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May 25, 2020 • Issue 20:05:02

ISOs, MLSs rise to COVID-19 challenges

in-place orders, EPNA still offers support services from the
office, such as terminal replacements, for drive-up custom-
ers, Demke-Calixe noted.

Austin Mac Nab, executive sales director at VizyPay, a Des
Moines, Iowa-based ISO, has also seen an uptick in interest
in cash discounting. "Merchants are looking to new operat-
ing models, as many are being forced to conduct business
in different ways," he said.

VizyPay's approach to cash discounting differs from the
prevailing model in which a service charge is added to all
purchases at the register, with a corresponding discount
offered to cash-paying customers. Instead, VizyPay works
with clients to raise prices on all their products to cover
processing costs (between 1 and 4 percent) and automati-
cally apply discounts at the checkout for cash-paying cus-
tomers, Mac Nab stated.
By Patti Murphy While the model may not be an ideal fit for all merchant
verticals – a convenience store with thousands of SKUs,
hese are trying times for all manner of busi- for example, may not find it viable, Mac Nab conceded – it
nesses. With countless stores closing and others works well for many, especially restaurants. Of the addition
experiencing sinking sales due to mandatory of card processing fees to individual prices, he said, "no one
T stay-at-home orders intended to flatten the curve knows it's happening except the owners themselves." He
of COVID-19 infections, ISOs and merchant level salespeo- further noted that many restaurants, hard hit by forced clo-
ple (MLSs) are reimagining operating strategies. sures and sole reliance on take-out orders, are looking to
increase prices to recoup losses. That can be a perfect time
Some who have built their portfolios on face-to-face sales to add a cash discounting program like the one offered by
are turning to telephone sales and social media outreach. VizyPay, he said.
Others are promoting value-added services like custom-
ized ecommerce sites, integrated online ordering and vir-
tual terminals. Many are reassessing the value of and pro-
moting opportunities with cash discounting. Contributed articles inside by:

"We definitely have people who have thought about cash
discounting in the past, who now seem ready to pull the Marc Beauchamp ..................................................................................24
trigger," said Laura Demke-Calixe, founder and CEO of Scott Goldthwaite ................................................................................26
EPNA, a Chicago-area ISO. "We've had a lot more people
inquire about it." Simon Fairbairn .....................................................................................27

EPNA is unique among ISOs in that it operates a storefront Michael Tomko ......................................................................................28
in downtown Evanston, Ill., where businesses can meet
with agents for statement analysis and to select POS de- TOC on page 3
vices. While the office has been closed due to state shelter-
Continued on page 22