1
⏱ ~20 minutes
Documents you'll need ready
Gather these before you start the application — it saves the most time.
Government IDDriver's licence or passport for all owners with 25%+ ownership.
Business registrationArticles of incorporation or business name registration (provincial or federal).
Voided chequeFrom your Canadian business bank account — for settlement deposits.
3 months bank statementsRecent statements showing consistent business deposits. Most applicants only need 1–2 months.
Business address proofUtility bill, lease, or CRA notice showing your business address (if different from mailing).
Website URL (optional)If you have one — helps underwriting but is not required for brick-and-mortar merchants.
Complete the online application
Fill out the Grandco merchant application. Takes about 10 minutes. You'll enter your business details, estimated monthly volume, and business type.
- Business legal name, DBA (if applicable), province of incorporation
- Business type: retail, restaurant, service, e-commerce, or mixed
- Estimated monthly card volume and average transaction size
- Owner information: name, date of birth, ownership percentage, home address
- Whether you want surcharging enabled (strongly recommended — it offsets your plan cost)
💡 Be conservative with your volume estimates — it's easy to increase limits later. Inflated numbers slow down underwriting.
Upload your documents
Upload the documents listed above through the secure portal. PDF or high-res photo formats are accepted. All uploads are encrypted in transit.
Accepted formatsPDF, JPG, PNG — max 10MB per file
Image qualityAll text must be clearly legible — blurry photos cause delays
NamingName files descriptively (e.g., "void-cheque.pdf") to help your account manager
Missing docsYou can submit what you have and add more later — partial applications are held 72 hours
⚠ The #1 cause of delays is illegible document scans. Use a flatbed scanner or scanning app (Adobe Scan, Microsoft Lens) rather than a regular camera photo.
Select your plan and hardware
Choose your plan — Starter ($149), Growth ($299), Scale ($549), or White Glove ($999). If you need POS terminals, select your quantity — hardware ships after approval.
- Starter ($149/mo) — 1 POS mobile terminal, merchant account, CRM (500 contacts), reputation management & email review requests, appointment booking & reminders, missed call text back, email marketing (500 contacts), webchat widget (non-AI), surcharging enabled. No AI features, no SMS usage exposure, no per-use billing of any kind. Best for solo operators and low-volume businesses.
- Growth ($299/mo) — Everything in Starter plus standard POS station (cash drawer & printer), full CRM (5,000 contacts), workflow automation, SMS marketing campaigns, funnel & landing page builder, social media planner, monthly strategy session, priority onboarding support. AI features: Phone Answering (100 min), Website Chat (50k tokens), Appointment Booking, FAQ Handling, Lead Capture. 200 SMS review requests + unlimited email review requests included. Most popular plan.
- Scale ($549/mo) — Everything in Growth plus premium POS software package, unlimited contacts, API access & custom integrations, custom reporting dashboard, dedicated account manager. Payment Gateway for Website Sales (tokenization & API). Advanced Level 3 Processing (Coming Soon). Advanced Online Sales AI Fraud Detection (Coming Soon). Unlimited AI Employee — no caps on calls, chats, bookings, follow-ups, or review requests. Workflow Pro, AI conversation assistant, AI auto-responses to reviews, unlimited 2-way texting, unlimited workflow automation, unlimited AI chat + phone usage.
- White Glove ($999/mo) — Everything in Scale plus Grandco's team runs your full monthly marketing: 12 social posts/mo, 4 reels/mo, monthly blog & newsletter, seasonal SMS + email campaigns, Google Business Profile management, directory listings (40+ platforms), AI review responses, monthly strategy call, and quarterly 90-day growth review.
💡 Not sure which plan? Choose Growth. You can downgrade to Starter or upgrade at any time, effective on your next billing date, with no penalty.
2
⏱ Grandco handles this
Elavon underwriting review (Days 1–3)
Your application goes to Elavon's Canadian underwriting team via Grandco. They verify your business identity, processing history, and risk profile. You don't need to do anything — watch your email for status updates.
- Identity verification — owner ID checked against government records
- Business verification — registration confirmed with provincial registry
- Bank account validation — voided cheque matched to your business name
- Processing history check — if you've had a merchant account before, previous chargebacks or terminations are reviewed
- Volume plausibility — stated monthly volume compared to business type and size
💡 Most standard retail, restaurant, and service businesses are approved in 1–3 business days. High-risk industries (travel, adult, supplements, firearms) take 5–10 days and may require additional documentation.
Respond to any underwriting questions promptly
Occasionally the underwriting team asks for clarification — additional documentation, explanation of a business model, or a revised bank statement. Reply within 24 hours to avoid delays.
Receive approval email and merchant ID
You'll get a confirmation email with your Elavon Merchant ID (MID), your Grandco login credentials, and a link to your Grandco sub-account. This is the green light to proceed to setup.
3
⏱ ~45 minutes
Log in to your Grandco dashboard
Use the credentials from your approval email. Your Converge processing account and Grandco marketing sub-account are both accessible from the same dashboard login.
Configure your surcharge rate (up to 2.4%)
Navigate to Settings → Processing → Surcharging. Set your rate — most merchants use the maximum 2.4% to fully offset plan costs. The platform auto-exempts Interac Debit and Visa Debit from surcharging. Quebec merchants: surcharging will be pre-disabled.
- Maximum rate is 2.4% — you may set lower but not higher
- Applies to Visa and Mastercard credit cards only
- Never applies to Interac Debit, Visa Debit, or Mastercard Debit — the platform handles this automatically
- Must be disclosed at point of entry (entrance sign) and point of sale (terminal screen + receipt)
- Grandco's terminal and receipt templates handle all digital disclosure automatically
📄 Download and print the Surcharge Disclosure Sign — this is the physical entrance signage the card networks require. Laminate it and place it at your door or counter.
Set up your Grandco CRM
Access your Grandco sub-account from the dashboard. Add your business details, upload your logo, and set up your primary contact pipeline. This is where all customer data, campaigns, and automations will live.
- Upload your business logo and brand colours to the Settings → Business Profile section
- Connect your business phone number for SMS sending (Twilio integration — Grandco pre-configures this)
- Connect your business email (Google Workspace or Office 365) for email campaign sending
- Create your first pipeline stage (e.g., Lead → Demo Booked → Customer → Repeat Buyer)
- Import any existing contacts via CSV if you're migrating from another CRM
Enable your first automation
Grandco pre-loads three starter automation workflows into your account. Enable the "Post-Purchase Follow-Up" workflow — it sends a thank-you text 1 hour after a completed sale and a review request 3 days later.
- Post-Purchase Follow-Up — Thank-you text → Review request → Repeat purchase offer (Days 1, 3, 14)
- New Lead Nurture — Initial response → Value content → Soft offer → Hard CTA (Days 0, 2, 7, 14)
- Reactivation Campaign — Targets customers silent for 60+ days with a win-back offer
💡 The review request workflow alone typically generates 8–15 new Google reviews in the first 30 days for most merchants. This is one of the highest-ROI quick wins on the platform.
4
⏱ ~30 minutes
Unbox and activate your terminal
Your Converge-certified terminal ships pre-configured with your Merchant ID. Plug in, power on, and enter the activation code from your approval email. The terminal connects to Elavon's network automatically.
- Connect terminal to power and internet (ethernet preferred over Wi-Fi for reliability)
- Power on and wait for the Grandco/Converge boot screen (30–60 seconds)
- Enter your 8-digit activation code from the approval email
- Run a $0.01 test transaction using the test card included in the box
- Verify the receipt prints with the surcharge line item (if surcharging enabled)
- Verify the cardholder screen shows the surcharge amount before approval
⚠ If the terminal shows "Not Activated" after entering your code, wait 10 minutes — the Elavon network may need time to propagate your new MID. Call support if the issue persists after 30 minutes.
Post your surcharge disclosure sign
Print and post the Grandco Surcharge Disclosure Notice at your store entrance or payment counter. This physical sign is a card network requirement — Visa and Mastercard auditors look for it. Laminating is strongly recommended.
- Door or entrance — Most compliant placement; visible before the customer reaches the counter
- Payment counter — Minimum compliant placement; must be clearly visible from the customer's standing position
- At the terminal — Can supplement, not replace, the entrance or counter sign
- Online stores — Must appear on the checkout page before the payment form is submitted
📄 Download the Surcharge Disclosure PDF — includes full-page sign, half-page cut-apart version, and wallet cards.
Run a live test transaction
Process a real $1.00 transaction on a credit card (your own is fine). Verify the surcharge appears on screen, the receipt shows it as a separate line item, and the settlement amount is correct in your Converge dashboard.
5
⏱ You're live 🎉
Open for business
Your terminal is live, your surcharge is configured, your compliance sign is posted. You're ready to accept payments. Every credit card transaction from this point forward recovers processing costs automatically.
Send your first marketing campaign
In Grandco, create a simple broadcast SMS to any existing contacts announcing your new booking link, a promotional offer, or simply a "we're here" message. Even a 50-contact list generates measurable returns.
Check your first settlement
Elavon settles daily (next business day). Log into Converge after your first full processing day to verify the deposit amount in your bank matches expectations. Your Grandco account manager reviews your first week of processing.
30-day check-in call with your account manager
Every new Grandco merchant gets a complimentary 30-day review call. Your account manager will review your surcharge recovery, identify any chargeback risks, and help you set up your next automation workflow.
Your first 30 days at a glance
Day 1
Apply & submit documents
20-minute application, document upload, plan selection
Days 2–5
Underwriting & approval
Elavon reviews your application — most approved in 1–3 days
Days 5–6
Platform setup & surcharging
Dashboard login, surcharge config, Grandco CRM setup, automations
Day 7
Hardware, compliance sign, first transaction
Terminal activation, surcharge sign posted, live test, go live
Day 30
30-day review call
Surcharge recovery review, chargeback risk check, next automations
1
⏱ ~15 minutes
Submit your reseller application
Fill out the Grandco Reseller Application — your business name, existing client base size, current tech stack, and intended market (restaurant, retail, service, etc.). Takes 10–15 minutes.
- Existing relationships with Canadian small business owners (the client base you'll sell into)
- Some familiarity with SaaS or payment products — not required, but reduces your ramp time
- Ability to present to and onboard new merchants (in-person, Zoom, or phone)
- Business registration in Canada (sole prop, partnership, or incorporated)
💡 Agency owners, bookkeepers, accountants, business coaches, and IT consultants make the strongest Grandco resellers — they already have the client trust. Cold sellers also succeed, but take 2–3x longer to ramp.
Review and sign the Reseller Agreement
Read the Grandco Reseller Agreement covering your commission structure, white-label rights, Sub-Merchant obligations. Sign electronically — takes about 20 minutes to read.
Choose your tier: Silver, Gold, or Platinum
Select your target tier — Silver (1–4 active merchants, 10 BPS), Gold (5–14 merchants, 12 BPS), Platinum (15+ merchants, 15 BPS). You can start at Silver and tier up automatically as your portfolio grows.
2
⏱ 2–3 hours total
Complete the Reseller onboarding call (60 min)
A Grandco partner manager walks you through the platform, pricing, merchant approval process, commission tracking, and your white-label dashboard. Recorded for reference.
Set up your white-label portal
Gold and Platinum resellers get a branded client-facing portal. Upload your logo, set your brand colours, and configure your custom domain. Clients log in to "your platform," not Grandco's.
Complete the surcharging sales certification
A 30-minute self-paced module covering how surcharging works, how to explain it to merchants, common objections and responses, and Quebec-specific rules. Required before your first merchant application.
Download your sales materials
Your reseller portal includes a pitch deck, one-page leave-behind, pricing comparison sheet, surcharging ROI calculator, and email templates. Personalise with your brand if white-labelled.
3
⏱ Your first commission
Identify your first 10 prospects
Start with your warmest relationships — existing clients, local business owners you know, referrals from your network. You need 10 conversations to get 2–3 demos booked, which yields 1–2 closed accounts.
- Restaurants ($40–80K/mo volume) — high card mix, surcharging ROI is immediately obvious. Close rate is highest here.
- Health & wellness (salons, gyms, clinics) — booking automation resonates. Combined CRM + payments pitch is strong.
- Retail shops on Square — Square's no-surcharging policy is your clearest competitive wedge.
- Service businesses (trades, cleaning, landscaping) — often under-served by CRM tools, Grandco is the differentiator.
Run your first demo and close
Use the Grandco demo script and ROI calculator. The close is almost always the surcharge math: show the merchant their exact monthly savings at their stated volume. Numbers close; pitches don't.
Submit your first merchant application
Submit via your reseller portal. You'll complete the merchant's information on their behalf (or share a co-branded link for them to fill out directly). Your commission tracking starts the moment the merchant is approved.
4
⏱ Your recurring runway
Reach 5 active merchants → Gold tier
At 5 active merchants you automatically unlock Gold tier (12 BPS vs 10 BPS). A typical Gold reseller with 5 merchants processing $60K/month average earns $432/month in BPS residuals alone — plus SaaS margin.
Build a referral system from existing clients
Your best merchants will refer their network — peers in their industry, their accountant, their landlord's other tenants. Set up a simple referral incentive (one month free, cash, or gift card) and make asking for referrals part of your 30-day check-in call.
Reach 15 active merchants → Platinum tier
Platinum unlocks 15 BPS, priority processing queue for new merchant applications, dedicated account manager, and custom pricing for enterprise merchants. A 15-merchant portfolio processing $60K average generates $1,620/month in BPS residuals — before SaaS margin.