Paul Green,
Liberty Check Printers would like to subscribe to The Green Sheet, but couldnít find an address or phone number while quickly examining your Web site. Might you let me know where we could send our request, or a phone number we might call in order to subscribe?
Thanks,
Paul Malone, Liberty Check Printers
Dear Paul:
To subscribe to The Green Sheet either call (800) 757-4441 or fax your request to (707) 586-1738. Thank you for your interest in The Green Sheet.
Good Selling!
Paul Green
Editor-in-Chief
Dear Mr. Green:
I am considering entering your world of the Financial Service Industry, as a distributor of POS terminals, software and supplies.
I have received your publications through a friend of mine who is an ISO and found them helpful in getting familiar with the field of money market management.
Reading your publication and asking around has led me to the decision to turn to you for professional and honest advice. Below are a few of my main concerns regarding the above.
1. I am planning to start on as small a scale as possible, in order to minimize the initial investment necessary. Would you say that it is realistic of me to enter this field considering the competition of the mega distributors (TASQ, Horizon, etc.)?
2. I am located on the East Coast (Brooklyn, New York). Do I possess any advantage considering that most of the major distributors are located on the West Coast?
3. Can you possibly direct me, via Internet, to any articles in the previous issues of The Green Sheet, which might be informative to me regarding this line of business? Would you suggest preferable place of reference for research to enterprise this business successfully?
4. What would you suggest my aim should be? A) Supplying all types of terminals, supplies, and software B) Aim towards specializing in basic systems
5. Is it absolutely necessary to offer full-deployment or can I possibly start without it?
6. In regard to my position, as I stated above, what can I offer to attract ISOs to do business with me? (Besides competitive prices and more personal relationship with a small company.) For example: complimentary package, accessories for merchants etc.
7. Can you advise me of any other items of service in this field, which you can foresee as a success?
Any information you have to offer regarding the above, would be very much appreciated. Thanking you in advance for taking time in reading and responding to my letter. Hoping to be a future subscriber.
Sincerely,
Anonymous
Dear Anonymous,
I believe that it will be very difficult for you to compete with the likes of TASQ and Horizon. TASQ is a very fine organization, well funded, and a best-in-class company. Horizon has been growing dramatically and now has the financial resources of Hypercom behind it. This is not to say that there isnít room for smaller players as, the market has always had them:
AMS, SupplyXpress (now also AMS), Automated Transactions Technologies, MBS Group, Teertronics, to name a few. This also does not take into account leasing companies, banks, and even larger ISO organizations who are offering equipment.
In my view, location is meaningless in todayís world. TASQ, as an example, actually has third-party shipping organizations working from within their building.
Please send your mailing address, and I will send along the February 1998GSQ magazine, which is not available on-line. If you are going to do this, I would say the broader the better.
You can start without deployment, however, you will be limited to small ISOs. Even small banks want this service.
You are on the right track in specialized services, but you must realize that margins are very thin, and quantity like every other part of our industry, rules. ISOs will respond to price.
I wish you the very best of luck.
Good Selling!
Paul H. Green
Editor-In-Chief
