Clients love “concierge-level” service. And that’s what Mobius Payments’ Jonathan Corona, the processor’s vice president of its compliance division, offers.
In fact, all of Mobius Payments’ team serve their customers how they want and deserve to be treated. “At the risk of sounding clichéd, we’re not satisfied until our clients are satisfied,” Corona says.
Comprehending the adult entertainment and banking industries and being active in both industries for more than a decade has been instrumental in our continued success.
Corona is a key player of the Mobius team, whose strengths stem from their collective knowledge and experience of inner workings of the banking and adult entertainment industries. The company specializes in high-risk merchant account activation, both domestically and internationally, and is a leader in its line of business.
XBIZ recently spoke with Corona to find out more about billing in adult and the caring team over at Mobius Payments.
XBIZ: How did you enter the payment processing business?
Corona: I was hired to answer phones about 15 years ago at a boutique processor in south Orange County, Calif. Mercifully, my first-line supervisor, Mia, recognized my potential and immediately brought me to the back office to contribute in the operations department. The rest, as they say, is history.
XBIZ: What are some of the things that businesses don’t under-stand about billing for adult entertainment?
Corona: In my experience, the term “high risk” has an unjust negative connotation for my clients in the adult market space. High risk doesn’t mean “illegal activity” or “poor credit score.” High risk is a term used by banks to define merchants who have a high potential of financial loss to the bank due to occurrences of excessive chargebacks or fines levied by the card brand associations for BRAM (business risk assessment and mitigation) violations. It’s my privilege to be the client’s advocate to the bank, help the bank understand the business and get the merchant account approved.
It’s unfortunate, but the reality of it is the adult entertainment business has been singled out by both the banking industry and the U.S. government. Adult entertainment is something everyone consumes but nobody talks about. It’s tracked, monitored and reported upon by banks and the Justice Department.
Other aspects that businesses may not understand about billing for adult entertainment are the rules and regulations that govern credit card payments for the adult entertainment industry. Everything from the content being produced and disseminated to the acceptable thresholds for chargebacks. We use the knowledge we’ve gained over the years to help our clients operate their businesses within the regulations defined by the banks and the card brand associations.
XBIZ: What are the key strengths of Mobius Payments?
Corona: Our knowledge and experience is one of our key strengths. Comprehending the adult entertainment and banking industries and being active in both industries for more than a decade has been instrumental in our continued success. Our service to our clients is another key strength. We pride ourselves on the service and support we provide to our clients. Every member of the Mobius Payments team strives to provide concierge-level service to every client. At the risk of sounding clichéd, we’re not satisfied until our clients are satisfied.
XBIZ: What are some of the markets Mobius Payments is eyeing?
Corona: Mobius Payments specializes in high-risk merchant account activation domestically and internationally. Our experience isn’t limited to American borders as we’ve seen exceptional success and have expanded our knowledge of banking to the European Union.
We don’t limit ourselves to the high-risk segment, and we’ve had a lot of success with mainstream, retail businesses as well. We are continuously growing year after year and consistently adding new processing solutions to broaden and enhance the solutions we provide to our clients to give them the best-possible experience when it comes to accepting credit cards as payment for their business, in the U.S. and the E.U.
XBIZ: What’s the biggest lesson that you’ve learned in your career in this industry so far?
Corona: “Trust but verify” … absolutely. That’s not to say I’m skeptical or distrusting, but I’ve had my share of frustration and disappointment when full disclosure wasn’t at the heart of discussions and negotiations. However, coming from a risk background, a healthy amount of skepticism is something that is indoctrinated and should be viewed a suitable characteristic.
XBIZ: How important is it for industry folk to go out and meet each other at tradeshows?
Corona: It’s incredibly important! Not only does it provide invaluable networking opportunities to meet new clients, but it gives us a chance to catch up with our existing clients. It’s nice to put a smile to the email address and to sit and talk for a few moments face-to-face.
Our service to our clients and to the adult community doesn’t end when the merchant account is activated. We continuously maintain a relationship and encourage dialogue with our clients to ensure they’re happy. If a situation arises in which a client isn’t happy, we won’t stop working until the client is satisfied.
XBIZ: What do you like to do when outside of work?
Corona: I enjoy spending time with my family. I have two young children (ages three and five), and I’m exceptionally fortunate to live the lifestyle I do, which affords me the time to spend with them while they’re still so young.
I’m an avid amateur photographer, so you’ll often see me with my camera bag, fidgeting with the exposure, f/stop, ISO speed and all the other settings, trying to capture that perfect shot.