ServSuite by FieldRoutes is a popular field service management platform that’s used by pest control businesses, pool care companies, and other service-based businesses with a fleet of field service workers.
It helps these companies automate scheduling, routing, invoicing, and customer communications from a single solution.
But there’s one area of ServSuite that’s often overlooked by its users: payment processing.
While ServSuite’s built-in payment integration is definitely convenient, it comes with some fine print that could be costing your business a LOT more than you think.
Quick Take on ServSuite
ServSuite has been around for roughly three decades, and its ability to thrive and adapt in a crowded space speaks volumes about the software.
Its parent company, ServicePro, was acquired by ServiceTitan back in 2021. And for those of you who don’t know, ServiceTitan is probably the biggest player in this space. When ServiceTitan acquired FieldRoutes a year later in 2022, ServicePro was integrated into FieldRoutes — and now the software is officially branded as ServSuite by FieldRoutes.
Pros
- Comprehensive set of features for field service businesses.
- Strong scheduling and routing capabilities.
- User-friendly mobile app for field technicians.
- Supports integrated payment processing.
- Good for both single and multi-location service businesses.
Cons
- Limited to just one payment processor (Global Payments).
- Outdated interface compared to other tools on the market.
- Inconsistent customer support response times.
- Steep learning curve for new users.
- Processing rates are higher than they should be.
ServSuite Key Features
What’s cool about ServSuite is that its feature set is customizable to meet the unique needs of different businesses using the software.
Top capabilities include:
- Scheduling and dispatch management.
- GPS vehicle tracking.
- Customer relationship management (CRM).
- Automated billing, renewals, and collections.
- Inventory management.
- Reporting and analytics.
- Integrated payment processing.
- Automated customer notifications.
- Job tracking capabilities.
The tool is primarily designed for service businesses in industries like pest control, pool services, lawn care, and tree removal. But really any field service company can use it (although ServiceTitan and software within ServiceTitan’s family of businesses may be better for specific industries).
Payment Processing With ServSuite
If your business uses ServSuite, you may look at its payment processing capabilities as just another feature offered by the software. But viewing it that way can be an expensive mistake.
You need to understand what’s happening behind the scenes to get the full picture.
And once you have a grasp of this, you can leverage that knowledge to take back control over your processing costs.
ServSuite Isn’t a Payment Processor
First and foremost, you need to recognize that ServSuite itself doesn’t actually process your payments. Accepting payments through ServSuite relies on integrated processing technology, which means the software uses an API to connect to a third-party processor on the backend.
As a user, the technology isn’t super relevant to how you’re using the payments features within the software. The interface and everything else is clean, and it’s supported in a way that feels as though the payment processing is part of the ServSuite software.
But ServSuite is not your processor. They just power the software you’re using that supports the processing integration (which is very common in this space).
ServSuite Only Integrates With Global Payments
ServSuite’s payment processing runs exclusively through Global Payments Integrated.
This isn’t something that you’ll find advertised anywhere on ServSuite, but we know this based on the statements we’ve audited from our clients using ServSuite.
Global is one of the largest processors in the world. And on paper, this integration offers simplicity for field service operations, as you won’t need to manage your payments separately from your main field service management solution.
But in reality, this exclusivity means that you’re stuck with Global Payments.
Learn More: Global Payments Review
Why This Matters
Having only one payment processing option to choose from will always favor the processor (Global).
They know that if you want to accept payments via ServSuite, you’re forced to use them. This gives Global extra leverage and creates a situation where they can (and will) overcharge you.
On top of Global Payments being able to take advantage of your situation for their own benefit, it’s also worth noting that they likely have to pay a commission to ServSuite for supporting the integration. So they’ll build that commission into your already inflated rate, which effectively means you’re subsidizing ServSuite’s revenue every time you accept a payment (and you’re already paying ServSuite for the software).
Even worse, Global Payments has a long-documented history of taking advantage of businesses under this exact same scenario. Don’t believe me? I have a dedicated post exposing Global’s outrageous fees that you can reference for specific examples.
Global Payments Pricing
Global’s pricing is customized for each business. They offer interchange-plus pricing, which is definitely the contract structure you want to be on.
If you see anything in your contract or monthly statements related to “qualified” rates, it’s a bad thing that you need to change ASAP. Tiered pricing is a rip-off, and it’s a deceptive way that Global sales reps earn a higher margin on your account.
You want to be in a situation where you’re paying the wholesale rate at the interchange level, plus a small markup to Global for their role in the process. And when I say small, I mean small.
20 basis points would be ideal. But for integrated processing, it might be closer to 50 bps.
Fees to Watch Out For
You need to keep a close eye on your monthly processing statements to make sure Global isn’t doing anything fishy on your account. This happens way more than people realize, so don’t assume that it won’t happen to you.
Look for:
- Random Fees: Things like Risk Assessment Fees, Analytics Reputation Management Fees, Settlement Funding Fees, Network Compliance Fees, and other one-off charges are just bogus fees invented by Global to earn more money on your account.
- Padded Assessments: This is when Global passes through fees from the card networks (Visa, Mastercard, etc.) at a higher rate than they’re supposed to and pockets the difference as pure profit.
- Rate Increases: Global increases its rates almost every year like clockwork, and sometimes more.
- Vague Notifications: Global is notorious for sending out messages to clients about “pricing changes” that don’t specify any actual numbers (but this always translates to a rate increase).
These are all red flags that need to be investigated ASAP.
Some are more difficult to spot (like assessment padding) and may require the help of a trained professional. So if you need assistance, our team here at MCC can audit your statements for free.
What Your Effective Rate Should Look Like
I know that credit card processing statements can be a bit overwhelming. So calculating your effective rate can be a quicker way to see where you stand.
Divide your total fees by your total processing volume. The result should be somewhere in the 2.2% to 2.5% range.
If your effective rate is more than 2.5% then you likely have room to save money. And if it’s north 3% then you’re getting ripped off.
We’ve audited Global accounts with effective rates over 3.5% due to inflated markups and bogus fees that were overlooked by the business. This results in thousands of dollars in overages paid to Global every single month.
Can You Negotiate Your Rate?
Yes, you can absolutely negotiate your rates and it’s something you should be doing on a regular basis.
Despite Global being the only provider that supports a ServSuite integration, you still have some leverage because they don’t want to lose your business.
The key to negotiating is going straight to Global (not ServSuite).
When you contact Global Payments, demand a reduction and be firm about it. Keep pushing back on bogus fees. If they tell you those charges are “mandatory,” they’re lying. We’ve had those exact same fees removed from other accounts dozens of times.
How to Lower Your Payment Processing Rates With ServSuite by FieldRoutes
You have two main options here. You can either handle this yourself or let our team here at MCC handle everything on your behalf.
If you prefer the DIY route, here’s what you need to do:
Step 1: Pull your last year of statements and calculate your effective rate over time. Look through every line item and make note of bogus charges, increased rates, new fees that weren’t there before, and anything else that just doesn’t quite look right.
Step 2: Contact Global Payments directly and start negotiating. Be specific about the fees you found that should be removed.
Step 3: Expect them to stand firm. Don’t accept that answer. Keep escalating your negotiations until you get what you want. This can take several days or weeks depending on how you’re contacting them.
Step 4: Get any rate changes or fee removals in writing before you accept their terms. Unfortunately, you can’t take the word of a sales rep at Global Payments (we’ve seen this go wrong too many times).
Step 5: Continue monitoring your statements to ensure your new terms have actually been applied. And make sure they don’t increase your rates again 3-6 months down the road.
If this sounds a bit too time-consuming, we can handle everything for you. Our team has successfully negotiated better rates for dozens of ServSuite clients, and we’ve audited thousands of Global Payments statements over the years.
So we truly know their “rock bottom” numbers, and we’ll make sure you get them.
And don’t worry, you get to keep using ServSuite uninterrupted. We’re not going to ask you to change providers or anything like that. Everything stays the same — you just pay less to accept payments.
Final Thoughts on ServSuite
ServSuite is a solid field service management platform.
Its acquisition path and rebranding over the past few years can be a bit confusing, especially for long-term ServSuite clients who aren’t quite sure where they stand or what’s happening behind the scenes.
But the biggest cost of using ServSuite comes on the payment processing side (and that’s not even handled by ServSuite).
It would be great if processors other than Global could integrate with the software. Unfortunately, that’s not the case right now, and you’re stuck with Global.
That said, you can take steps to reduce your rates. And it starts with a closer look at all the fees you’re currently paying.
Contact our team if you want help. We’ll start with a free audit to let you know how much money you can save on payment processing with ServSuite by FieldRoutes.