The business of living can be a tough sell. Hurdles abound, from how to make that mortgage payment to staying employed in a difficult economy. But what gets you through is belief, be it in a higher power or simply in yourself - that you will find the grace and wisdom to make your dreams come true in time.
Belief is also at the heart of the business of selling financial services. There is nothing so powerful and motivating as having an emotional connection to the products you sell. You're not just trying to make a buck.
Instead, you truly believe that your services will help merchants stay in business, make more money, and even enrich their lives beyond mere dollars and cents.
But maybe it's not so much belief in the superiority in one type of card reader over another, or that a certain gateway never goes down. Of course, some products are better than others, but there will always be a better, faster, cheaper POS device than the one you're selling.
It's the nature of invention that a superior technology is always on the horizon - the next whiz-bang gadget that promises to put your technology to shame.
However, belief in a company philosophy or a set of business practices can run much deeper. Maybe your ISO treats its employees with a measure of respect and dignity that makes you proud to be associated with it.
Or perhaps your company is devoted to charitable giving, to the extent that the boss doesn't give himself or herself a raise and sends more money to a heartfelt cause on behalf of the company instead.
Whatever anchors your belief in a company, it is the same feeling or belief you exude when you make a sales call. When you approach a merchant, you're not just armed with a charming smile and a good hook. You walk in with your ISO figuratively behind you.
When you tell a merchant your ISO offers excellent 24/7 customer service from a dedicated call center in the United States that is staffed by knowledgeable associates, you know it is, in fact, true. In this sense, the ISO is supporting you and giving you the confidence to make your pitch with conviction.
Consider the opposite. You approach a merchant knowing deep down that your ISO's merchant contracts come with bogus fees. Assuming you find the practice unethical, how can such knowledge not undermine your pitch?
How can you have confidence in the product you're selling if your belief in the ISO that supplies it is faulty?
Be assured many merchants pick up on your belief in the company you represent, or lack thereof. Merchants have been burned enough in the past to be wary when you approach them.
They can sense when something rings false in your voice, or maybe it's your eyes that give you away. You may be able to fake your way through a fancy presentation, but it's impossible to fake belief.
Working with partners and companies you fully believe in spills over into your private life. Since you spend so much time at work, having pride in your ISO makes work more enjoyable and less stressful.
When you transition back to being a friend, parent or spouse at the end of the day, you don't have to deal with the emotional and psychological baggage of having to work for a shady ISO day in and day out.
Thus, when you hear horror stories about what goes on at less than ethical or careless ISOs, you can be grateful that you are not associated with them. And if you are unfortunate enough to work with such an ISO, maybe changing that situation is in order for the new year.
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
