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CompanyProfile

High-touch sales organization

hen Peter Estap founded National Bankcard
Systems in 1997, the payments industry
was rapidly evolving. Soon after, the NBS
W president and chief executive officer recog-
nized a rising need for discounted credit card machines. It
moved him to establish a wholesale merchant equipment
site, which he followed by also launching The Merchant TheMerchantStore
Store subsidiary to cover the merchant processing side. www.merchantequip.com

The company ultimately decided to roll all of its business
entities up to the single brand. "The Merchant Store just ISO/MLS contact:
kept growing and eventually it made more sense to have
everything under it," said Joe Brannon, director of opera- Brock Evans
tions at The Merchant Store. indicating.
Sales Director/Agent Support
Based in Austin, Texas, with a second office located in bevans@usmsi.com
Crested Butte, Colo., The Merchant Store offers every-
thing from popular POS products and equipment to 800-898-3436
ecommerce support. According to Brannon, all of these
offerings are backed by "most of the big payment gate-
ways out there."
According to Brannon, this process reflects The Merchant
Relevant equipment offerings Store's high-touch approach. "There's a place for a soft-

Brannon stated that The Merchant Store's success and ware that bridges the middle ground, which is where
historical growth has always stemmed from the firm's we'll go, and then we'll give it to the agent," he said.
commitment to ensuring merchants and sales representa-
tives have a quality product set that is tailored to the core Brannon also indicated many of today's outside sales
needs of the market. "A lot of the drive behind our growth agents need guidance, and the company's hands-on train-
was getting merchants away from predatory leases and ing approach helps them understand the firm's "relation-
pushing another alternative," he said. "We were also able ship first" culture. "When an agent starts with us, we
to reach the people that wanted to find merchant services show them how to build genuine relationships with mer-
online, and the equipment focus gave them a reason to be chants," he said.
looking at our site, so it brought in the calls."
Brannon indicated this approach is different from the tra-
While Brannon has seen the world of merchant equip- ditional ISO model. "It gives more direct service and en-
ment go through significant changes, he also noted that sures there's someone in the mix that knows what they're
many merchants still need equipment. "It's driven a lot of doing," he said.
our agents, because they can't get equipment from their Back to the roots of selling
processor without paying an arm and a leg," he said. "It's
driving business in a different way than it used to." Brannon also pointed out that The Merchant Store has
renewed its focus on supporting agents as the industry
Brannon confirmed The Merchant Store can basically do evolves. "ISOs are going into software verticals, which is
anything in terms of equipment, including cellular, Wi- no place for agents, but we have a nice offering and can
Fi-enabled and desktop/plug-in models. put focus on helping the agents," Brannon said.

Relationships first According to Brannon, The Merchant Store's agent base
Explaining the firm's consultative sales process, Brannon began growing right away due to solid bonuses and true
said, "Generally, if an agent brings something in, we'll revenue splits; however, the company doesn't let growth
have a call with them and the software company to find impact its personalized support. "We've found the agent
out what they need." He mentioned gateways as an exam- really benefits from working with a small team, where
ple, stating, "Different gateways have different features the same guy doing agent support is the same guy talking
and functions, but they aren't always on the same proces- to the customer," he said. "It's all about being part of the
sor, and you have to understand what the processors are process and building relationships. Getting merchants to
willing and able to do, and then what the gateway can convert is a different animal now, which is why we're giv-
do." ing attention to our agent channel again."
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