t's no secret that many people become merchant level salespeople (MLSs) to make a lot of money. That's their goal because that's what they want out of their career. But are they focused? Do they know how they will get from point A to point B? Sadly, many do not. Rather, most simply hope that a big account will one day land in their lap. What about you? While earning a good income is important, what else do you expect from your career? Are you focused? Do you have goals? How would you describe your path? Do you have a concrete plan in place, or are you only going to "wait and see what happens"? As MLSs, these are questions we should all ask ourselves.

I bring this up because for this month's "AgenTalk," I interviewed Tom Heltmach of Chicago-based Arlington Payment Services. After reading the interview with Heltmach, you'll see that he has created his own destiny by focusing and setting higher standards for himself in his career.

Matthew Swinnerton: Why and how did you enter into this type of business?

Tom Heltmach: I moved to Chicago nine years ago and answered an ad in the newspaper for a sales position. I didn't have a clue about what the company sold even after I met with them, but I really needed a job.

MS: Give us an idea of a typical day in your life.

TH: Often, it depends. If a merchant needs to be open for business at 9:00 a.m., and I need to download or install equipment, I'll be there before that time so they're ready to go when they open. Since I focus on restaurants, and most employees aren't even in until after 9:00 a.m., it allows me to start working at that time. I also work late at night.

If a merchant needs help on a weekend, they know that they can reach me. If their terminal breaks down and they need a backup, I'll download one of mine and take it to them. I once got a call from a friend in the industry on a Saturday about a merchant who needed help because his terminal died, and he couldn't get in touch with his rep. I let him use one of my terminals, and now I do the processing for his restaurant and all seven of his cell[ular] stores.

MS: What are some of the obstacles you face in the industry?

TH: Because there are so many reps out there who deceive merchants, it gets harder and harder to get appointments with existing businesses. I think we need to get licensed to help weed out the bad reps.

MS: How do you feel about value-added services? How important are they to you? If you sell them, which ones do you sell?

TH: As far as value-added services go, it's nice to be able to offer them (i.e. gift cards and check guarantee), but I don't push them on merchants. I'll ask if they're interested, but that's about it. The reason is you don't make that much money in that area. I can sign one good merchant account and make more money in less time vs. signing two gift card accounts and check guarantee accounts.

MS: What interests you the most about this industry?

TH: Having the opportunity to make money more than one way: from set-up fees, equipment sales, residual income and other services. I also like the idea that if I can't work one day for one reason or another, I'm still making money. If I want to make more money, I can simply go out and sign more accounts. But the best thing of all is not working for someone else. You're told how much money you'll make and how many hours you'll work, but then you're not sure if you'll have a job next week because your boss might have a bad day and decide to fire you. I now have job security.

MS: If you could change something about the credit card processing world, what would it be?

TH: The constant gouging of merchants by Visa and MasterCard. Also, I think we need to have a system in place to get rid of the bad reps that take advantage of merchants and give this industry a bad name.

MS: We have all had bad days in the field. What do you do to get back into the swing of things?

TH: I know that merchants don't say "no" to me personally, but rather say "no" to what I'm offering. And I know that the next person might say, "Sign me up." In fact, this just happened last week.

MS: What terminals do you sell and why?

TH: I've sold Hypercom in the past because the company I worked for wanted us to sell it. I like the new VeriFone Omni 3750. Many of my merchants get POS systems from Aloha, Squirrel or Micros. So, I actually don't sell that much equipment.

MS: Is there a certain market you focus on?

TH: I focus mainly on the restaurant industry.

MS: What goals do you have in this industry? Where do you see yourself in one year, five years, and 10 - 15 years?

TH: In one year: increasing my income by 30% and getting at least one agent bank account or other type of referral source every other month. In five years: having a sales force in place and getting my son through college. In 10 - 15 years: I hope I'm still alive. Actually, I haven't given that much thought lately.

MS: Do you have any advice for salespeople new to the industry?

TH: If you can go to work for an ISO that will pay you on time and not take advantage of you, then it's a great way to learn about this industry. Then you can go out on your own and start making money.

MS: Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

TH: I've been lucky to meet some very interesting people the last nine years. Four years ago, I was at least $40,000 in debt and within two weeks, I lost a job, a five-year relationship and a place to live. Last year, I made more money than I ever have and things are going well. My income keeps rising as long as I keep signing new accounts.

Thanks, Tom. I really like the fact that you are focused. It's a good example for all of us. If we "find our niche" in this industry, we become more knowledgeable in that segment and, in turn, can better service our merchants. You have been successful by selling to restaurants. It's also evident that you are there for your merchants. No doubt they will stay with you a long time.

Matthew Swinnerton of Merchant Services Direct is an independent agent for AmericaOne, Comerica Merchant Services and POS Card Systems. He has been in the credit card processing business for seven years selling merchant services to small- and mid-sized retail and online establishments. To find out more about Merchant Services Direct, visit www.msdirect.net or contact Matthew by e-mail at matt@msdirect.net or by phone at 831-335-1616.