Just about every company today call themselves the “leading” provider of something (read almost any press release).  Many of the brochures and sales people you talk to promote their company’s size.  Formal rankings tend to use metrics like sales, profits, assets and market share.  But does this equal leadership? 

Missing from this “leading” definition are things like marketplace ethics, management practices, commitment to fair and honest conduct and business integrity.  Take for example the big brand name bank on the corner who is selling credit card terminals on four year lease plans that overcharge merchants by thousands of dollars.  Or the rep who tells you there is no contract while hiding the terms and conditions fine print.  Or a “savings” calculation based on false information, omitted data and mathematical errors.   In this say anything, do anything, hyper competitive environment, we are continuously shocked by what we see by both the leading household brands and the leading fly-by-nights alike.  

While “leading” provider has been used to describe Vantage over the years, we certainly can’t claim title to the most sales, profits or market share.  However, in the business of providing merchant services, Vantage is truly leading:  

• We don’t lock merchants into long-term contracts and early termination fees; our agreement is a month-to-month term.
• We teach all merchants how to avoid Non-Qualified surcharges with a direct Interchange pass through rate structure.   
• We refund to merchants the Interchange fees when issuing credits for cardholder returns.
• We launched the innovated, award winning and highly successful MerchantRates.com Calculator in 2000.
• We launched Vantage Points Rewards in 2002, a one of a kind merchant processing rewards program.
• We began The Vantage Viewpoint Blog which offers entries on industry trends and more in 2008.
• In 2009, we will launch a revolutionary new service for the merchant community at http://myrealrate.com.

So the next time a representative from the biggest company shows up wanting you to follow their leadership, be very careful where they might be leading you.