If there’s one thing I think we can all agree on, even in a world that seems so divided at times, is that we’re in the golden age of the smartphone. My guess is, you’re more likely to forget your wallet, hat, significant other, even your kids before you’d forget your cellphone when walking out the door, right?

We all know that sinking feeling after driving away from the house and landing at your destination only to realize you’ve left the rose gold iPhone sitting next to the kitchen sink. That strange void in your pocket used to hold the greatest tool created in the last half century to help us live our lives.

Now, your phone isn’t with you and all hope is lost. Not really, but it’s always a pain leaving your phone behind, isn’t it?

It makes sense, too. We live our entire lives on our smartphones. It touches every part of our daily lives…

Need to know how much you can spend on your debit card today? Just text “BAL” to your bank and they’ll send you the available balance in seconds.

Need to reserve a table at a busy restaurant for the family dinner tonight? Hop on their website and use a tool like OpenTable to book one online before they run out.

Want to buy a coffee at Starbucks? Fire up their app, let the barista scan your barcode to pay and earn points toward that next free Grande Iced White Mocha With Blonde Espresso & Whip (my wife’s personal favorite when the peppermint is out).

In the last decade our smartphones have become invaluable tools that connect us with the world, are small enough to fit in our pocket, and cost as much as my first car did back in the mid-90’s – a 1992 Pontiac Grand Am LE in Medium Gray. My friends nicknamed it “The DeLorean”. True story.

With the incredible spread of smartphones into nearly everyone’s hands and lives, is it possible to leverage this tool to grow or run your business? Absolutely, and we’re not just talking about having a “mobile-friendly” website customers can get information about your business on.

Smartphones are capable of so much today that there are almost an infinite number of ways they can help you run your business. One of the most effective tools cell phone have though, is also one of the simplest features they all offer, and have for decades now.

Which feature am I talking about? Texting!

Even before the heyday of smartphones, cell phones as early back as the late 1990’s were capable of sending and receiving text messages. Also known as SMS, or Short Messaging Service.

In fact, The first SMS message was sent on December 3, 1992, when Neil Papworth, a test engineer for Sema Group, sent “Merry Christmas” to the Orbitel 901 phone of colleague Richard Jarvis.

Since then, text messages haven’t changed much either. There have really only been 3 main updates to the service in the last 30+ years, including being able to:

• Send multiple SMS messages in one single text thread

• Add media content, such as emojis, GIF videos, and static JPG images

• Embed hyperlinks into messages that direct viewers to websites and other online tools

That last part is where we believe smartphones can have the greatest impact on running your business. By leveraging hyperlinks in SMS messages to customers, you can achieve so much in just a few short lines of text, including getting paid by text!

A few short years ago, we launched a seemingly simple, yet powerful new feature inside of Xpress-pay that we know you can benefit from. That’s probably a bold statement because we have literally thousands of features inside everyone’s account, but not all offer a global reach like this.

What is this handy feature called? Quite simply – Instant Invoices.

Instant Invoices allow you to quickly create an invoice, or bill on-the-fly from inside your Xpress-pay account by keying in the customer’s information, their bill amount, and a few other details as needed, then instantly text a copy of that invoice to them.

The text message the customer receives contains a hyperlink they can tap on and be directed straight into our secure payment portal. From there, your customer can view their bill information, make a payment, and get a receipt all within seconds.

Did you know the average text message is opened and read within 10-seconds of receiving it? This really makes Instant Invoices a game-changer for your business.

This is also why Instant Invoices have become the most popular page on our website, and clients of all kinds are discovering how this simple feature is helping them do so much more in less time than ever.

If you’d like to learn more about how Instant Invoices can enhance your operations and daily life, contact us now at (607) 753-6156; or sales@xpress-pay.com.

We look forward to speaking with you, and hearing all the clever ways this incredible tool will streamline how you get paid every day.

Until next time,

The Xpress-pay Team!

(607) 753-6156 | sales@xpress-pay.com

In This Issue

Section 1: Digital Commerce Continues Marching Forward

Section 2: New Updates From Xpress-pay; Customer Success Program

Section 3: A Word From Our Clients

Section 4: The Winner Is

Section 5: Coming Up Next Month

What’s New In The World?

Digital Payments of all kind are on the rise, as much as 21.4% compared to pre-pandemic measures from one study. This means businesses that adopt this growing technology are poised for continued growth for years to come. Of course, enabling your business to simply accept a digital payment is not always enough to make a real difference. It’s imperative to get the Customer Experience (CX) correct to entice current and future customers to continue doing business with you.

How important is the CX? A recent consumer survey revealed that one of the main reasons people don’t pay their bills on-time is the online paying experience was “too difficult”. Imagine a customer being do frustrated by their payment experience they decide it’s better to risk paying a late fee, or not at all than continue on? In the electronic transaction industry we call that “payment friction”. Like an Olympic downhill skier, the goal should always be to get to the finish line quickly, without friction.

But, as a business owner, how can you manage this effectively, while still leaving ample time to continue working on the business? Let’s find out…

Two Updates From Xpress-pay?

A “Behind The Scenes” Overhaul

For the last 14 months, we have been quietly working behind the scenes on expanding what Xpress-pay can do for our clients. While we still can’t release the full details of what these amazing updates will do for you, we can say it can have a significant impact on the way your business will interact and transact with customers for years to come.

In fact, one of the most important components of this update will include the expansion of the number of tools available within everyone’s Xpress-pay Dashboard.

Imagine being able to transact instantly with customers exactly when they’re ready to buy from you. What if you could run your business more efficiently, and secure a stronger cashflow without working more?

We’re working on delivering ways that help Xpress-pay accommodate our client’s needs today. We’ve been proudly serving our Xpress-pay clients since 2005, and look forward to many more amazing years serving you.

In fact, we’re so committed to seeing you, our clients succeed, we’ve launched an entirely new division of Xpress-pay – our Customer Success Program.

Customer Success Program Launched

With a continued focus on ensuring our clients get the very best from their time with us, we’ve launched an entirely new division dedicated to our Customer’s Success. This new initiative gives our clients access to new outlets, including a private Facebook group that connects everyone in our community with hundreds of other like-minded individuals. Those who join are able to connect with others to discuss business strategies. Also included is a weekly Facebook Live hosted by Julie Buttino, Customer Success Specialist.

Julie is sharing the inside secrets of how Xpress-pay and it’s “toolbox” can have a major impact on both people’s business, and lives of everyone involved. Plus, she’ll be live to answer some of the most important questions our clients are asking.

For more information on this amazing program please contact your account executive, or click here to join the program now.

What People Are Saying…

James Buttino, President and Founder of Systems East, Inc. had this to say about the new developments happening at Xpress-pay…

“2022 is going to be a very different year for our clients. We’re investing heavily to ensure the future is bright and prosperous for our clients, resellers, and staff, and we’re going to be making some important announcements in the coming weeks and month. Be sure to stay tuned!”

The Winner Is…

Our team recently headed out of the office to exhibit at the Association of Marina Industries Conference & Expo 2022 in beautiful Daytona Beach, FL. Just a few miles from our Ormond Beach, FL office.

During the show they met so many amazing people looking to make a difference in the Marina industry, and one lucky attendee even landed this amazing free YETI cooler. We wanted to congratulate Brian Arnold from Oasis Marinas on winning our top prize at the event. We hope it helps keep your drinks cold the next time you’re enjoying water.

Connect with us on our Facebook to see where we’re heading next, and where we’ve been!

Stay Tuned Next Month For…

Need to know what we’re talking about next week?

Until next time,

The Xpress-pay Team

(607) 753-6156 | sales@xpress-pay.com

Get More From Your Xpress-pay Account Today