For Paul Huntley, founder and owner of Des Moines, Iowa-based MSG Payment Systems, the quality of a payment processing partnership comes down to one simple question. Does that company really want to write business?
Finding the Right Partner: Eliminate the One-Sided Business Deals
“In 20 plus years of working with the team at First American, I can say with full confidence that they truly want their partners to succeed, and their actions show it,” Huntley said. “That quality alone really lacks in the industry today. While there are things that can get in the way of doing business in this industry, I know without question that when I call the First American team, they are going to answer the phone and resolve the issue at hand. It doesn’t matter if it has to do with underwriting or product development or something else entirely. They are going to find a solution.”
MSG Payment Systems works primarily with referral partners, specializing in the professional association market. They also partner with numerous ISVs, giving them the ability to customize a payment processing solution tailored to the unique needs of their customer. Within these circles, MSG serves a wide swath of businesses, ranging from energy, utilities and telecommunications to independent retailers and professional services.
“We’re building this business merchant by merchant and relationship by relationship,” Huntley said. “We grow through referrals, and that means I have to have the confidence that my payment processor will take care of my customers.”
The Benefits of Transparency in Business Partnerships
For Huntley, that expectation is a non-negotiable, starting with the moment a merchant begins the onboarding process.
“With First American, I have access into all parts of the organization,” he said. “That’s not always the case in our industry. For example, I’ve been told by others, ‘No, you can’t call underwriting.’ When I’m working hard to board a new merchant, that lack of access is a real concern. With First American on the other hand, I can talk to underwriting about an entire group of merchants. They know that every merchant counts and they work with my team to make business easier to book, from digital onboarding to equipment certification.
“This team has shown me from day one that they want MSG to succeed,” Huntley said. “They do what they say they will do, with team members who have industry longevity and who treat our partners with a level of service no other payment processor can match.”
To learn more about a partnership with First American, contact sales@first-american.net.
