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Dunn's Field Guide seminars have been a continuing- ISOs and MLSs distinguish between products, deBanked
education staple at regional acquirers' conferences since co-produced an online training and certification program
2004. The six-session seminars are presented by subject- titled Merchant Cash Advance Basics.
matter experts and cover timely topics of interest to
Midwest Acquirers Association and Western States "It's focused on sales reps and underwriters, the people
Acquirers Association conference attendees. who are going to be speaking with the merchants," Murray
said, adding that the program is affordably priced. Over
More than 14,000 payment professionals have participated 300 individuals have completed MCA certification since
in Glenbrook Partners LLC's Payments Boot Camp over the program launched in late 2016. The online training,
the past decade. This intensive two-day training program, composed of four training and testing sections, covers
conducted in various cities throughout the year, may also business versus consumer, purchase versus loan and
be scheduled on site and customized. The agenda typically MCA versus loan transactions; the various types of MCA
covers payment systems; users and core providers; and transactions; and common events related to default. For
developments in global, digital, POS, blockchain and more information, visit CounselorLibrary.com LLC at
faster payment technologies. mcabasics.training.

"The vast majority of our attendees participate in a private ETA steps up training initiatives
boot camp where Glenbrook instructors come to our One industry organization that has played a critical role
client's location and deliver a version of the boot camp in educating payment professionals is the Electronic
customized to meet the company's instructional needs," Transactions Association. In 2009, the ETA committed
said George Peabody, Partner at Glenbrook. "We often resources to developing a certification program for sales
build a unit that provides our client with Glenbrook's agents that would demonstrate professional competency
external view of our client's market position and role." and promote ethical business practices within the industry.
Two years later, the ETA Certified Payments Professional
Glenbrook also conducts one-day Insight Workshops to (CPP) program had enrolled and certified its first class of
focus in-depth on specific topics, including faster pay- students.
ments from a global perspective and the complex sys-
tems that support digital payments. For more informa- Nearly 1,500 agents have become CPP certified to date, and
tion about these and other programs and services, visit about 150 were scheduled to test for certification in June,
www.glenbrook.com. according to the ETA. A CPP Study Guide accompanies
the program, which contains six educational domains:
Another payments industry veteran who has led the sales; pricing and interchange; process/operations/
training charge is Bill Pirtle, currently serving as Affiliation workflow; products/solutions/mobile technology; risk;
& Partnership Development Specialist for custom POS and regulatory/compliance/security.
solutions provider Active Software & Hardware Systems
in Michigan. Through the ETA University program, payment
professionals can complete courses online and in-person
Pirtle published Navigivating Through the Risks of Credit at industry events in preparation for the CPP exam, as
Card Processing for merchants prior to releasing Credit Card well as to maintain proficiency between exams, since
Processing for Sales Agents in 2012. Both books are available certification remains valid for three year increments.
on Amazon.com. A growing number of sales trainers The ETA offers additional opportunities to learn through
and agents consider the 648-page agent volume to be an hosted events, webinars, committees, and educational
essential tool. A second, expanded edition of the agent resources and guidelines.
volume, projected for release in early 2018 on Amazon, will
contain updated material and a facilitator's guide, which "We're always deploying new initiatives based on the needs
can be used in sales agent classroom training situations. of our members," said Meghan Cieslak, ETA Director of
Communications. "For example, leading up to the EMV
"There is so much more new material to cover with liability shift, we made available to members white-
advances in mobile and tools for agents," Pirtle said. "It labeled education packets to inform their merchants about
will cover surcharges, convenience fees, new markets, the coming shift, so they wouldn't have to invest in that
advances in point-of-sale systems and how to get better themselves, and they would have reputable third-party
credit card margins in the process. My forte is finding the independent organization support."
best people in their respective topics and having them
present the topics. If you are brand new, the idea for the Among the other resources available through the
flow is to start at the beginning and end at expert." organization are underwriting and risk monitoring
guidelines, U.S. mobile payment standards and
With the influx of merchant cash advance and alternative specifications, payment facilitator guidelines, an Internet
finance products entering the market in recent years, of Things report, and merchant guide for modernizing
understanding the nuances can be challenging. To help payment systems.

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