|
Dear Friends, Clients and Colleagues,
This weekend is Mother's Day. Hopefully you will be taking time to honor your mom or perhaps you will be on the receiving end of Mother's Day wishes from your kids. I wish all the moms reading this a very happy Mother's Day. I also want to say Happy Mother's Day to all the single-parent dad's who are fulfilling both sets of shoes of mom and dad.
My bond with my daughter, Faith is the single most important part of my life. I never envisioned myself being a single dad. However, I don't waste time thinking about the past as much as I do the future for Faith and myself. As men, we have the ability to talk a little softer when parenting, learn how to bake cupcakes, kiss boo-boos and fulfill important roles like that of the Tooth Fairy. It's all about wanting to and doing it for our kiddos.
Every moment I spend with Faith is a moment that I feel blessed. Whether we are riding bikes together in our neighborhood or enjoying a meal at one of our favorite restaurants, our time together is amazing.
As parents, whether we serve as a mom, a dad or in some cases both roles, we can make a difference in who our children end up being as adults. There is really nothing more important in this world than family time. Whether that family time is spent on a thrill ride at Disneyland or simply watching a movie on TV, spending time with your family creates strong, lifelong bonds. Having a caring parent that shows love, attention and even discipline makes all the difference in the world.
Along those same lines, I am blessed to work with my father in my business and many close friends from childhood. While me dad is related by blood, I also look at all Chosen Payments team members as family. The bond our team shares only helps to unite and believe in something. That something happens to be Chosen Payments, in this example. Which, in turn, our family/staff then deliver this same feeling of family to our clients. And, also makes it enjoyable to come to the office/the family gathering. This makes us, "Not just a credit card processor" and makes me personally feel good to help being able to provide such. We all need the feeling of belonging in life and hopefully you are providing family time for your own kids as well as making time for aging parents. Life is short, so make sure you spend time with your family when you can. Remember, it's not the quantity of time you spend, it's the quality of time that matters.
In closing, I want to leave you with this thought: Teach your kids by example at a young age about accountability and responsibility to both their family and their business or employer and balancing both. Working is a necessary evil and if we can lead by example that family time is always of the greatest value, it allows our work life to be more rewarding. If we all practice this, both your personal family life and your professional life will benefit. It's not easy, but we can all do it.
Until Next Time,
Jeff Brodsly,
President & CEO
|
 |
Announcements
Welcome Kacy Waxman
|
|
|
Kacy Waxman
Executive Assistant
|
We are proud to introduce Kacy Waxman to a key position within Chosen Payments. Kacy takes over the role of Executive Assistant to our CEO, Jeff Brodsly as well as other key executives. The role was previously filled by longtime Chosen Payments staffer and "work wife" to Jeff, Sarah McKee. Sarah is now serving as our Brand Manager and managing our many partnerships with associations while she continues to thrive with endless possibilities.
Kacy handles many tasks for our CEO and others including managing calendars, travel plans, daily correspondence with clients and vendors and helping to keep all on track and on schedule based on priorities. She serves as an extension to our CEO, helping him to focus on the growth of our business.
Kacy is a mom to two children, ages 10 and 8. They also have a dog and cat in the family household. In her spare times she loveS hiking, camping, drinking wine and exercising. Prior to joining our team Kacy served as an Assistant Vice President for Bank of America and an Auditor for PennyMac handing priority complaints. She is well versed in customer service and management efficiency and we are happy to have her join our team.
Jeff Brodsly Receives ETA Recognition
The
Electronic Transactions Association (ETA) has recognized the top performers in the credit card processing industry at its recent TRANSACT trade show. Our CEO, Jeff Brodsly attended a recognition banquet in Las Vegas last week where he was honored to be recognized for outstanding performance in 2018. The Forty Under 40 Recognition Award includes "gamechangers" in the payments and technology industry and included individuals whose actions and leadership are driving the payments technology industry forward.
Jeff was chosen from more than 100 nominees submitted by ETA members and industry leaders. Jeff says, "It is a true testament to the dedication my staff and I have of serving our clients, being honest and ethical and maintaining our commitment to delivering White Glove Service, a mission statement of Chosen Payments."
Chosen Payments and NHRA Extend Partnership
Chosen Payments has recently extended its agreement to serve as the Preferred Credit Card Processor of NHRA. The multi-year extension means that Chosen Payments will continue to manage credit card processing for NHRA's corporate headquarters and all NHRA-owned tracks as well as many of its member tracks. Chosen Payments also services many NHRA members who own businesses thanks to the special benefits they provide for NHRA members.
Jeff Brodsly, CEO of Chosen Payments says, "Working with the NHRA, its members and business partners has been amazing the past two years. We are thrilled to provide top notch service and the lowest costs available to all, extending our agreement through 2022. We could not have selected a better partner than NHRA to dominate in motorsports."
"Being the first credit card processor to partner with NHRA has exceeded our expectations and we are thrilled to continue the partnership," says Richard Scalesse, Managing Partner for Chosen Payments Atlanta. "From mom and pop shops to enterprise companies, it has been inspiring to work with NHRA business owners the last two years and experience the huge savings our exclusive program has afforded them. We look forward to continue rolling out our exclusive rates to NHRA members and affiliates through 2022."
Chosen Payments has special benefits packages for NHRA members to reduce costs and increase profits for business owners. To learn more about this program, CLICK HERE.
Welcome Jessica Abbott
|
|
Jessica Abbott
New Accounts Representative |
Jessica Abbott joined the Operations Division of Chosen Payments in March as a New Accounts Representative. As with anything new, there is learning curve for new merchants and Jessica will guide the process and make sure the transition from another processor is as smooth as possible without disrupting a merchant's day-to-day business routines. Prior to joining the Chosen Payments team, Jessica worked as an Office Administrator for Ventura Recovery Center. Jessica and her boyfriend (Ryan) enjoy watching movies, hiking, swimming, sports, music and going to the beach. While Jessica doesn't have any kids, she does have a cat named Baby. Jessica says she is looking forward to a long career with Chosen Payments and enjoys all the friendly people that work here. We welcome Jessica to our team.
Welcome Arin Southwick
|
|
Arin Southwick
Operations Coordinator |
Arin Southwick has been hired to fill the position of Operations Coordinator. The position was previously held by Kiana Kenik who has been promoted to the position of Partnership Administrator. In her role, Arin will
coordinate many aspects of our business including assisting with audits, chargebacks, PCI compliance as well as having involvement with our branch offices and outside agents.
Prior to joining the Chosen Payments team, Arin was a sales representative for a fabrication company. Arin and her boyfriend Matt are both professional rodeo athletes with Arin competing in barrel racing and Matt competing in team roping.
Arin has a daughter named Tatum and of course two horses, BMoney and Tuf along with a dog named Gus. We are glad to have Arin on our team.
|
|
Rate Guarantee
Special Message From the CEO:
We offer every one of our clients a RATE GUARANTEE with Chosen Payments. This means that if you are ever offered a legitimate rate which is lower than that which Chosen has you on, we will either match it or give you $250 CASH and release you from any contract you may be in. This ensures that you are not only always going to stay competitively priced with Chosen, but protects you from switching to a new provider over a bait and switch sales tactic by allowing Chosen to verify the validity of the quote. If you ever are considering switching from Chosen Payments take this RATE GUARANTEE CERTIFICATE seriously. Present this certificate to us and let us be the partner you have trusted for years! To access the certificate, please
CLICK HERE.
Thank you for your business and loyalty!
|
|
Chosen Payments Team Spotlight
|
|
Arthur Ekmekchyan
Financial Analyst |
Arthur Ekmekchyan joined Chosen Payments in 2017. As a Financial Analyst, Arthur is considered the right hand to our Chief Operating Officer, Brett Pace. Working with Brett, Arthur is responsible for compiling databases, organizing data and managing the internal processes of our operations.
In addition, Arthur assists with the creation and execution of merchant contracts as new merchants come onboard with us. He assists merchants with recurring billing of their own clients and compiles historical data used in guiding the financial health of Chosen Payments.
Arthur is an avid soccer fan and loves watching sports, barbecuing and spending time with friends and family. He also enjoys fishing and playing poker. He married his childhood girlfriend, Zvart. They have been married for 24 years after meeting in Junior High (middle school). Together, they have three children. Two attend college and one will be starting high school in September. Zvart is an elementary school teacher.
Arthur has been in the credit card processing industry for the past 26 years beginning with CardService International. He also worked for another processor prior to joining Chosen Payments. He has been assigned to management positions in Merchant Support, Customer Service, Application Development and Outside Sales Support during his long career in the industry.
When asked what he likes about working at Chosen Payments, Arthur says,
"Everyone is supportive and always willing to help. Brett has been great at challenging me every day and allowing me to be creative and look for process improvements. I love coming to work not knowing what challenges wait for me".
We are honored to have Arthur as part of our management team.
|
|
Where Do All Those Fees Go?
Many merchants falsely believe all of the fees they pay go to their credit card processor. If that was the case there would probably be a lot more credit card processors out there today. The truth is, your processor actually keeps a very tiny portion of the transactions. This blog is intended to provide a clear understanding of how those fees work, what they do for you, and how you can avoid additional fees that you don't need to be paying. This is a guide on how fees are calculated for most merchant accounts:
One last thing to know about credit card processing fees is that fees will vary based on how you process payments. Your payment gateway is either a Point-of-Sale system in the store, a mobile phone reader, or an online portal. Fees vary based on the risk of fraud posed by each type of gateway, with online transactions being the riskiest and therefore the priciest.
The transaction begins the moment your customer swipes, taps, keys or inserts their credit or debit card to pay you for goods or services. Fees are usually based on the amount of the transaction. This amount is determined by important factors such as your merchant services provider, such as Chosen Payments, your bank and the customer's bank, and the card brand, such as MasterCard, Visa or Amex that issued your customer's credit card.
Some processors charge a fixed price per transaction without charging you any additional fees. Others charge a little more than what the credit card issuer would charge directly. Some processors have a tiered pricing system that depends on the type of card presented and other variables not within your control. These include rewards cards, government cards, corporate cards, non-rewards cards etc.
Different Types of Fee Pricing
Fees are based on one of three different pricing models. A flat rate is the simplest to understand but, likely the most expensive of the three. The processor charges your business either a flat fee per transaction such as Square charges 2.75% of each transaction processed using a Point-of-Sale system. Square also adds a flat fee of .15 for each manually keyed transaction. If you have low volume sales and looking for convenience as opposed to savings, this price model is probably okay for you.
Interchange Plus
pricing is the model Chosen Payments uses for most merchants. Card brands such as Visa and MasterCard charge a processing fee for each transaction. This is called an Interchange rate. The Interchange rate is set by the card brands and is the same for all processors. You might consider this the wholesale cost of accepting a credit card. A processor using Interchange Plus pricing will mark this amount up a little bit and charge you the increased amount. As an example, you might see a fee of 2.75% + $0.10. The 10 cents is the marked up price, and the 2.75% is the Interchange rate that goes to the card brand, not your processor. The processor only gets to keep the dime. The Tiered Pricing model is a more diverse array of cost structures. The interchange rates fluctuate based upon the type of card being used, whether it is credit or debit, and whether or not it is a rewards card. Someone has to pay for those rewards and that someone is the merchant. A rewards card has a higher cost to process and will factor into the fee you are charged for accepting the card. A small business may not find tiered pricing useful because it can get complicated. However, if you accept a lot of corporate cards, government cards and business cards, this structure is probably perfect for you.
One last thing to know about credit card processing fees is that fees will vary based on how you process payments. Your payment gateway is either a Point-of-Sale system in the store, a mobile phone reader, or an online portal. Fees vary based on the risk of fraud posed by each type of gateway, with online and telephone transactions being the riskiest and therefore the priciest.
|
|
Products & Services
VoIP Phone Systems - Big Features, Small Price
The Chosen Technology Group
is a sister company to Chosen Payments. We offer the highest level Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phone systems. A VoIP phone system allows your company to look big and operate efficiently 24/7 without spending a fortune on technology.
You will never miss a call again. Play back your phone calls for training purposes or clarification. Automatically reroute incoming calls to predetermined employees throughout the night and weekend. Automatically send incoming calls to other employees if your primary phone person is on the line serving another customer. These are just a few of the features we offer.
Here are some other things you can do with a VoIp phone system:
Create multiple phone greetings based on day and time
Have a dial by name or department directory
Ring multiple phones for incoming calls
Play music or messages on hold
Voicemails received sent to email addresses
Automatically reroute calls during a power outage
Initiate and manage conference calls with many people
For more information, call 805-283-0100 to discuss your needs and the solutions we can provide at very affordable rates. Chosen Payments clients get their first month of service absolutely FREE!
To add this valuable service to your business -
contact our Solutions Manager.
|
|
|
Chosen Merchant Spotlight
Brevard Executive Limousine
Brevard Executive Limousines has been providing corporate transportation in the Brevard County, Florida area for more than 25 years. The service is operated by Wendy Kleefisch who also serves as President of the Central Florida Livery Association.
Brevard Executive has set the gold standard in professional ground transportation and
operates a diversified fleet of sedans, Sprinters, limousines, SUV's, vans and mini-buses. With a professional staff, cutting-edge technologies, and a network of affiliates coast-to-coast, Brevard can handle your transportation anywhere you are heading to.
Their chauffeurs are highly trained and knowledgeable of Florida and the surrounding areas and undergo comprehensive training including safety and customer etiquette. All chauffeurs are background checked and randomly screened for drug and alcohol use.
Brevard Executive Limousine is a great choice for luxury transportation in the Melbourne, Florida area. We appreciate them as a valued merchant. For more information about Brevard Executive Limousine - click HERE.
|
|
Industry News - Ground Transportation
Chosen Payments Sponsors Day on the Hill
|
|
|
Chosen Payments CEO, Jeff Brodsly (c) with GCLA President Mo Garkani (l) and NLA board member Kevin Illingworth (r) in Washington, DC - 2018
|
Chosen Payments CEO, Jeff Brodsly and Marketing Manager, Jim Luff will once again walk the halls of Congress to lobby for fair and equal laws to be applied to TNC's. This represents the 5th year that Chosen Payments has been a major sponsor of this event. Sharing concerns with our country's leaders is important to the success and profitability of our merchants in the luxury ground transportation industry so we feel this is an important investment into the future.
Chosen Payments Sponsors Chauffeur Driven Retreat
Earlier this week Chosen Payments sponsored and participated in the annual Chauffeur Driven magazine retreat held in Austin. This event included tons of educational content focused on landing big deals, increasing profitability and developing a management team that is empowered to lead. There were plenty of networking opportunities and we had a great time visiting with our many clients and welcoming several new clients to Chosen Payments. We love investing in education of the industry and feel that is an important part of giving back to an industry that supports us so well.
|
|
Industry News - Funeral
Chosen Payments Featured in Industry Publications
If you are in the funeral industry, you have likely noticed, we are too! We have had several articles published in
Funeral Home & Cemetery News,
Funeral Business Advisor and an upcoming cover and feature story in
American Funeral Director. We recently sponsored the ICCFA Show in Charlotte and plan to be at the NFDA Show in Chicago. We are an Associate Member of NFDA and a partner of ICCFA. We support the funeral industry through educational contributions, and industry sponsorships of past events hosted by the California Funeral Directors Association, Orange Belt Funeral Directors Association and the Los Angeles Funeral Directors Association. Because are dedicated to the industry and many state associations, we offer the absolute lowest rates for credit card processing in the funeral care industry. We look forward to doing business with more funeral homes and cemeteries as we continue to grow in the industry. We hope to have your support. You sure have ours.
|
|
See Us In Las Vegas for the Continental Buyers Group Trade Show & Conference
05/27 - 05/30
Chosen Payments
is proud to participate in CBG's west coast Show and Conference for the jewelry industry. We will have a booth and look forward to visiting our friends and clients.
See Us In New York City at the American Booksellers Book Show
05/29 - 05/31
Chosen Payments is proud to once again participate in ABA's annual convention for booksellers. ABA is comprised of thousands of independent booksellers. Chosen Payments is proud to be ABA's preferred credit card processor.
See Us In Indianapolis at the Sports, Inc. Summer Team Dealers Show
06/06 - 06/08
Chosen Payments will return for our second year of exhibiting at Sports, Inc.'s summer show serving independent sporting goods stores and gun dealers. Sports' Inc. is comprised of thousands of independent retailers selling sporting goods and other outdoor products. Chosen Payments is proud to be a preferred credit card processor of Sports, Inc.
See Us in San Diego at Pest Control Operators of California Convention
06/18 - 06/21
Chosen Payments will have a display table at the PCOC's annual convention being held in the San Diego area. Chosen Payments is proud to be the official credit card processor of PCOC and to participate in our first trade show with them.
See Us In Stateline, Nevada at the CA Funeral Directors Expo
06/27 - 06/29
Chosen Payments is proud to be a longtime member of the CFDA and participate in the annual convention and expo. This conference includes a golf tournament, a dinner cruise and a host of educational opportunities. We are happy to meet with our many funeral home clients attending the show.
See Us In Orlando for the Uniform Retailers Association Show
09/22 - 09/25
Chosen Payments is proud to participate in the 13th annual URA Trade Show. This show is dedicated to uniform providers across America. We will have a booth and look forward to visiting our friends and clients.
See Us In Boston for the Chauffeur Driven Show & Conference
10/13 - 10/16
Chosen Payments will once again sponsor and participate in CD's Trade Show and Conference. We will have a booth and host another Legendary Client Appreciation Party exclusively for Chosen Payments clients.
See Us In Chicago for the National Funeral Directors Conference
10/27 - 10/130
The NFDA conference in the largest funeral industry conference in the entire world. We are happy to be participating for our fourth year. This gives us an opportunity to visit in person with nearly every single funeral client we serve.
See Us In Atlantic City for LCT East Conference
11/03 - 11/05
Chosen Payments will be at the LCT East Show. We will have a booth and look forward to visiting our clients and sharing more about our services.
|
|
Chosen Payments In The News
|
|
|
Thank you for your continued business and support. Have a great rest of the month and we will see you again next month!
The Chosen Payments Team
5401 Tech Circle
Moorpark, California 93021
Chosen Payments
855.4.CHOSEN (424-6736)
www.chosenpayments.com
|
|
Keith Fitzgerald
|
05/01 |
Lisa Mann
|
05/02
|
Yllen Conrad
|
05/05
|
Matt Slickers
|
05/13
|
Moana Whitten
|
05/21
|
Janice Evangelista
|
05/22
|
Zach Allen
|
05/22
|
| Kidon Nam |
05/23 |
| Alex Lara |
05/25 |
| Brett Pace |
05/29 |
| Kacy Waxman |
05/29 |
|
|
