Robyn Burkinshaw (BlytzPay CEO) joins Nicole Klein (MX), Brady Harris (Dwolla), Robyn Burkinshaw (BlytzPay), and Ken Salazar (BillGO) to discuss the effects of COVID on merchants and the consumer-centric future of payments.
BlytzPay Announces Payments Technology Partnership With AFS And Achieves Status As A Payments Facilitator (PAYFAC)
BlytzPay, a mobile payment solution designed to improve the ease and speed by which businesses invoice and collect payments from customers, has today announced a strategic partnership with AFS Dealers. Under the terms of the partnership, AFS Dealers and BlytzPay will integrate their technology platforms, providing AFS Dealer customers with the ability to manage payments and invoicing through a more robust DMS experience.
BlytzPay also announced its status as payments facilitator (PayFac), a unique operating category that makes reporting and settlement much easier for merchants who will no longer need to establish direct relationships with banks or payment gateways. As a PayFac the fintech firm will have more agile funding capabilities to support its growing roster of clients.
AFS Dealers Chief Operating Officer Bill Elizondo said, “The integration with BlytzPay compliments our web based DMS Solutions Software with friction-less payment technology. BlytzPay has created efficiencies, far advanced for our industry, that allow payments at over 100,000 locations while still keeping the connection with our auto dealers customers. We are proud to call them a partner said Bill Elizondo Chief Operating Officer.”
BlytzPay’s comprehensive and straightforward technology solutions and new status as a PayFac enable businesses to communicate, invoice and collect from their customers via text message as well as report and settle through the BlytzPay platform. For AFS Dealers and BlytzPay clients this means enhanced software capabilities for their customer network, providing sophisticated, real-time, text message communication, invoicing and dynamic funding and payments capabilities.
BlytzPay CEO Robyn Burkinshaw said, “We are thrilled to partner with AFS Dealers. Alongside many other industries that previously relied on in-person interaction to process and collect payments, the auto industry is rightly recognizing the immediate need for digitization.” She continued, “As a PayFac our technology supports a more secure, easier to use and more efficient experience within the B2B2C construct while delivering an excellent customer experience. We anticipate seeing more industries driving this type of positive change in the coming years.”
About BlytzPay
BlytzPay is a mobile payment solution improving the ease and speed by which businesses invoice and collect payments from their customers. A simple solution in a complex field makes BlytzPay especially attractive for merchants and consumers alike. The intuitive communication platform provides a welcomed improvement to the way businesses interact with customers. Studies show that better interaction leads to increased transactions and responsiveness. BlytzPay was founded in 2017 in Salt Lake City.
About AFS Dealers
AFS Dealers, LLC is an innovative provider of Solutions Software, a web-based Buy Here Pay Here/ Lease Here Pay Here DMS, as well as Dealer Controlled Financing consulting and training. Solutions provides real-time information to multi-unit and single dealership owners, managers, or lenders. It has integrated an Inventory Control Center module, Collections (text, robo calls, email) module, Related Finance Company, and accounting module to name a few. The training and consulting is a real-world relationship approach with the customer that is complimented by Solutions and consultants with over 30 years in the BHPH/LHPH business. For more information, visit www.afsdealers.com or call 941-270-4377.
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During these uncertain times, will my customers pay me?
In times like these, it’s hard to balance keeping your business alive and being sensitive to your customers. This means you want your customers to keep paying you on time, but you also want to recognize they may have other priorities that are top of mind for them right now. So, what’s the best way to stay relevant to them so that you can stay afloat during these uncertain times? Consider these three tips:
1. Offer extensions
Hopefully, you’ve been able to submit applications for the CARES options that will give you some funding to keep you afloat for a bit. This could allow you to proactively reach out to your customers/partners and show empathy – let them know you know it’s a challenging time them as well as for you. Offer to be there for them, including offering to extend payment terms/due dates. This will go a long way with your customers and they’ll remember this, and will likely keep you top of mind for them financially. Believe me – they won’t forget this. They’ll likely even post something on social media which will give you free, word of mouth marketing!
2. Send reminders
Now could be a good time to offer (or re-offer) payment reminders to your customers. So many of us are on our phones, tablets, and laptops right now, and it’s a good time to be in touch with your customers via online channels. If you haven’t set up the ability to send out reminders via text, email, phone, etc. this could be a small investment that pays off long term.
3. Make it easy for your customers to pay you
Provide multiple payment options and give them an easy way to use those options to pay you. Payment options include ACH/eCheck, card (debit or credit), prepaid card, and PayPal among others. In the near future, Zelle, RTP and others will be available too. Using these payment options in combination with an easy and intuitive user experience can go a long way in enabling your customers to pay you on time!
Since everyone is using their phone and devices more than ever, provide multiple digital channels: mobile apps, a website, text, email, and even a phone call. We all know customers get attached to their favorite channels so offering multiple contact points will also enable your customers to pay you. The key is to keep them engaged when they think about paying you so they can do it quickly and easily.
The key is to keep them engaged when they think about paying you so they can do it quickly and easily.
With your customers likely overwhelmed with bills right now, BlytzPay can help them get a handle on their bills and make their payments easily and quickly by using reminders and providing an easy and quick way to pay. You’ve got a lot to think about right now given the circumstances surrounding COVID-19 and it is overwhelming.
I hope these tips provide some help to your business. Use BlytzPay to check off one of your many items on your to-do list. Feel free to respond with thoughts, questions, concerns. We would love to hear from you! Stay well and safe!
