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Education

StreetSmarts SM

SHARING WISDOM
SHARING WISDOM

WITH JEFF FORTNEY WITH JEFF FORTNEY

Caring is the foundation our

careers are built upon

By Jeff Fortney As it happened, we couldn't help but be emotional. I know
Signature Payments I was, and in talking with MLSs over the past 16 months,
I know they were, too. Shock, concern, anger, fear, disori-
henever I write on a topic, it is my goal to entation and other negative emotions often surfaced at the
provide an objective approach. I don't want same time. In combination, they led to frustration. And
emotions to have sway in any article; that frustration can be paralyzing if not met head on. The only
W would make it editorial in nature, not edu- way I know to address frustration is to take some action,
cational or informational. I have found it to be relatively any action.
easy to remain objective in almost all instances, despite Moving into action
challenges inherent in remaining objective when discuss-
ing one's profession. After the shock wore off, I knew that the only way to tamp
down my frustration was to reach out to each of my part-
However, as I write now about the pandemic and its ef- ners and have a conversation. My objective goal was to
fect on ISOs and merchant level salespeople (MLSs), it's make sure they knew they were not alone, and to make
difficult to avoid emotion. Our industry lost many good sure they knew I was here and wanted to listen. I also
people as a direct result of COVID. We also lost many in- hoped to help them come up with actions they could take
directly from the effects of the lockdown. immediately. My subjective goal was to talk to others who
faced challenges similar to mine. I needed to know I was
I remember the day the lockdown began as if it were yes- not alone.
terday. I know we all hoped it would be short-lived, but
quietly we surmised the financial impact it would have. It turned out the actions that worked for the colleagues
We may have hoped it would be no worse than a reces- and partners I contacted paralleled mine: call their part-
sion. In recessions, some merchants have a downturn in ners and let them know they were not alone. Those con-
sales volume or are forced to close. Yet there are always versations led to outbound calling to their merchant
others who are all but recession proof. partners with three goals in mind: to listen to their con-
cerns, to let merchants know they would support them
It was tough to admit the pandemic wasn't going to result in any way they could, and to determine what merchants
in recession-like impacts and instead was going to result planned as their next steps—even if they hadn't thought
in a sudden stop in almost every way. of any next steps yet.

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