Handling Pay by Phone Inquiries for Chat Agents

Due to PCI Compliance standards, Forte no longer accepts payments over the phone. Follow the instructions below to guide consumers and merchants to alternative payment methods.

For Consumer Payments - IVR & Web Payments

1. Apologize to the consumer and explain that payments by phone are no longer accepted.
2. Inform the consumer they can make their payment using IVR (pay by phone) or Web.
   • Automated IVR Payment:
     • Perform a warm transfer to the IVR system, disconnect once connected, and email the IVR number for future use.
     • Use the FedPay Spreadsheet - IVR to locate the correct IVR number and J-Code (if applicable) for the merchant they wish to pay.
     • Confirm the Merchant by name and state in the FedPay Spreadsheet.
     • Document the transaction in Webtools and send a confirmation email through Freshdesk.
   • SWP or BillPay Website Payment:
     • Locate the merchant in Webtools and access their account.
     • Go to the Profile tab and retrieve the website address under the “Misc” section.
     • Double-check the web address for accuracy.
     • Document the Webtools account, send a confirmation email via Freshdesk, and include the payment page link in the email.

For Return Billing & Manual Invoice Payments

Forte BillPay Website

1. Apologize and explain the PCI Compliance requirement. Note: ACH for Manual Bill is an exception (see below).
2. Determine the Payment Type(Returned Billing or Manual Bill):
   • Reference the Billing Inbox for the correct web link.

Payment Links:

• Returned Billing
  https://billpay.forte.net/fortereturnedbilling/
• Manual Bill (Credit Card Only)
  https://billpay.forte.net/fortemanualbilling/

Manual Bill Payments:

• ACH Payment – If a merchant wants to use ACH, agents may take the payment by phone.
• Credit Card (CC) Payment – Direct the merchant to the Manual Billing website.
  • Instructions for Consumer: Advise them to click the blue “Pay Now” button at the top, then enter their invoice number or merchant ID (do not share the internal Forte MID).

Handling Returned Billing (ACH and Manual Bill)

• Returned Billing (ACH)– If a merchant wants to resubmit a returned billing:
  • Obtain written confirmation from the merchant, then use the DDA on file to resubmit.
  • Alternatively, direct them to the Returned Billing website.
  • Instruct them to click “Pay Now” and enter the invoice number or merchant ID.
• No Invoice Found (Manual Bill ACH/CC):
  • Create a ticket for Accounting and assign it to Janki.
  • ACH Requests: Label as “Create Billpay Link for ACH.”
  • CC Requests: Label as “Manual Bill CC Payment.”

Canadian Returned Billing/Manual Bill:

• Create a ticket for Accounting to process payment.
• Document in Webtools and send a confirmation email via Freshdesk.

Agent Reminder: Always double-check the information, document actions in Webtools, and send confirmation emails to ensure clear communication with the customer.