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Spotlight Innovators

eadquartered in Troy, Michigan, award-winning
North American Bancard is an industry leader
in credit card processing, providing a variety of
H merchant services that help client companies of
all sizes develop solutions for payment processing, includ-
ing credit, debit, EBT, check conversion and guarantee, gift
& loyalty cards, and much more. As an MSP/ISO since 1992,
North American Bancard is dedicated to offering the high-
est service levels, exceptionally competitive pricing, and
the latest technology to its client companies, including Pay
Anywhere, its proprietary point-of-sale (POS) solution. With
over $34 billion worth of payments processed for more than
250,000 businesses every year, North American Bancard is
determined to help American business prosper. .
What’s New:

Harnessing the Future of Retail

eople who work in payments have witnessed a great deal of change over the past two decades. Many of these
changes brought with them new opportunities on the sales front, and today’s changing payments landscape is
no exception. In fact, the latest transformation in retail transactions has created an exciting sales climate that
P is more dynamic than ever before.
With consumer payment preferences driving the revolution of retail transactions, nearly every frontline merchant in the
world is now looking for ways to expand or upgrade their payment offerings. Catering to the ways people pay has even
become a marketing distinction for some merchants. Electronic payments have now become a business commodity that
will help the smart retailer stand out.

“The ability to offer products and accept payments anywhere is now a consumer expectation, forcing retailers to go
beyond typical incentives and migrate towards customization and personalization to attract and retain their customers,”
stated Marc Gardner, founder and CEO of payment processor North American Bancard (NAB).

Technology at the Core
Not only have buyer preferences begun to influence which payment options a merchant will offer, but technologies are
also rapidly scaling, leaving many a merchant’s head spinning. This is where the knowledgeable sales representative can
become a valued advisor to the retailer.

According to Gardner, “Retailers need to bring in, and stay up to date on, the latest software and engagement tools to enable
a seamless payment experience now and well into the future.” Gardner explains how daunting this can be for merchants
and why business owners must think strategically about selecting the right payments provider. He advises businesses to
“seek out providers with a commitment to adopting new technologies and a history of real-world implementation.”
Of course, the same advice is relevant for the sales professional who is looking to represent the best and most innovative
payment technologies offered by the industry. Not only does a sales person need to be well-versed on every type of
payment technology available - including integrated software solutions at both the enterprise and niche industry levels –
they also need to understand the business needs of their retail customers.

According to Gardner, to achieve the highest level of success, it’s important for payment sales professionals to offer
retailers a relationship with a provider that can offer an advanced payments platform, commit to regular innovations, and
also be nimble enough to evolve with the shifting marketplace.

“A good payments partner can make it easy to set up things like online payments and mobile capabilities that integrate
seamlessly with in-store payments, enabling retailers to keep track of inventory and customer behavior, even as sales
come in from multi-channel sources,” Gardner counsels.

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