New company helps agents sell integrated solutions

The future of merchant sales is a hot topic in payments, especially at the start of a new calendar year. And software integrations that address specific merchant pain points—chargebacks and data security, for example—are perennially among the top solutions seen as central to the industry going forward.

Recently The Green Sheet caught up with leading sales rep trainer James Shepard, who believes the future of merchant sales is in vertical-specific software that integrates seamlessly with payments, a position he has touted for several years. Integrating platforms built on different technologies and for different purposes, however, can be a headache.

Addressing this reality, Shepherd, president of CC Sales Pro, launched a new company, Full Stack Payments. The new venture, he said, makes selling vertical-specific solutions integrated with payment processing as easy as navigating a mobile app.

Shepherd set out to prove the point with the launch of CCStorage, an independent software vendor (ISV) that addresses the myriad business requirements of self-storage facilities, including payments.

"I created Full Stack Payments to offer ISVs in other verticals the ability to integrate payments with their software and gain access to legacy, direct distribution models like the feet on the street," Shepherd said.

Industry specific, not generic

In addition to serving self-storage facilities, Full Stack Payments offers an integrated solution for gun shops. In the pipeline are integrated solutions for gyms, medical practices and home service contractors.

"These are all verticals where businesses have highly specialized needs that aren't being addressed by the generic solutions sales reps offer," said Jonathan Shirey, CEO of Full Stack Payments. "For example, if you're calling on a self-storage facility, you're going to need a solution that includes the capability to open and close the physical gate at the front of the property."

Gun shops have all kinds of unique requirements, too, Shirey noted. These include detailed inventory tracking with serial number management and background checks. "Traditional POS/business management solutions like Clover don't offer these capabilities," he added.

Supplemental, not competitive

Shepherd is quick to point out that Full Stack Payments was not created to compete with traditional ISOs that sell generalized payment processing services to merchants. "I don't see the general ISO going away anytime soon," he said. "Full Stack Payments is supplemental, not competitive."

The idea is that when an agent is on the street and comes upon a gun shop, for example, they can have a shot at winning its business.

"All they have to do is pull up our mobile app, which is available from the Android and Apple marketplaces, and enter a few details. Then we help them get the deal across the finish line," Shepherd said.

Netevia Financial LLC helped finance the launch of Full Stack Payments. Netevia describes itself as an "independent financial entity that provides capital, in the form of debt and/or equity, as well as consulting and executive management oversight" for ISOs and ISVs.

Whether you want to upgrade your POS offerings, find a payment gateway partner, bone up on fintech regs or PCI requirements, find an upcoming trade show, read about faster payments, or discover the latest innovations in merchant acquiring, The Green Sheet is the resource for you. Since 1983, we've helped empower and connect payments professionals, starting with the merchant level salespeople who bring tailored payment acceptance and digital commerce tools, along with a host of other business services to merchants across the globe. The Green Sheet Inc. is also a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals.

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