Versatile Merchant Solutions: POS Hardware For Several Industries
Content
Updated: April 30th, 2024
Versatile Merchant Solutions (VMS) is a merchant solution company poised to transform your business operations across four industries. This review aims to dissect and evaluate every facet of their offerings, with a singular goal in mind: assisting your business in selecting the perfect POS system tailored to your needs.
This review will examine VMS across a spectrum of criteria, encompassing features, advantages, disadvantages, and beyond, with the aim that these valuable insights and actionable information can empower your decision-making process.
Pros
Cons
Content
Quick Stats
An Overview of Versatile Merchant Services
Based in Virginia, VMS specializes in point-of-sale solutions and payment technologies. Established in 2004, their commitment to partnership shines through in their strategic collaborations with companies in the restaurant, salon, service, B2B, and retail industries, emphasizing individually sold hardware. Their POS systems were previously named “ReversePOS,” but they have since begun offering all their products and services under the VMS name.
They don't seem to limit their services to any specific business size, indicating that they cater to everyone from small businesses to larger enterprises. They state that their primary goal is to provide efficient and cost-effective solutions to their clients. Their mission is to supply American companies with innovative point-of-sale systems that enable growth, and they do so by partnering with various other hardware and software tool providers for their many industry-specific solutions.
They are accredited and have an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB), which they display on their website, an honor earned from 19 years in the business. However, they are not as well known as other modern POS systems providers, and have not accrued any awards or accolades.
Versatile Merchant Services Product Offerings
As previously mentioned, Versatile Merchant Solutions' comprehensive product offerings meet the distinct requirements of four major industries: retail, restaurant, salon, and B2B sectors. Each of these industry solutions has its own set of individually sold hardware, including desktop and mobile POS systems, as well as POS software options. However, despite their differences, they all share a common goal: to enhance efficiency, improve customer experiences, and drive business growth in today's competitive market.
VMS key features
- Payment processing devices: They provide tools like “SmartTerminal,” a touchscreen handheld device that accepts any form of payment, including NFC contactless payment, Apple Pay, cash, debit cards, and credit cards. It runs on Android software and includes EMV chip card, magstripe, and NFC contactless payment functionalities. This is made more accessible with cameras to scan the barcode on both the front and end of the device and a built-in receipt printer. They have many other options with similar capabilities, such as the desktop “SmartFlex” system and various tablet-reliant options. They don't advertise point-of-purchase devices like cash registers, however, so you'd have to inquire specifically about those
- Virtual terminal: Their PayAnywhere is a versatile virtual terminal and back-office system that supports various payment methods, including one-time sales, email and text invoicing, and recurring payments. These features are accessible to all users, regardless of your hardware setup
- Merchant processing: PayTrace is ideal for B2B and B2C transactions. It optimizes data fields to maximize savings, aligning with Visa and MasterCard's requirements. By automatically including crucial transaction details, it enhances security, reduces fraud, and boosts the likelihood of favorable rates for merchants
- Invoice management: The PaymentHub platform facilitates efficient invoice management. Their mobile payments app allows you to accept payments anywhere, send invoices, and keep track of sales. You can invoice clients for online payment when you’d like. They have features such as employee role assignments, scheduling, product library management, stock tracking, and discount provision
- Business management systems: Their management systems allow you to customize your menu configurations, online store ordering, and reservation management. They come with various integrated features, including payment processing and staff oversight, as well as robust hardware that ensures durability, and support services that facilitate smooth implementation. In the case of salons, Uzeli's comprehensive management system streamlines appointment booking and checkout with personalized client profiles for efficient service
- Inventory management: As with the other features, there are a fet options here. You can opt for Vend, which puts you in charge of your inventory and acts as a channel to ensure you always have the right products in stock, in the suitable locations, and at the proper times. RetailCloud can similarly help you keep track of your retail store's inventory by adding, modifying, and organizing items. You may also create attributes and classifications such as departments, categories, styles, and sizes through their console or mobile apps
- Loyalty program: VMS offers a 90-day free trial of their loyalty program. Your customers may enroll their credit cards on your smart terminal during payment, transforming them into loyalty cards. Upon returning, they simply need to pay with one of their enrolled cards to accumulate or redeem rewards, making the process of customer retention easier
- Billing and online payment plans: Their billing and online payment services are designed to optimize business billing processes and integrate with QuickBooks. These solutions cater to various industries, including membership organizations, property management firms, tutoring and training centers, private schools, businesses offering repeat services, wholesale suppliers, CPA firms, law firms, and residential and commercial service providers
- EDGE: This is essentially a program designed to help businesses maximize their profits by offsetting transaction fees. They implement a Dual Price system, where the price for cash transactions differs from that of card transactions. This price difference covers the fees charged by card companies and banks. They offer various equipment options, from standard to smart terminals, all equipped with a virtual terminal and back-office portal. Installation and training are included; if your equipment breaks, they provide free replacements. With funds from card sales deposited into your bank account the next day
Versatile Merchant Solutions Pricing & Plans
You would have to call them or apply online to receive a quote because they do not provide transparent set prices or the pricing model they use on their website.
The Pros & Cons of Versatile Merchant Solutions
By exploring VMS's benefits and limitations, you'll gain a comprehensive understanding of how they align with your business needs and goals.
Advantages
- Individual equipment: They offer individual equipment options, allowing businesses to select and implement only the necessary tools, thus avoiding unnecessary expenses
- Versatility: Versatile Merchant Solutions stands out for its versatility, providing essential tools and solutions for not just one, but four different industries, ensuring businesses have access to the specific resources they require to thrive in their respective sectors
- Website and e-commerce solutions: All you have to do is fill out a form on their website, and within 48 hours, VMS's team will create a first draft of your website. Their services ensure mobile responsiveness across all devices and provide live support for updates. They offer social media management tools to enhance online presence. VMS provides e-commerce solutions for retail businesses, enabling operations 24/7 by facilitating online product sales. For restaurants, they offer online ordering capabilities, allowing clients to place orders for curbside pickup or delivery
- Working Capital Advance: This is their solution to access your business's capital needs. It’s promoted as a tailored alternative to payment business loans. The application process takes around 10 minutes to complete online, and in turn, you will receive funds directly into your bank account in at least 48 hours. They state that consumers benefit from transparent terms with no origination fees
Disadvantages
- Lack of clarity online: You may find obtaining detailed information about their services and associated costs challenging because of the format and layout of their website
- Only available in the US: Versatile Merchant Solutions is only available in the United States, limiting its accessibility to international markets. This factor may pose obstacles for businesses operating outside the US who cannot utilize their services
- Unclear pricing: They lack transparency regarding their offerings, pricing structure, and available deals
Versatile Merchant Solutions User Reviews & Testimonials
While there aren't direct reviews available for Versatile Merchant Solutions, you can explore feedback for their partners. On their website, they feature a section for reviews, although it's challenging to verify their authenticity.
VMS has received a few complaints on their BBB page, with users voicing concerns about unexpected billing practices, unfulfilled promises regarding VMS products or services, and technical issues or glitches. They also expressed frustration with unhelpful or unresponsive customer service. In their responses, VMS maintains a professional tone and appears to want to address the issues to the satisfaction of the customers. They often rely on their own records to dispute customer claims and suggest moving the conversation to a private channel, sometimes without making any explicit promises of a resolution.
For more insights into their customer experience, we suggest contacting customer services as well as previous clients who had given them testimonials. You may also contact their sales representatives, as they seem responsive.
Customer Support & Services at Versatile Merchant Solutions
You can contact their customer support team via phone at 804-587-7711 or through email at [email protected]. Additionally, you can submit your inquiries or requests using their web form application scattered throughout their website. If you have any questions or concerns about their EDGE service, contact [email protected].
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, this review of Versatile Merchant Solutions highlights both their strengths and weaknesses in the world of point-of-sale solutions. On the positive side, VMS offers tailored tools for various industries, including specialized options for the Auto Dealer/Service sector. Their approach of providing individual equipment options rather than bundled packages can offer flexibility and cost savings to businesses. However, challenges such as pricing structure and availability limited to the US and its unclear website may raise concerns for prospective users.
Versatile Merchant Solutions presents as an option for businesses seeking individual and industry-specific point-of-sale solutions. When searching for the partners or third parties they promote, check to see if we already have a review up and ready. Since they provide a selection of different yet slightly similar offerings, we also have a comparison page to help filter your options. While navigating VMS's website may be a tad perplexing, the experience might have sparked inquiries about POS systems. If you're curious, explore our blog page for deeper insights into this ever-growing realm.
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