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Insights and Expertise

Five essential skills The ability to think critically and

for success in the come up with solutions on the

payments industry fly is priceless.

oriented, you’ll catch issues before they become problems
and build a reputation for reliability.
Third, communication skills

The payments world isn’t just tech or finance; it’s a
combination of both, and more. Being able to explain
complex concepts clearly makes you invaluable. For me,
communicating with both clients and tech teams became
crucial.

Payments clients often need the “what” and the “why”
behind every decision. And your teammates? They
need to understand your insights to take action. Strong
communication creates alignment and trust in a field
where precision matters.

Fourth, technical proficiency
The payments landscape is increasingly digital, and
By Robert Kraal understanding the technology behind it is essential.
Silverflow This doesn’t mean you need to be a coder, but it helps
to understand the basics of APIs, cloud computing and
he payments industry is dynamic and fast- cybersecurity.
paced, and while there’s no one-size-fits-all for- Fifth, problem-solving ability
mula for success, some skills stand out as abso-
T lutely essential. Here are five skills that have Payments often involve complex processes, and things
been critical in my own journey, and why they’ll serve you won’t always go as planned. The ability to think critically
well, too, no matter where you are in your career. and come up with solutions on the fly is priceless. In my

First up, analytical skills experience, every client has unique needs, and finding
ways to deliver on them is half the job.
Payments involve numbers, trends and a lot of data.
Being able to analyze this information gives you a huge When you develop a knack for problem-solving, you build
advantage. Early in my career, I realized that making resilience and adaptability, two qualities that will carry
sense of data helped me understand everything from you far.
transaction patterns to areas for efficiency.
So, if you’re just starting out or looking to grow in the
Whether it’s transaction fees or customer behavior, those payments industry, focusing on these skills will give you a
who can interpret data effectively will always be a step strong foundation. From analyzing data to solving complex
ahead in finding growth opportunities and solving real issues, these skills have proven invaluable throughout my
issues for clients. career, and they can set you up for success, too.

Second, attention to detail
Robert Kraal, co-founder and chief business development officer at
This might sound obvious, but in payments, details are Silverflow, is one of the few people in the world with over 20 years of
everything. A missed decimal, an unchecked box – experience in online payments. After completing his degree in geophys-
mistakes like these can impact transaction flow, security ics, he joined Bibit, the first global Payment Service Provider, which was
or compliance. Working in a technical environment, I saw acquired by RBS/Worldpay. At RBS/Worldpay he led account manage-
firsthand how the smallest errors could become costly. ment, before moving on to Google Netherlands. He joined Adyen in 2010
in the role of COO. At Silverflow, Robert is responsible for maintaining
In my work, ensuring accuracy is a cornerstone of all I relationships with the card schemes, acquirers, PSPs and regulators.
do; it’s what builds trust in relationships. If you’re detail- Contact him on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/in/robertkraal.

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