Getting to know the competition...

In keeping my promise to "re-paint" this Blog's purpose in helping our business, I am getting to know the competition.

I have searched websites, I have read contractual terms and rate quotes for other merchant credit card processors. I understand the competition in industry language. What I really want, however, is to get to know the competition through your eyes.

This isn't a marketing ploy. You won't be inundated with emails or phone calls or direct marketing letters telling you that our products are better (even if they are). I just genuinely want to know what it is about your merchant credit card processor, customer loyalty provider or ATM service company that makes them most valuable to you. You can even comment anonymously- in fact, I encourage that approach.

You see, I don't believe that companies get better by picking up someone else's disgruntled customers. Companies get better by admiring what others do well, and looking for ways to take it to the next level.

So tell me, who do you use for Merchant Credit Card Processing, and why? Do you have a customer loyalty program? If so, what makes it work for you? Does your business have an ATM? Tell me how it has helped you.

Today's photo credit goes to the talented Jim Rogash for Getty Images, and this blog entry is dedicated to the incomparable Tedy Bruschi, who always knows his competition. Thanks for the memories, Tedy, best of luck to you, Heidi, and the boys!

Want to talk about football? I do! Reach me here @AmySwipeRite

What a difference some paint makes

This past week, we were lucky to have who I call “The Grandparent Reinforcements” visiting us from out-of-town. I took the week off from blogging and social media so I could spend time entertaining them, and preparing our oldest two children for their first day of school.

Once the “big kids” were off to school, I decided to tackle the household revitalization projects I have been avoiding for months. With two extra sets of hands at my disposal, away we went with paint rollers and brushes, and a fabulously bold shade of green (called “Ferndale“).

I was nervous to go with such a strong color on the walls, but the size of the great room, and fabulous windows, made me think that it could handle the transformation from stark-white to rich green. I was right. This gamble paid off, and I couldn’t be happier with the outcome. It’s the same room, same furniture, same wall hangings- but a totally new space thanks to a very simple fine tuning of the room’s foundation…it’s walls.

I started to think about how this applies to our business. What can we change, at the foundation, that would make a positive difference? How can we transform and improve our basic structure, without disrupting the details?

My meditation on this has given me several good ideas that will start with a change to this Blog. I have called upon some of our customers to write “guest” blogs that will appear in this space, telling you how our services have helped them. I even encouraged them to comment on any snafus they encountered, and how they were fixed.

I am also taking down every listing on our eBay Store, editing them line-by-line, and finding every way possible to cut product costs down as far as they will go. This has already begun, with our Verifone VX510 Point of Sale Terminal being sold for $1 (regularly listed for $195). I should note that 100% of the $1 item fee will be directly donated to the American Red Cross.

Finally, I am working on learning the languages of the business owners who I so genuinely want to help. I’m going to tell you a story each week about how our product works, in terms you can understand.

I hope these alterations will bring about positive change, making it easier than ever to work with Swipe-Rite. What a difference some paint makes.

Have you made a change recently? What color are YOUR walls? Tell me here @AmySwipeRite

No, this is not a paid endorsement. This is a completely willful shameless plug.

It just occurred to me that although I have used first-person references in this blog, I have never really identified myself to this audience. Hi. I'm Amy Fitch. I am a Mom of 4 little redheads (5 if you count their father, 6 if you count our dog--yes, they ALL have red hair). A little more than two years ago, the man in my life had what I now call "The Big Idea." He wanted to help small businesses flourish in an environment that was dominated by "big box" stores. A "former" journalist, I started out doing our Press Releases and writing the text for our website and printed marketing materials. Then, I heard about this thing called Twitter. That's when I discovered Chris Brogan.

Just six months ago, all I knew of Chris Brogan was that his post was the top result when I Googled "ways to use Twitter for business." I started to "follow" him on Twitter. And suddenly, I had a Big Idea. His posts, his daily interaction and his sheer accessibility on Twitter inspired me to make our small Merchant Processing and Customer Loyalty Business into an "all access" show. In an industry synonymous with "credit cards" and "banks," we surely needed a PR boost. What if I attempted to gain the trust of our colleagues and customers and everyone on earth who ever had a question about Merchant Credit Card Processing or Customer Loyalty Programs, by humanizing our business?

Now, I am admittedly new at this. I am still learning and I'm certain that I'm not yet completely "doing it right," but just as with Yoga, I am committed to the practice. I genuinely want to help small businesses. So today, I am giving the best advice I can possibly give: Buy the book Trust Agents. The Authors, Chris Brogan and Julien Smith, are the experts at "Using the Web to Build Influence, Improve Reputation, and Earn Trust." In fact, I dare say that their ideas are what makes Twitter at all useful to businesses (of any size).

If you want to know how the web should be used to help your business, Buy the book, you won't be sorry. For good measure, join their discussion on FaceBook. Trust me. You'll be so glad you did.

Want to talk about Trust Agents, or anything else? Find me here @AmySwipeRite

Loyalty isn't just for dogs

Loyalty. We use this word freely when we discuss concepts like love and marriage. We show loyalty to our "home teams," and to our employers. We boast about how loyal our dogs are to our family. But how does loyalty affect the way we shop or do business?

My car battery died recently. My neighbor helped get the car "jump-started," and when I mentioned that it was probably just time for a new battery altogether, he suggested a mechanic around the corner. He made it abundantly clear that this mechanic was not the cheapest or the fastest in town, "but he always gives it to you straight, and when he fixes something, you can bet it's fixed," my neighbor added. This mechanic created a loyal customer in my neighbor through the most uncanny method-- by building trust.

My guess is that these trust relationships are what fosters customer loyalty in most people. I shop at Hy-Vee for groceries because I know their meat is top quality, their produce is always fresh, and they allow me to "drive up" for my groceries (especially great when I have the kids in tow). I have another friend who only wears Nike Brand shoes, after an unfortunate incident with a pair of Adidas sneakers more than 20 years ago...whe she was 8 years old.

In this volatile economic sea, small businesses are relying on loyalty more than ever, just to stay afloat. As an industry trendsetter in customer loyalty programs, Swipe-Rite and SaveSome Solutions can help your business develop a "smart" loyalty program that will help attract and retain customers now, and evolve to meet your customer needs as your business grows.

We believe that creating trustworthy relationships with your customer base is the best way to ensure the strength of your business. Why? Because we have seen it work by applying the principal of "trust" to our own business.

How is your business fostering trust and loyalty? Tell me: @AmySwipeRite

Let us show you how we can help your business today (877) 465-8033

In Iowa, the corn is always sweeter

A little variation this week, in honor of Iowa's signature crop.

It's corn harvest time in Iowa, and little stands are popping up on every corner. I bought our first helping of Iowa corn this week, and could hardly wait to get it home.

Having grown up in Tucson, Arizona-land of arid desertion, I am in complete amazement every time I see a corn field. I must sound like a broken record, pointing out my car window like a tourist telling the kids "look at that field, look at that barn, WOW!" Each field is so meticulously manicured, a point of pride amongst Iowa farmers.

But who has the sweetest corn? I dared to ask that very question of a native Iowan in my pursuit for the best corn in the Cedar Rapids area. The response, short and sweet- "In Iowa, all the corn is the sweetest." This "all for one" attitude is very indicative of the Iowa mentality.

With this in mind, I stopped at three different stands, buying a half dozen ears at each. At home, I shucked two ears from each bag, and prepared them all the same way (boiled and topped with butter and Cookie's Seasoning). My Iowan friend was right- all the corn in Iowa is sweet. This fabulous feast reminded me that I am truly blessed to call this land of bounty "home." Whether you are growing a business, growing a family, or growing corn-there is no better place to be than Iowa.

Where do you buy Iowa corn? Have a favorite recipe? I want to hear from you! @AmySwipeRite