No one thinks about credit card disputes until it's too late.
Justin's Dispute Experience
Justin is a Squarespace designer who recently dealt with a credit card dispute.
Dispute Initiation
Customer raises a dispute with the credit card issuing bank and thousands of dollars were immediately debited from Justin's account. Customer may raise disputes up to 450 days after payment.
"Investigation"
The bank investigates the claim which takes up to 6 months, with funds held by bank. Justin submitted completed website, emails, zoom call recordings, notes, and a signed contract.
Justin's Money is Gone
Issuing bank is loyal to cardholder, not merchant, and can pass down whatever decision they want with little recourse. Customers can appeal, merchants can not. Justin lost and the money is gone.
Justin's Story is Not Uncommon
More Dispute Stories
More Dispute Stories
Fortitude helps professional services firms get paid and stay paid.
Problem
Material Problem
Professional services firms do not collect the verification information, evidence, and contracts needed to successfully respond to credit card disputes.
Perceived Problem
Professional services firms are largely ignored by payment processing companies, and are generally provided adapted e-commerce solutions instead of custom products. There is a feeling that if things go poorly, the calvary isn't coming - freelancers are alone.
Solution
Verification and Evidence Collection
A custom payments platform that dynamically adjusts verification information based on payment size and 3rd party data from proprietary dispute research. All verifications are summarized in a 1 page document that customers e-sign before payment, ready to be submitted if a dispute arises.
Heavy Hitting Cavalry
Chargeback alerts are received 24 hours before they become official with bank, giving time to re-bill and collect funds again. Fortitude provides chargeback consulting free of charge to guide merchants through the process with peace of mind.
Freelancing Timeline with Fortitude.
Finding a client
Identify potential clients and secure first project agreements.
Signing a contract
Invoice clients and ensure timely receipt of payments for completed work.
Doing Work
Complete projects as per client requirements and within agreed timelines.
Collecting payment
Request payments as intermediate project milestones are achieved. These payments are now secured.
Delivery and moving on
Conclude projects and begin seeking new opportunities. Merchant can actually move on knowing their payments are safe.
Alternatives
No Protections
- While convenient, platforms such as Stripe, Quickbooks, and Wave don’t protect merchants from chargebacks.
Too Much Work
- While chargebacks are rare, no one wants to handle manual AR processes.
- No cash flow choices for purchaser.
Not Proactive
- Alerts come in after chargeback is filed, meaning merchant’s only option is refunding.
- Focused on e-commerce, not prof services.
Freelancers navigate 1,000s of problems.