Year-End Review: Unlocking Business Growth for ISVs and VARs

Year-End Review: Unlocking Business Growth for ISVs and VARs

As we bid farewell to 2023, Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs) find themselves at a critical juncture. The end of the year is not just a time for reflection but a strategic opportunity for growth and planning. With BOLD’s partnership, navigating the complexities of year-end reporting and analytics becomes a streamlined, insightful process.

Understanding the Landscape of Year-End reporting 

Year-end reporting transcends mere sales tallies; it’s an exploration into the depths of financial and operational performance. This comprehensive process entails analyzing key metrics like monthly merchant processing volumes, sales forecasts, and pipeline health. BOLD, with its range of integrated payment solutions, including tools like MX Connect™ as one of many integrations, offers a comprehensive view for this kind of in-depth analysis. These tools collectively enable ISVs and VARs to achieve a complete understanding of their year-end performance.

The use of advanced CRM systems demonstrates the kind of flexibility and control that is crucial for business growth. By mastering a merchant onboarding CRM, users can efficiently manage and monitor aspects of their business, from individual merchant details to overarching portfolio health. Comprehensive reporting capabilities, like snapshots of merchant performance, empower users to make informed, proactive decisions.

Strategic Planning with Data-Driven Insights

The foundation of effective year-end reporting and strategic planning lies in the goals set by ISVs and VARs. It begins with defining clear business objectives, which then guide the selection of relevant data and metrics for analysis. This process is not just about gathering a wide array of critical documents and data; it’s about aligning this collation with the comprehensive business goals. Understanding where crucial informational documentation is stored within the CRM system they are utilizing is key. It ensures that every piece of data collected is purposeful and contributes towards achieving these set objectives.

Portfolio and merchant reporting features in systems like MX Connect™ are instrumental in this strategic preparation. They provide comprehensive insights into individual merchants and the overall business, focusing on key issues like ACH Rejects, Suspended Funds, and TIN Withholding. The ability to customize and curate dashboards with metrics that are directly aligned with specific business goals is highly beneficial. Reports such as Processor Notes, Funding Delay, and Disputes enable a proactive approach to management. This targeted and goal-oriented level of detailed reporting not only aids in efficiently organizing financial information but also enables a thorough analysis of yearly performance. Such an approach is vital in identifying trends and patterns.

Leveraging Key Reporting Metrics

A dynamic dashboard for comprehensive analytics is a core feature of a well-structured merchant onboarding system. It’s essential for a detailed analysis of key business metrics, enabling informed decisions based on trends and performance patterns.

New Merchant Accounts vs. Attrition: Understanding the dynamics between new merchant accounts and attrition is critical. High-performing months should be identified and analyzed to replicate success. On the flip side, assessing reasons for merchant attrition, like customer service issues or high rates, is equally important. This insight will guide strategies to improve retention in the new year. Integrated solutions often play a role in reducing attrition rates, suggesting that expanding POS options in a VAR’s portfolio could be beneficial.

Month-over-Month (M-O-M) Residuals: Observing the impact of adds and attrition on the bottom line is crucial. Speed of merchant onboarding and activation is a key factor here. Faster installations can reduce attrition and enhance residual payouts. For the upcoming year, consider strategies to increase the average residual per merchant location. Investigating compliant programs that enable merchants to pass on their fees can also be a lucrative avenue.

Month-over-Month Merchant Processing Volume: Analyzing month-over-month processing volumes can reveal significant trends within your business. This information is vital for planning the next year’s strategies. Identifying ways to assist merchants during their off months can be a game changer. Consider exploring options like gift cards and loyalty programs. Integrating such programs seamlessly can help merchants grow and offer a more satisfying customer experience.

Planning for the Future

The insights derived from year-end reports are not just retrospective analyses but powerful tools for shaping the future. These reports reveal areas of growth and aspects needing improvement, providing a clear vision of what’s working well and what can be enhanced. This process is essential for ISVs and VARs to align their strategic planning with their business objectives, ensuring that they are not merely reacting to the past but actively shaping their future success.

Working closely with a knowledgeable relationship manager can significantly enhance the strategic planning process. A relationship manager brings expert insights and an external perspective that can be invaluable in identifying the most critical metrics for your business’s growth and sustainability. They can assist in dissecting complex data, offering interpretations that might not be immediately apparent. This collaboration enables you to develop a more nuanced, data-driven strategy that aligns with your long-term business goals.

Together with your relationship manager, a deep dive into your top 10 accounts can be incredibly revealing. This analysis isn’t just about recognizing who your top performers are but understanding the underlying reasons for their success. Is there a specific service or product offering that sets them apart? Are they thriving in a particular niche market? These accounts can serve as case studies, providing insights into successful strategies and potential areas for replication or expansion. Your relationship manager can help you to decode these patterns, offering advice on how to leverage this knowledge effectively.

Charting a Path Forward

BOLD offers more than just tools for reporting and analysis; it provides resources for year-end success. Whether it’s guidance on leveraging loyalty programs, implementing truly compliant programs, or exploring niche market opportunities, BOLD is committed to empowering its partners.

As we step into the new year, the role of year-end reporting and analytics in shaping a profitable and efficient future is clear. Partnerships with integrated payments partners like BOLD enable ISVs and VARs to not just review the past year but to strategize for a more successful future. Ready to unlock the full potential of your business? Schedule a session with BOLD to begin a journey of growth and success.

 

Are you ready to speak with a Payment Industry expert?

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Heart of BOLD: A Closer Look at Our Enhanced Core Values

Heart of BOLD: A Closer Look at Our Enhanced Core Values

In today’s evolving business landscape, it’s not just about what we do; it’s about how we do it. Our core values reflect our commitment, passion, and dedication to serving our partners and growing as a united team. BOLD has always strived for excellence, and with our revamped core values, we aim to lead with an even stronger foundation.

No Excuses – Taking Ownership Like Never Before

At BOLD, “No Excuses” isn’t just a phrase – it’s a promise. We understand that problems can be multifaceted, and our commitment is to take full ownership, irrespective of where the challenge lies. We don’t believe in passing the buck, cold transfers, or offering quick fixes that are mere band-aids. Instead, we quarterback every situation, liaising across various teams and partners until a sustainable resolution is achieved. With the expertise and resources at our disposal, we pledge to resolve issues that meet our clients’ exacting standards anytime and any day.

People First – Elevating Every Interaction

Our biggest asset? People. At BOLD, every decision and action is centered around a “People First” mentality. We believe in genuine, humble, and caring communication, whether over a call, a digital note, or an in-person meeting. We aim to cultivate an environment free from negativity and gossip, where everyone is appreciated for their unique contributions. Supporting each other—whether in our professional roles or personal endeavors—is paramount. Because when our people thrive, BOLD thrives.

Determination – Pioneering Problem Solving 

We don’t just solve problems; we conquer them. Determination at BOLD signifies doing whatever it takes to reach success. It means relentless persistence, a deep understanding of challenges, and harnessing creative problem-solving skills. Our team refuses to settle for subpar solutions. Instead, we reach out, escalate, and leverage industry resources until we chart out a clear path to resolution. This unwavering determination is the bedrock of the trust our clients and team members place in us.

Integrity – The Keystone of BOLD

Integrity is more than just a value—it’s our essence. At BOLD, trust and relationships are hallowed, and integrity is the linchpin that holds them together. This value reminds us to always communicate with honesty and compassion, to act with ethical rigor, and to uphold our moral principles unfailingly. And while we strive for perfection, we also understand the human element: mistakes can happen. What’s essential is owning up, learning, and evolving, ensuring that our integrity remains untarnished.

Ultimately, our core values are more than words on a page. They are our guiding light, ensuring that we remain bold in our approach, dedicated to our service, and unmatched in our industry. We invite potential partners to join our community and experience an integrated payments partner like never before. And for those searching for more than just a job – for a place where values matter, individual growth intertwines with collective progress, and every challenge is met with determination and integrity – BOLD offers not just a position but a home. Together, let’s shape the future boldly.

Are you ready to speak with a Payment Industry expert?

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Analyzing Merchant Statements: Let Technology Do the Hard Part

Analyzing Merchant Statements: Let Technology Do the Hard Part

Analyzing merchant processing statements can be a simple process with the right tools. Those who stay ahead of the curve are taking advantage of software that powers the payment processing industry. We recognize that statement analysis is essential, and we want our partners to use technology to accelerate their business. If you need to incorporate statement analysis in your sales approach, we encourage asking merchants for current processing statements. However, understanding statements and time spent analyzing them can be frustrating and time-consuming. To maximize profit and efficiency, we rolled out a new statement analysis tool for all our partners.

How it Works

BOLD’s Statement Analyzer Tool is designed to take the grunt work out of statement analysis, freeing our partners to do what they do best; prospecting and sales. A closer look at statements will reveal information about current payment processing fees and identify growth opportunities.

Product Features:

  • Fast Turnaround Times (Avg under 20 minutes)
  • Accurate Analysis (Data Entry / Categorization issues are detected and fixed by an expert)
  • Interchange Padding Detection
  • Level 2 and Level 3 Optimization Potential
  • Custom Pricing Templates
  • Proposal Templates with Custom Branding 
  • Residual Calculation & Margin Control
  • Full Feature API

Benefits of Using Our ISO Quote Tool

Identifying various aspects of a statement takes time, some can take up to a couple of hours. For example, assessing price models, processing fees, and chargebacks may be strenuous. With all of these different factors, it is easy to miss hidden fees. We certainly don’t want our partners to waste their time with complex statements. BOLD’s Statement Analyzer Tool allows you to manually generate an analysis without a statement in case your merchant is unable to obtain theirs. An estimated savings proposal will pique their interest if that’s the case. 

Here is an example of a proposal template!

Current partners can gain access to BOLDs Statement Analyzer Tool today. Simply contact the Partner Experience Team @ prm@boldpay.io for user credentials and training. You’ll be analyzing in no time!

Not a BOLD Partner and want to learn more? Fill out the form below!

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Pass-through vs. Flat Rate Pricing: Presenting the Best Options to Your Merchants

Pass-through vs. Flat Rate Pricing: Presenting the Best Options to Your Merchants

Why is my effective rate different this month versus last month?” 

This is one of the most common concerns we hear from new merchants after their first few months of processing. Explaining the fundamentals of interchange to a merchant is no easy feat. When selling based on the effective rate, the pricing model used to pass the cost to the merchant is important. The two most common pricing models sold are pass-through pricing and flat rate pricing. How do these pricing models impact the effective rate, and how do you determine which pricing model works best for your merchant?

Pass-through vs. Flat Rate Pricing

Pass-through pricing

Pass-through pricing allows the true cost of processing to be passed on to the merchant. The benefit of pass-through pricing is transparency and lower costs. On a pass-through pricing model, merchant fees fluctuate monthly based on interchange and card brand fees. Interchange is determined based on card types, the merchant industry, transaction size, and other factors, such as reward cards that give you cash back and miles towards a consumer’s next vacation.

Common examples of factors that drive interchange costs are:

  • Rewards Cards – Interchange costs are higher to offset the cost of the rewards programs to the cardholder. 
  • Keyed and e-commerce transactions – Without having the swiped and chipped data, the risk that the transaction could be fraudulent is greater and therefore, a higher risk. Address verification (AVS) helps mitigate the risk. 
  • Debit Cards – Have the lowest interchange costs due to the lower risk. Debit transactions are funded directly from the cardholder’s bank account. 
  • Average Ticket – Merchants with a lower average ticket qualify for interchange rates with reduced transaction fees, which lower costs. 
  • Industry Types – Schools, government entities, utilities, etc., have special interchange pricing that can lower costs.

Flat Rate Pricing

Flat rate pricing is not designed to be competitive; it is meant to be easy to understand. A flat rate pricing model gives merchants a fixed percentage that is not impacted by the cost of interchange or card brand fees. Regardless of the types of cards accepted or any of the other factors that influence interchange costs, the merchant’s effective rate never changes. It is essential to remember since the merchant’s rate is fixed, flat rate pricing should be priced high enough to cover the cost of fluctuations in interchange rates. Recommended flat rates are currently ranging from 2.75% – 2.99%. The varying costs of interchange will affect the overall residuals earned on a monthly basis. 

 

 Pass-through Pricing   Flat Rate Pricing
Merchant cost is dependent on the interchange qualification.  Merchant cost is a fixed percentage.
Merchant effective rate fluctuates based on interchange qualification month over month.  Merchant effective rate remains the same regardless of interchange costs.
Partner earns a fixed residual percentage regardless of the underlying interchange.  Partner earnings fluctuate depending on interchange qualification.

 

So, what is the right choice?

Choosing between flat rate pricing and pass-through pricing isn’t always an easy decision; 

However, with so many variables it can be comforting for merchants to know their processing fees will not change. As long as the sales and average ticket don’t fluctuate significantly month to month, the cost will remain relatively constant and predictable.For these reasons, when it comes to selling merchant’s on the effective rate, we have found the best pricing model to use is flat rate pricing.

Looking to learn more about Pass-through vs. Flat Rate Pricing 

Fill out the form below and a BOLD representative will reach out to you

Part 1 of 3: The Tools and Unwritten Rules Used by BOLD’s Client Services Team

Part 1 of 3: The Tools and Unwritten Rules Used by BOLD’s Client Services Team

Managing a successful support team for POS/Merchant Processing can be tricky.

BOLD’s growth over the past 10 years is directly related to the amazing talent we have brought on board, and one team, in particular, is the Client Services (CS) Team. Each CS Team member is trained and mentored by colleagues during their onboarding process. The team has adopted a culture where each person is encouraged to ask and answer questions. This is what makes our client services team so unstoppable and why I am excited to provide an insider’s look into this three-part series as to what makes BOLD Support so powerful.

The main benefits of this blog is to share how our team works and the tools we have found helpful when supporting our partners and merchants.

Multiple Channels for Support

Support via Email

Perhaps the most popular form of opening support cases for our partners is the use of email. Cases that come in via email directly hit our Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software and land in a Case Queue managed by our team. Cases that we receive via email provide smoother comprehension and the ability to resolve high-level issues with a sense of urgency. It also allows us to route or assign Cases to team members that specialize in that particular issue cutting down on the Case Age Lifecycle. 

Routing of Incoming Emails

While the entire team is responsible for the queue, we have found that assigning one or two people (our “Queue Masters”) to assign Cases to team members drastically reduces the amount of time new Cases go untouched. This helps keep our initial response times within our goal of three hours (depending on the severity of the issue). 

BOLD Unwritten Rules

  • Goldilocks Communication – Not too much, not too little- just right. 
    • Too much information can overwhelm and even confuse a partner/merchant. They might not know the inner workings of a process and to find out may cause stress when it is not needed.
    • Too little information causes multiple attempts to communicate. Questions come up and partners are left unsure if what we’ve told them is verifying/answering their question completely.

Tools
Salesforce (Service Cloud)
Email to Case

Support via Phone 

Support over the phone allows us to build a personal connection with our partners. Not all ISVs and VARs have the time to pick up the phone to call into a support number, but a verbal conversation is the preferred method for many of our partners.

Giving the Right Answer over the Phone

The Client Service’s job is to provide our partners with an answer or resolution when they need it. However, in such a technical industry dealing with various point-of-sale softwares, we have trained our team that there is nothing wrong with saying “I do not have an answer for that now, but let me speak to someone that can answer that right away.” Providing service just based on the speed of response can sometimes cultivate a culture where the first answer is not always the correct answer. We encourage due diligence to alleviate future headaches for our partners and their merchants.

Routing of Incoming Call

Similar to our email system, incoming calls also end up in a phone queue. Each team member is responsible for logging into the queue when available and out of the queue when they are away from their desk. Each team member has visibility as to which rep is available and makes sure the phones are covered before logging out. Depending on the prompts the user selects when calling, the call is routed to the proper channel based on severity of the call. Should a voicemail be left, the reporting and transcript immediately hit our email Case queue described above where it is assigned to the first available representative. 

During uncommon times when the calls outnumber our available reps, BOLD has integrated a solution that allows our busy partners the chance to remain in the queue while they await a callback. When this solution is used, our phone system immediately rings the first available representative and, when answered, automatically places an outbound call to the partner. 

BOLD Unwritten Rules

  • It’s okay to say that you’re not sure, and want to find out that information for them. Trying to answer incorrectly or beating around the bush because you want to perceive you are “all-knowledgeable” is a waste of the partner’s and your time.
    • Find the answer quickly – don’t keep them on hold – offer to call them back once you have found an answer. If they would rather hold, great! Check back every 5 minutes or so to gain trust

Tools
GoTo Connect
Salesforce

Portal/Online Support

Opening Cases via Online Forms

Another popular channel for our partners opening a Case with BOLD is our partner portal. Perhaps the largest benefit this has for the Client Services team is the fact that incoming Cases can be automatically categorized and assigned to the proper channel bypassing our Email Queue. Depending on the form being filled out, our System can predefine the Case Category and walk the partner through necessary fields for opening the Case.

Providing a Partner Knowledge Base

Along with the ability to open Cases, a knowledge base (linked here) is available for our partners to quickly find documents, QRGs, and answers cutting down on the amount of inbound calls/emails our services team receives. 

Tools
Salesforce Communities
Salesforce Knowledge Base

 

(Coming Soon)

Part 2

How BOLD Categorizes and Organizes Incoming Cases
Managing Vast Amounts of Information

Part 3

Managing Multiple Team Members
Taking Advantage of Customer Feedback Tools

Questions on implementing some of these tools for your team?

Contacts us below and we can get you started.

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How BOLD Provides Greater Control and Financial Gain Through Payment Processing Services

How BOLD Provides Greater Control and Financial Gain Through Payment Processing Services

At BOLD, we strive to provide our partners with as much information, control, and features as possible. In the following blog post, we discuss what makes us unique and how partnering with us can provide your company with a larger financial gain than other processors. 

CAN YOU READ THE FINE PRINT?

Growing up, did you ever see the 1968 film, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? Do you remember how the “Child Catcher” lured the children with free lollipops and ice cream? As an audience member, it was clear that taking the so-called “free” candies was not a wise move, but the children didn’t see it as that simply because they were naïve. 

Have you ever wondered at what point in time, in our young adult life, did we start seeing the bigger picture? Nowadays, we begin to notice strategies and tactics intertwined in a sales pitch, we learn to read the fine print, and realize that nothing is technically free in life. However, are you able to catch when you are being lured into business deals when it comes from your processor? 

THE THREE T’S TO EXCELLENT DEALS WITH BOLD

Before we dive into the nitty gritty, let’s take a look at what makes an excellent deal.

First, we know that every deal takes a life of its own. There are some that are going to make sense sticking with your processor. While others, it’s obvious that the wiser move is to collaborate with your partners. Secondly, as a dealer, you have to look at two things: buy rates and revenue share. Naturally, it is a case by case situation, but in examining the deals you should be able to notice which works best for your company. 

When you join with BOLD, you will quickly see that we are unique to any other processing company. 

Transparency 

As our partner, you may not receive the amount of free hardware or software fromBOLD that other processors offer. However, when you sign an agreement with us, the profit you receive from the deal makes up for the costs of the incentives other processors give.

Team

At BOLD., we have a team that analyzes merchant statements. In cases where you don’t have the margin to track down rate reviews, our team can show you exactly what the profit numbers and fees are for each of those statements. Not only that, we are prepared to uncover where the profits come from and how to proceed. 

Tools

BOLD offers a tool which allows partners to know and visually see a profit analysis for the merchant (for the partner). It shows the pricing that the merchant had and what other processors had in identical months. This gives you, as the partner, the freedom to determine mathematically what other value adds you are able to bring to your merchants. 

HOW A PARTNER CHANGE CAN RESULT IN A FINANCIAL GAIN

If you’re weighing the pros and cons of working with a partner company versus your processor, let me share a specific example. Perhaps this will help draw a more black and white picture for you.

Let’s say there is a multi-site company who has worked with a partner processor for roughly 3 years, but they are currently looking to save money. The company feels they had a disservice from the payment processor, and are asking a dealer who works alongside payment partners. 

Overall, if we say they have 3-4 chip reader stations at each of their locations, there is going to be a significant cost to make the change across all of their locations if they work with their bank. Realistically, it could be anywhere from $4-6K per location to maintain what the company is getting for free. That comes from adding up the retail value on the hardware; POS, machines, card readers, etc. The total cost from the processor would be around $5K, with an additional $13K to change over. 

However, if the dealer brings the company to BOLD, as a partner processor, the raw cost would be more to switch over but the monthly profit is greater. To give specific numbers, the switch over would cost about $11K, but the monthly profit would be $9K. After a few months and investing in equipment, the change with BOLD would result in larger financial gain than would be expected with a processor. 

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PARTNERING WITH BOLD

We get it. As an entrepreneur and business owner, you have a lot on your plate. Taking out a magnifying glass to look for where money is being pulled and track down rate reviews is not something you want on your agenda. Our BOLD team wants to help. We want to provide you with as much information, control, and features as possible.

Our BOLD team would love to partner with you. Call us at (877) 900-4511 or fill out the form below.

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