Heartland Payment Systems Relationship Manager Interview Questions & Reviews

Interview Details – Applied off add on LinkedIn, met with DM and TM. interviewed a few times. Then brought me on board. Needed to make 10 appointments to get started.

Negotiation Details – no negotiation, 100% commission.

Interview Details – Total calamity. Just don't do it.

Reason for Declining – Recently Heartland approached me about working for them. They fussed for 1.5 months of the $1000 per week draw that ended in 6 months that I needed to live on until I got the territory up and running, but bragged that I would be making upwards of 10K per month with in a year. This was all before I even began my "initiation" process. They have this "initiation" 2 week period, called Jump Start that you work for minimum wage, supply them with 20 strong contacts and 4 referral partners. They expect you to QUIT your current job and dedicate everything to Heartland even though you will NOT get a JOB offer unless everything is done "exactly" perfect per Heartland during the initiation "Jump Start" period. They will ask you to put their name on your car insurance during this period too. You will go through this "initiation" process with NO Training on their computer system ATLAS, NO Nothing about the products and have to be totally dependent on your Manager because you have to take them on your first 20 appointments. You will hear words like Transparent, Honest, Ethical and Character be very cautious. Your will have to sign a Jump Start Contract. Durning my Jump Start the Manager tried to Re Negotiate my pay, Codes were NOT supplied to me the first day of Jump Start but 4 days later inhibiting my ability to achieve any timely success, Management has NO sense of urgency of your success or do they care. I had live appointment that manager really didn't care about then merchants went to other processors.

Interview Details – Very thorough and straightforward. The interview consisted of a phone interview, an online survey, and 2 face to face interviews with 2 different managers. This did surprise me considering my 20 years plus of sales experience. I was very impressed with the professionalism of the hiring managers. Very prepared and organized. They explained clear cut expectations of the position. There was no sugar coating unlike some 100% commission positions where they are practically begging you to work for them. This was not the case here. They had a clearly defined picture of what they were looking for in a sales professional and they had a business plan for success.

Reason for Declining – I decided to stay in the insurance industry where I have spent 20 years of my life and start my own firm. This happened due to the questions I was asked in the interview. Even though I declined this offer. I would highly recommend this firm to others. They are a quality group. I was just not willing to learn a new industry.

Interview Details – The DM that hired me was brand new also and still in the learning process so I do not think I can honestly comment on this intelligently.

Negotiation Details – There is no negotiation available.

Interview Details – Telephone interview followed by two-on-one, they stressed that this is a prospecting job, and showed income based on a high monthly production pro-forma.

Negotiation Details – No negotiatons

Interview Details – Heartland held two telephone interviews with me before inviting me to participate in a "tryout" for the Relationship Manager position. The interviews were very basic, but they were definitely looking for aggressive 'hunters' with a background in outside sales. They also made it very clear that this was a commission only position, and that all my expenses would be my own. After successful completion of the telephone interviews, they asked me to go out into my community and "solicit" a minimum of 20 consultations with business owners/merchants as a test of my ability to secure a sales meeting. The consultations would be scheduled for a later date, and would be presented by the Territory Manager as part of my training if hired. I was told that I would not be given any information on Heartland, beyond what I was able to research on my own, and that, "I should present myself as an individual interested in a position with a payment processing company, who would like to set up a time after I am hired to discuss Heartland's products and services." Furthermore, they instructed me not to discuss price, and not to make any promises that I would not be able to deliver as a Heartland Relationship Manager. Basically, they were asking me to provide them with business leads, without compensation and with no guarantee of being hired if I was successful in achieving the 20 appointments.

I agreed to the tryout, but wanted to know more about Heartland's business model and pricing before securing meetings within my local community. Heartland refused to provide any insight or training as to their business practices. I was apprehensive, and suspected that I may be bringing sheep to the wolf, but was successful in exceeding the 20 meeting requirement. I was extended an offer, but held off on signing the agreement until I had a chance to attend a few of the consultations I had set up with the Territory Manager... To hear the Heartland presentation first hand.

The Heartland rep was very aggressive in his presentation style, using a lot of prepared phrases and sales talk while being careful to avoid any direct questions about pricing, and he was pushy and talked down to merchants. He asked a lot of questions, boasted of Heartland's superior products and services, had a negative comment for every competitor that was mentioned, and often used the merchants own words against them... But offered little in the way of how Heartland could help their business or specific savings Heartland could provide. It was all very loose and vague, with an emphasis on Heartland's image. He finished by stating that, "Heartland was the best. You either want to be with the best, or you don't." He was unsuccessful in getting agreements signed by any of the three business owners that we met with on the first day.

Going in to the second day, the rep informed me that he had a standing meeting that conflicted with one of my appointments the next day, and that I would have to push the meeting with the merchant to a later time in the day, or just reschedule altogether (The meeting had been set for ten days and on the reps calendar the entire time, and he was only just now getting around to telling me that he had a conflict). Heartland had very little respect for the meetings I had set, and even less for the merchants we met with. Heartland is all about Heartland, and they love to tell you how great they are...

My concerns over setting up meetings for a company I knew little about, and with a rep I didn't know at all, had been fully realized.

Reason for Declining – Heartland promotes itself as being a 'completely transparent' white knight within a "dark and unscrupulous industry" (actual words used by Heartland reps during the interview), but the Territory Manager I dealt with refused to answer any direct questions I asked him (nor those which my prospects asked during the consultations) with regard to pricing models. He maintained that I "didn't need to know about price, nor even need to discuss price with business owners while presenting." My sole responsibility was to "just get the agreement signed." He offered many sales tactics to use when "dealing" with merchants, including a lot of 'fluff talk' about Heartland being a tier one, debt free, publicly traded, Fortune 1000 company with W2 sales reps... And spoke of convincing business owners that they were "lucky to have found Heartland." He also stressed that Heartland didn't need any one client's business, and that small merchants were privileged to be meeting with Heartland, as they were "doing them a favor." This wasn't your typical "maintain a superior presence" sales tactic... This guy really believed his own hype (his arrogance was completely disgusting). He went on to exclaim that, "once the agreement is signed, we have them."

There's no doubt that Heartland's CEO, Bob Carr, is a marketing genius, as Heartland has a large initiative in place to create an image of superior integrity among their competitors. However, at the end of the day that's all it is... An image. It's all just smoke and mirrors that doesn't really mean anything. The only thing that really matters to a business owner is getting an honest and fair price, with full disclosure of all fees and no deceptive contracts locking them into adjustable rates down the road (or just plain misleading them as to what they are paying altogether). Beyond that, they want descent customer service that will not leave them hanging for hours without processing capability if there is a problem with their equipment. That's it. Period.

After all of the fluffy sales talk, PR initiatives and their "merchant bill of rights" Heartland is exactly the same as the other six direct processors.... Dishonest, deceitful and seeking to maximize their own profits at the merchant's expense. Heartland will tell you how great they are, but ask them to sit down and review your merchant statement and you won't be able to get them on the phone!

The honest truth about payment processing is that it is the responsibility of a business owner to educate himself or herself on how the industry works (complicated as though it may be to understand) and to figure out a pricing model that works best for their business. They need to know how the various parties involved in a card transaction are paid, what they are paid, and how to read a merchant statement and hold their processor accountable. They need to do their homework, and negotiate fair terms with an ISO who has a genuine interest in providing an honest service... Because putting your blind faith in a company like Heartland by signing an agreement based on some fancy sales talk and a carefully crafted image is just plain naive... And shockingly stupid!

Finally, Heartland will hire anyone who can get agreements signed. They don't care what your background and/or education is (The Territory Manager stated to me that, "unless you've murdered someone, we'll take you."). Apparently, If you can learn their pitch and get a business owner to sign, you're in! They also have no problem sending inexperienced reps with little to no knowledge of the company, or even of the payment processing business, out into the field to represent Heartland... There's no standard of ethics in that regard. Heartland's sole interest is in "getting agreements signed, while avoiding direct conversations about price... And then moving on to the next merchant." (direct quote from a Heartland employee).

This company is not the right fit for me. Business owners beware!

Interview Details – company was very aggressive to hire right away and almost felt like I didn't have to work to get the job. Was hired immediately after HR approved, which seemed to be the only part that seemed not quick and desperate. company trying to grow faster than they know how to handle. There is no real office, you work from home so interview was in a lobby, which was fine, but looking back a little misguided.

Negotiation Details – I didn't have to negotiate because I was offered the job immediately and didn't have to try very hard to get the position.

Interview Details – Phone interview, which lead to a one on one with a District manager.They let you know right up front that this job is not for everyone.they are looking for entreprenurial types,which really means you will invest your time and effort ,if it works great if not ......You need to be comfortable with cold calling which is the primary means to get your business. The background check takes time,if you're clean don't worry,its a process.They have benefits,they're just not given after 30,60,or 90 days you have to hit sales minimums to be eligible.For some it may be a deal breaker.

Negotiation Details – There is very little to negotiate. There is no salary,it's all commission.If you recieve offer make sure your finances are in order,you may have to work a while to see money ,and longer to build your business to where you can survive.

Interview Details – Initial communications were very good. Only one interview with DM. Questions asked were very standard, set to elicit responses that either cut you from process or resulted in being handed an application Kot of questions to figure out how many hours you worked, how hard and how much of a hunter you are.. DM was very corporate thinking, though manner of dress was surprisingly inappropriate. Company did seem to have it together initially. Though within a few months Everything they proclaimed to be changed almost overnight with no warning...did Not walk the talk by any means. Joined one company, shortly thereafter seemed like I was working for another.

Negotiation Details – Nothing was negotiable.