Complaint Review: Federated Payments - Melville, New York

The simple law of sales is that if you sell you get paid. True sales professionals know this and know that THEY and only THEY control their income. If you can't sell you dont get to eat. Every time one of my accounts has activated I have received my commision as it was supposed to be and I ALWAYS get my residual payments. I am new to the company but like what I do and enjoy working for the people at the company.

They always say its you. But whats always the common denominator? They are.

When an employee almost dies after being found the next morning, blood soaked in an elevator, after using drugs and alcohol in the Melville office with Scott Avery afterhours, you must believe something is wrong

As a former employee of this organization for MANY YEARS at an executive level, I can only agree with the negative remarks posted. Not only have I had a professional relationship with this organization, I have also had an extensive personal relationship with the individuals mention at this company. In the end, I was treated just like everyone else was; disposable.

No matter how good you are, how much revenue you earn them, how hard you work for them It will come to an end and they will fabricate anything to put the blame on the other party. This is a company who fired 20+ employees, just hours before a company Christmas party. This is a company who intentionally cuts off residual payments weeks before they vest for life to the agent. This is a company who will [and has] take away the livelihood of the most loyal of employees.  All because they are greedy. CEO Jon Levitt says it best with his famous line, My kids eat first.

Jon Levitt recently terminated the #1 sales manager for the past 5 years, via a phone call from home, while the employee was at his desk working to earn this company more. This is a manager who has accounted for over 10,000 of their existing clients. Thats more than Scott Avery, VP, has even accounted for. All over a rumor that this individual was looking to advance his career else ware after CEO Jon Levitt stated, as long as L**** is employed at Federated, he will be a sales manager here. Period. Furthermore, they attempted to slander his name across the company after his dismissal rather than resolving the matter privately. This is an employee who would work 65+ hour weeks with no overtime; fueled by his dedication to the company.

They will attempt to discredit you: They will hypocritically denounce you. Calling you irresponsible, dishonest, or disloyal.

Then they use lines like:  Just another case of a rep who cant close Just a guy mad that he cant sell -  You violated your agreement ( usually based on fabricated info)  to rebuttal any blogs like these.

They will tell you: We cant set appointments in your area anymore, its a bad area. (this is how they get you to perform below your contract requirements so they dont have to pay you anymore)

The bottom line at this company is the bottom dollar. I understand free enterprise, I appreciate capitalism, and yes I was part of this organization for a very long time.

Just remember EVERYONE IS DISPOSABLE at this company.

Federated Payment Systems, a.k.a. Federated Payments, a.k.a. FPS, a.k.a. OnePay, a.k.a.  National Debit Card Network, a.k.a. MSI Canada, a.k.a. Federated Payments Canada, a.k.a. Wholesale Merchant Services, a.k.a. U.S. Bankcard Center, is directed by Jon Levitt, John Guirguis, and a silent partner who has no part in the daily operations of this company. Evan Schweitzer is the CFO and Scott Avery is the #2 to Jon Levitt.  

I am a former Sales Manager at US Bankcard, one of several identities these guys have.  I have been in this industry for years and have found the way this office is run to be very questionable.

Now I am not here to totally bash the companies, but have sat back and thought about how they approach reps and merchants.

To start off, they will say that US Bankcard or Federated Payments has over 100,000 merchants.  This is not true.  Maybe all together, there are at least 6 companies under this umbrella.  Not one of these companies has 100,000 merchants, maybe combined and that's questionable.  Now they may have serviced over 100,000 merchants combined, but they are not active.

When I went to work there, I was shell-shocked when I witnessed how Scott Avery talked to his Sales Managers.  I have never been talked to the way he talked to some of these Managers.  I have personally heard him cuss out Managers using the F Bomb and to the extent of using the B and C word.  All this while standing in the CEO's office with the CEO there.  I was appalled that the CEO never said a word to him about the way he was speaking to employees.

About being a Rep, I would never........Although most companies do not set leads, this is what they are good at.  This is a bonus to a rep.  Not all leads are perfect, it is a name and address where there is a business owner that knows that you are coming.  And at times business owners will lie and say they never set the appointment.  But it is your job to close the deal. 

That being said, I have heard from Scott Avery's mouth his opinion about his reps and this is a quote.  "F@!K the rep"  YES I heard that out of his own mouth while standing in the office.  This was the first step of me leaving the company.

I have also seen him try to cut the pay off a rep if they had several locations to write.

If you like to work with people that cuss every other word and that is a fact, including the Sales Managers, than I would say you are a good fit.  To most, I would not recommend it.  They talk like this to reps as well.  And when they hang up the phone from talking to a merchant, all I heard was how dumb the merchant is or how much of a "B" they are or this dumb "MF".

But to conclude,

Scott Avery is a salesman, he will tell you what you want to hear, to get you do what he NEEDS you to do.

For anyone reading this and wanting to get into the business do yourself a favor.  STAY AWAY.

Helpful tip, go to the greensheet.com, you can be an independent rep for a ton of companies.  You can get an 80/20 residual split with no liabilty.  With these guys you get very little residual.  With another you can get 100% lease funding....example a 59.99 lease with "A" credit you can make approximately 2,000 dollars depending on the machine that is leased.  With these guys you will be lucky to make 500 dollars.  Residuals are FOR LIFE, as long as the merchant is active, you will be paid.  Do the research, some will pay 50/50 residual with free equipment placement and a upfront bonus if you cant afford to build residuals slowly. 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE, do the research.  The only thing they offer that you would need is leads.  You will be paid more by everyone else.  Is the lead worth all of the residuals and lease money you will lose?

Here are a few to look at: North American Bankcard, Total Merchant Services, MSI Merchant Service, First American Payment Systems

DO THE RESEARCH, Good Luck

Scott, you should announce your relationship to Federated  as part of your rebuttal. Frankly, these anger blasts simply deter future clients from dealing with your company

Your BBB rating in Canada is a'c'- which indicates REAL concerns

Hey Avery what the hell you talking about? You know that blogger is telling the truth. You guys do not pay s**t to these reps. You treat them like garbage and then get rid of them in 3 months. The company is the biggest scam ever! To the person who orginally made the complaint I back up everything you say. The company is a scam and the corporate office is a joke. They will do everything they can not to pay sales reps and the appointments are 90% garbage appointments. You will waste your gas and time working for this company.

I'm a retired United States Air force officer and have been self employed for the last seven years. Burnout as a general manager of a full service fire and water restoration franchise led me to find something less rigorous.  I have only been with federated Payments a few weeks, but I have found the staff and coaching to be very knowledgeable, on top of that they are very honest.

I had one appointment set by the company which the business owner mistook me as a representative of their current credit card processor, so I called my manager, Gabe. Gabe told me "simply apologize for the missunderstanding and thank them for their time" and he would look into it.

Really dude: Read the full contract, it's your signature.

I have been a Representative of Federated Payments for several years now and don't always agree with everything they say, BUT I have also worked for several other credit card processors and Federated Payments is by far the best and most honest credit card processor to work for.  Yes,as a rep you get appts in many different areas and it is not always easy but the telemarketing department is the best I have ever worked with. Most of the time it is with a business owner but not always... it is your job as a salesperson to get through the door and most of the time it is with the business owner and they are prepared with a statement ready to go over possible savings.  I can see how someone that isn't familiar with the industry would struggle in the learning process and it takes all kinds.  It sounds like this guy/girl just isn't the sales type!

I also have never NOT been paid for an appointment that I signed.

Linda, PA

Just look at all the excuses this person has for their own unsuccessful performance. Waste your time, gas, office supplies. We provide all sales materials as well as training kits including Pre-Set, Pre-Qualified appointments. Don't pay WE PAY DAILY on all accounts as soon as installed. Don't return calls, each and every sales rep; has my cell phone number, it's in the training book and online! How many sales reps nation wide would you like to talk to and get a referral from, 50, 100, 150 or more? Come on! Really, do you think posting something like this offsets your lack of ability to sell? Get real, Get a Life and Go to Work at a Fast Food Chain!