Fleetworks

In car rental situations there is a minimum evidence expectation for all chargebacks:

• signed RA
• signed or PIN verified card pre-auth and additional purchase receipt
• copy of the invoice for the charge.

You should provide these documents for all chargebacks. We will discuss the additional documents that might support a chargeback later.

If you are to achieve a reversal for reason codes related to fraud or product not received, you will be required to submit ‘compelling evidence’. It is worth regarding compelling evidence as something you should aim to submit with all defences.  Additionally, specific transaction types will require additional documentation. For example, a PCN charge might need:

• copy of the PCN as a minimum
• screenshot of Fleetworks PCN notification email sent to client – include the status of the email to confirm its delivery and then select the appropriate defence text
• screenshot from Fleetworks showing proof the fine in question was handled by you – the main PCN screen in Fleetworks
• screenshot of reassignment to issuer notification from Fleetworks.

Other general supporting documents might include:

• screen shot of the clients loyalty scheme membership
• ID documents such as passport, driving licence
• Signed condition report form
• Screenshot from social media or a review site with the client referring to the charge (the identity of the client should be easily identifiable on the screen such as the Trustpilot site.

Evidence that is not usually considered will include any CCTV footage or call recordings.  Although you can provide a call transcript if available. 

Avoid providing all evidence types for all reason codes. Your defences will become cluttered with some unnecessary information.  

For example, if the reason code suggests fraud then focus on evidence to show how the cardholder knows you as a Merchant and has interacted with you. If the reason code suggests the services were not received, then focus on showing how the services were carried out and delivered.  When adding supporting documents to a defence, it is advisable to add them with file names that assist the Chargeback processor at your Acquirer. So, if you are uploading the booking email screenshot then call it something like bookingemailsc.pdf.  

We provide pre-written templates for common car rental issues. If you regularly attract a reason code that has no template then contact Fleetworks Support for help in producing a full defence text. 

? Defence Templates are made up of blocks of text called Defence Texts

You can see all the pre-written templates by going to the Defence Template menu option. You can then click to view the Defence Text blocks used to create that template. You can copy the template and add your own additional texts. You cannot edit the main templates but you can create your own version.

You should consider making your own templates if you have a particular service situation that is unique to your business. For example, you might have a hand over area that has particularly good lighting for checking vehicles and you may wish to draw attention to that for damage charges.  

We have created templates to help you with common reason codes and transaction reasons that car hire firms encounter. One reason code might have multiple templates. This is because a client might use reason code 10.4 to dispute a charge for a PCN admin fee or for ancillary rental charges.  Remember, we are trying to address the reason code within the context of the charge so we must adjust the defence to the charge type. 

When you add a chargeback record to Fleetworks there are three action boxes at the bottom of the screen. 

Part of your process in defending a dispute is to prove it is invalid. Fleetworks provides a very simple way to notify your Customer Services team that a client has raised a chargeback and to notify the client as well. 

? The Customer Services email address is part of the back office setup – to ensure we have your correct address loaded notify admin@fleetworks.co

Why should you do this? You should always check to see if a client is attempting, or has secured, a refund for the disputed transaction. If they have, you should use this in your defence. If a client raises a dispute for a charge under discussion with customer service, do not process a refund because you risk losing both the refund and disputed amount. 

You should also notify the client that you are defending the chargeback even if they were not actively seeking a refund. Using the Notify Client button will send an email to the client. Often a client will reply to you and the reply might be useful within your defence. For example, if they have claimed that they did not receive any previous emails from you in relation to the charge and they reply to this one, then you can show how all emails were addressed to the same place.

How to create a defence using a template

A defence will be made up of three parts.

1 –A comment about the dispute reason

2 – An explanation of services used

3 – Evidence of services and additional information.

If you use a Defence Template it will contain all of the core texts, you will just need to add the core pieces of evidence.  The most common reason codes will have some orange text in the Guidance Box suggesting additional texts to use as long as you can provide the appropriate evidence.    If you can locate the suggested evidence, click in the Defence Text field to locate the block with a similar name to the evidence you are presenting and click to add it. 

You can use the default Defence Texts and you can add your own. You cannot alter the system defaults.

? When you start creating a defence you can review it using the Preview link next to the File Defence action button. It is useful to have this open at all times. Use refresh/F5 when you add to the defence.

If you cannot add the minimum supporting documents you should add free text justifying why it is not available.   

We will now create a chargeback defence. For the purposes of this example, we have been presented with a Visa chargeback for a PCN admin fee for £70 plus VAT on reason code 10.4. This PCN was processed through Fleetworks. 

Using your merchant providers details locate the transaction details and identify which PCN this relates to. Locate the PCN in Fleetworks. Scroll to the bottom of the page and tick the Create Chargeback action box and press Save. 

You will now be transferred to the Chargeback Module and Fleetworks will copy across the PCN information for you. You now need to add in the case details provided to you by your Acquirer such as chargeback case number, merchant ID etc. 

When you enter the reason code, if it is a common car hire code, then you will see the Defence Guidance appear. Example below. 

Next select the reason for the charge using the Further details field to add any unique details about this charge or situation. This text will appear in your defence document. Note the admin fee and a charge for a fine require different selections here. 

Now press Save. 

At this point, you can use the Notify Customer Services and Notify Client functions. We recommend sending these as soon as possible in the defence process. 

Next, enter the reason code into the Defence Template field but do not press enter.  You will see a choice of templates such as below. 

Select the option for your charge reason i.e. PCN.  Press save and then open the Preview link at the bottom of the page. This will show you the basic defence you have created. 

The next job is to add the supporting evidence. Use the Defence Guidance and aim to select the minimum documents listed and then the documents listed as appropriate for all responses and each specific charge type. If you can locate a piece of supporting evidence then search in the Defence Text field to add some supporting text. 

Defence Texts are named with a group identifier at the beginning of its name.  All PCN related texts start with PCN, Damage ones start with Damage and Ancillary Charges start with Ancillary. There are also some General texts that can be used for all chargebacks. You can search for appropriate Defence Text blocks by typing the PCN, Damage or Ancillary word and you will see a selection of pre-written Defence Texts to add to a chargeback defence. 

? If you add your own Defence Texts name then in the same way to make them easy to find.

To keep the list visible when you make a selection, hold down the CTRL button while you click. 

When you have selected all the additional Defence Texts, press Save and then go back to your Preview tab and press refresh. 

Adding a new file attachment or Defence Texts will alter your defence documents. Use Preview to review how it changes. 

When you are ready to submit the defence, you have two options. If you added an email address for your Merchant Provider when you added their details into the Merchant Services menu, when you select File Defence and press Save, Fleetworks will send your defence to their email address.    

If you leave the entry blank, then the user who creates the chargeback defence will receive an email allowing them to either forward it by email or upload the text into a Merchant Providers portal.