Letters to the Editor

Paul:

Monday afternoon I received your Checks at the End of the 20th Century and Beyond and have found myself spending every free moment, and a lot of other moments, moving through this fascinating document.

The “technological imperative” of both plastic and most recently the Internet have served to fill trade journals and conferences with the false impression that the paper check is an insignificant method of payment. The reality, as you have so clearly documented, is quite the reverse. Now that the facts are in front of us the focus of the payments industry can return where it always should have stayed—on electrifying the check in a fashion that is transparent to the consumer while retaining the many advantages of this most efficient method of payment. Our industry is in your debt for publishing such a valuable piece of research.

Eric A. Thomson

North American Sales Manager

RDM Corporation

Dear Paul:

I just finished glancing through issue 99:12:02 of your “rag” in which you ask for thoughts on the subject of the creation of a “Problem Sales Representative” file. As a long time participant of the ISO/MSP industry, I’m wondering why someone didn’t “go there” sooner.

Over the span of the past thirteen years, I can honestly say, having engaged the services of probably over 200 sales agents and hearing stories about countless others, that more of them were dishonest than honest. For the most part, many of them likely bounced from one company to another and I’m sure that if this list were to be created, I would probably recognize many of the names.

Ideally, I have always felt that an individual should be required to pass a test, obtain a license, and have their activities strictly regulated by a board of some type. I have heard enough stories from merchants who have been seriously burned by a commission-driven sales agent who probably had minimal knowledge of the mechanics of how what he was selling worked. The problems are caused by the environment we have created of “sell or don’t get paid.” The higher the price, the more you make. Have you ever heard of a salaried sales agent in this business? For that matter, most sales offices, whether they are registered or operating underground, are seriously under-capitalized and often depend on these hefty equipment sales to survive. There are a few lease companies out there who work closely with aggressive sales offices who care about nothing more than the “slam and jam” approach: slam the equipment, get the signature, and jam on with the funding proceeds. Is it any wonder the industry has developed a bad reputation and its sales agents are called “Tin Men?”

I would like to take this opportunity to tell you that I have always enjoyed reading your publication, look forward to its arrival in the mail, and secretly wish I had done something like you have done.

You should be very proud of your accomplishments—they’re well deserved.

Bob Joyce

Alliance Payment Systems

Bob:

Thank you for your thoughts on ISOs. You have been in the business long enough to have seen all the early problems with both ISOs and banks. You have also been around long enough to know that many of the worst problems have gone away, and a number of organizations today are well capitalized and some even have much needed salaries, as you point out.

You are very right, that in any sales process that is commission based, there will always be problems, and that is because there will always be sales.

Good Selling! Paul H. Green

Dear Green Sheet:

Can I purchase the Good Selling!^SM book through you?

Thanks, Tony

Tony:

Good Selling! can be purchased through Amazon.com. or by calling The Green Sheet at (800) 757-4441. We accept Visa/MasterCard/AMEX for phone orders. We will fax or mail you an invoice so that you can mail a check or money order. Single copy orders are $12.95 plus shipping and handling. No CODs. Quantity and reseller discounts are available.

Thank you for your interest, and good selling!

Julie O’Ryan-Dempsey

Managing Editor

Dear Green Sheet:

I just wanted to thank you and all the people that helped make the NPC article successful. We appreciate your effort and your time to give us some press. We have had lots of positive response.

Thanks so much

Becky Robinson and the NPC Staff

Dear Becky:

Thank you and we are glad the article has generated some buzz.

Good Selling!^SM

Paul H. Green
Editor-in-Chief  

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