As most of you would agree, choosing the right merchant account can be a difficult task. Having worked long and hard to find the right merchant service provider, you now need to make sure you keep a careful tab on your merchant account. Most businessmen make the fatal mistake of not paying enough attention to their merchant account. As rules change and rates and fees slowly increase, your monthly account maintenance expense increases beyond your initial expectation. Eternal vigilance is the price of not being fooled. It has often happened that when the businessman wakes up with inflated bills and begins to calculate and compare rates and fees, he has already been cheated out of thousands of dollars.

When rates increase without proper notice or justification, and when credit card associations introduce new regulations without informing business owners, your business account suffers and becomes more expensive as a result. This process is known as merchant account downgrade. The key to self-preservation is to not let your merchant account get downgraded in the first place. Here are some things you can do to maintain an optimal merchant account.

o You should carefully read your monthly merchant account statement and get clarification of all ambiguities from customer service executives.

o Merchant service providers are required by law to inform their clients of any changes before introducing them to their accounts. These notifications should be prominently mentioned on the front page. Always be sure to review this information.

o As you may be aware, there are up to three different discount rates that you may be charged to process your transactions. Keep an eye on these discount rates to ensure your transactions are completed at the lowest qualifying rates.

By logging on to the Advanced Merchant Services online web page at http://www.merchant-accounts.com, you can easily and immediately lower your current fees if they bother you. Advanced Merchant Services (AMS) can save you hundreds, maybe even thousands, of dollars in processing costs. Complete the AMS form and soon an AMS representative will contact you with a proposal that will exceed your current rates. With AMS, you are always assured of complete satisfaction. AMS is a well established player and is backed by the largest processing banks in the United States of America. So whether you need to process a thousand dollars a month or a million, your funds are absolutely safe with AMS business accounts.