Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Established in 2003, WSAA is a not-for-profit organization for ISOs, merchant level salespeople (MLSs), financial institutions and technology companies that serve ecommerce and consumer retail sectors. The annual conference endeavors to educate and inform acquirers, ISOs and MLSs about the ever-changing needs of the financial services industry, event organizers stated.
WSAA 2019 featured a diversity of exhibitors, speakers, moderators and panelists. In addition to planned seminars and breakout sessions, the event included the 2019 Ken Elderts Memorial Golf Tournament at the Indian Wells Golf Resort. Discussions focused on emerging technologies, evolving business models and the continuing quest for secure, compliant, frictionless solutions.
The agenda was curated for a mixed audience of payments industry veterans and newcomers. The Electronic Transactions Association hosted a refresher course on industry fundamentals for payments professionals, which included tracks on payments industry trends, sales and marketing techniques, selling technology, and approaches to underwriting and risk management.
In a panel discussion on the future of cash discount and surcharging, David Leppek, executive payment consultant at Statement IQ, told audience members that surcharging and cash discounting are here to stay. Consumers and merchants accept these pricing models and expect them to continue, he added.
A presentation on the evolving CBD and cannabis landscape offered an in-depth look at regulatory requirements and best practices, including advice on how to monitor merchants who misrepresent their businesses by using incorrect MCC codes. Sharon Lampley, director, acquirer management at Mastercard said the DEA “considers marijuana a controlled substance, and Mastercard will not allow illegal transactions.”
A discussion of ISO to VAR migration phenomenon examined a new breed of tech-savvy ISOs embracing technology and managed services. Shawn Lally, vice president of agent sales at Paysafe Group, observed that sales partners are increasingly asking for help in expanding their businesses and reducing attrition. “They are asking us to help them integrate; this has been happening for a while,” he said.
The following discussions were among many other highlights:
Throughout the presentations, WSAA leaders thanked audience members for their support while inviting them to register for next year’s event, which will be held in Huntington Beach, Calif. 
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