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Letter from

the editors

any payment professionals have high
hopes for big data. In our sphere, where
merchant stickiness is highly prized and
M hard to come by, many are seeking ways to
become true consultants to their customers, not just pur-
veyors of processing services. If the enormous amounts
of data on consumer behavior being generated and cap-
tured right now can be organized and analyzed in ways
that can benefit merchants, and if payment professionals
can be integral to delivering useful data to merchants,
they just may have a key to business longevity.

Is it now possible for payment professionals to capitalize
on big data? If so, how might it be done? What types
of big data analytics do small to midsize merchants
need most? And what are the current obstacles to be
overcome? Our lead article delves into all of this, and
more. So, if you're interested in learning about big data's
potential for payment businesses, this article fits the bill.

For payment companies to make hay with big data going
forward, consumers need to trust that their information
will be safe however and wherever they pay. Breaches
like the one Target Corp. recently experienced undermine
such confidence. The ongoing Target story and a listing
of last year's significant data breaches are included
herein. You'll also find articles on showrooming, bitcoin
in China, gleanings from the Federal Reserve's latest
payments study, and the legalization of recreational
marijuana use in Colorado. If you haven't visited GS
Online's MLS Forum lately, you might want to check out
the hot thread about processing marijuana sales found
there.

Our contributing writers have focused largely on
practical matters that can make a difference between
success and failure for ISOs and merchant level
salespeople. These include a discussion of ways to
reinforce a positive perspective in the face of rejection;
a look at how not just pessimism, but also too much
optimism can be detrimental to a sales career; reflections
on changes the industry has undergone since the 1990s
and how to advise someone returning to the industry
after having worked in other fields.

And as always, we've included updates on many of
the latest payment company triumphs, partnerships,
acquisitions, appointments, product releases and more.
If you have questions, suggestions or even a gripe or
two, please email us at greensheet@greensheet.com or
phone us at 800-757-4441. To post a press release, please
email your news to press@greensheet.com.

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