and where they have an opportunity to add more value to their personal bottom line- that takes both ethics and success.

Q. Your sign says TMC- where you go to GROW your business. What types of products and services do you offer?

Of course, we have credit card processing services- any way you want to accept a card today- we can do it! We also offer gift cards and check services for our clients. In the last several years, we have added Business Growth Tools, including a free business assessment (www.totalmerchantconcepts.com/business-growth-tools), DISC Assessments to assist with better hiring, customer service training, and Leadership training for the businesses and referral partners we work with. Helping businesses grow takes more than a way to accept plastic! We have found that businesses that have a sound structure, reliable vendors, and a success plan last longer and produce happier people and more successful businesses overall- we want to be part of that!

Q. Do you have any new services ready to be launched?

We are always looking for ways to take care of the needs of our clients so recently, we have added payroll services and we are currently looking at other services closely tied to the product set we currently deliver. They say you should not try to be all things to all people but I do believe that when you have gained the trust of the clients you serve- asking them how else you can be of service is a great game plan for future growth!