In the era of WhatsApp and Google Voice, it’s easy to assume that calling cards have become obsolete. But according to the International Card Manufacturers Association (ICMA), more than 3.5 billion prepaid phone cards were produced in 2020. Many immigrant communities in the US still rely on international phone cards to connect with family and friends back home.
Prepaid calling cards allow people to make long-distance calls without racking up huge phone bills. Despite providing affordable communications, prepaid phone card companies struggle to access the payments system. Most banks and payment processors refuse to work with calling card companies because they regard them as high-risk businesses.
Many prepaid calling card companies don’t understand why their industry is categorized as high-risk. The phone card industry is plagued with many problems that contribute to high rates of chargebacks. From call quality issues to poor customer experience, here are some reasons why payment processing for prepaid calling card companies is high-risk:
Poor quality connections, PINs not working, access numbers that are always busy ⏤ calling cards can have so many service issues that frustrate customers. Many unhappy customers file chargebacks with their credit card company to get their money back.
Many prepaid calling card companies are small and don’t have the skilled workforce needed to handle customer complaints. Some don’t have 24/7 customer service while others try to justify service failures instead of offering refunds to prevent chargebacks.
It’s common for calling card companies to use different billing descriptors than their trading name, which results in confusion. When customers don’t recognize the business name on their credit card statement, they file chargebacks to reverse the transaction.
Seamless Chex has more than 15 years of experience providing high-risk payment processing for prepaid calling card companies. We know the biggest threat to your business is excessive chargebacks and have developed effective strategies to help you overcome this challenge. After setting up your high-risk merchant account for calling card companies, we’ll work with you to keep it.
Featuring advanced dispute management solutions and chargeback reduction technologies, the SeamlessChex payment platform is designed to protect merchant accounts from the risk of termination. Our user-friendly portal allows you to resolve disputes as soon as they arise, refund purchases automatically, and relay transaction details to banks to prevent chargebacks from happening.
SeamlessChex high-risk payment processing services for prepaid calling card companies:
Do you need a low-cost, high-risk merchant account for calling card companies? Are you looking to replace your current payment provider to get more favorable contract terms? Whether you’re a startup or an established calling card business, SeamlessChex can meet all your payment needs. Sign up for a free trial of SeamlessChex to see if our product is right for you. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us and we’d be glad to help!
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