Although the general structure of the application process will be basically the same in both cases, there are some key differences between applying for merchant accounts online vs applying for them on the phone. Most credit card processing providers allow their clients to apply for an account with a variety of different methods, and different business owners will find the application process much easier through different means of communication. There are some people out there who just want to be able to sign something and fax it over to the credit card processing company, and then there are other individuals who want to have an actual conversation on the phone. At the end of the day, there are pros and cons to these two methods of applying for merchant accounts.
Applying by Phone
The main thing that people get when they apply for a payment provider by phone is the ability to ask any questions rather quickly. When applying by phone, a business owner will actually be on the line with someone who works at the credit card processing company. There are plenty of questions that can come up during the application process, and sometimes it is easier to be walked through this entire ordeal. Another thing to keep in mind when applying for a payment gateway account by phone is that there are certain situations where no papers will need to be signed. Some companies are able to accept a verbal signature, which means there will no paperwork that needs to be sent in the mail or to a fax number.
Applying on the Internet
Most people will find that it is much more convenient to apply for a credit card payment gateway account on the Internet instead of calling someone on the phone. When applying online, there is usually some kind of application that can be filled out in a matter of a few minutes. After all of the basic personal information has been entered into the application, there will then be a slight pause as the credit card processor does a credit check. This process should only take a few minutes, and the application can continue to be filled out after a credit check has been placed. Once someone has been approved, they will then be able to select the specific features that will go along with their account.