Merchant retention, taking the initiative - revisited
Due to a technical snafu, Curt Hensley's responses to the last set of questions we asked of our advisory board did not reach us in time for inclusion in "Merchant retention, taking the initiative -Part 1" and "- Part 2," which were published, respectively, in The Green Sheet, July 12 and July 26, 2010, issues 10:07:01 and 10:07:02.
Hensley is the Chief Executive Officer of Impact Payments Recruiting.
1. What kind of initiatives are you taking at your organization to keep clients happy and loyal?
Our clients are all merchant service providers and various other payment companies. They rely on us to weed through the vast array of available candidates to find the cream of the crop that fits their culture and will be very productive in the roles they are placed in.
Placing great people keeps our clients happy and loyal. We've added additional quality control measures and an even more extensive candidate vetting process to make absolutely certain that each candidate we send has been a superstar at his or her previous positions.
Our entire team has read several books from top recruiting industry trainers to make sure we are all performing at the top level and using the best recruiting practices possible. Since we're busier than ever ... this process has required us to all work a little harder; we've also hired a few more talented recruiters.
2. How critical are value-added services to this process?
Adding value is very important. Clients recognize when they are working with someone providing a quality service. It's unwise to underestimate how important it is to provide your client with the best possible customer service and to be as fair as possible if any problems arise.
We try to always focus on how our client can "win." If our client wins, it's almost always a win for us as well. There are so many different types of companies providing terrible customer service these days. This allows a company that excels at treating customers well to really stand out.
3. What types of value-added services do you feel merchants need/desire these days, and why? Are their wish lists realistic?
In terms of wish lists, we've found some merchant services companies expecting top talent to be willing to take pay cuts because "everything is 20 to 30 percent less expensive" right now. We've explained several times that this is unrealistic because true "A" players don't need to take pay cuts.
If your company is looking for the bottom 50 percent performers, we recommend searching or placing ads on Monster or Careerbuilder; poor performers are easy to find there. If you want true performers, they need to be enticed away from their current position.
Sam Caine helping children with cancer
As many of you know, I successfully fought cancer last year. Unfortunately, it has come back looking for a rematch. I will be undergoing surgery in a couple of weeks at MD Anderson in Houston and fully plan on winning round two and getting back to normal ASAP. During my toughest days, I am always inspired by the children I encounter suffering far worse than I face.
Tragically, an average of 10 children are diagnosed with brain tumors every day.
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (www.pbtfus.org) is the largest nongovernment source of research in this area. Over the past 20 years, the foundation has helped improve the five-year survival rate from under 5 percent to over 60 percent.
Cancer ... is obviously hard on both patients and the families. I need your prayers and positive thoughts. But the kids need more. Since the PBTF does such important work, I am asking for your help in my fundraising efforts on their behalf. Please open your hearts and wallets to donate anything you can. No amount is too small.
There are two easy ways to donate: online at www.firstgiving.com/samcaine or by mail to Card Payment Services Inc.; Attn: Sam Caine; 2591 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 208; Frisco, TX 75034.
Card Payment Services will match 100 percent of all donations, so your generosity will be doubled.
Sam Caine
Card Payment Services Inc.
The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information.
Notice to readers: These are archived articles. Contact names or information may be out of date. We regret any inconvenience.
Prev Next
