Tune in: New podcast shares insight on ISOs

We’ve got you covered. That’s Worldpay’s message to independent sales organizations.

ISOs are specialized third-party companies who provide merchants with card and other digital payment processing services, serving as intermediaries between merchants and financial institutions. “A lot of merchants work with ISOs, so it’s a channel that can’t been overlooked,” said Denise Tahali, senior vice president of ISO and agent sales at Worldpay.

Tahali joined Worldpay in May 2024 to reinvent the company’s ISO offerings. She has over two decades of relevant payments and partners experience. Worldpay may not have been the first choice for ISOs in the past, she said, but that’s not the case now. “It’s an all-new ballgame over here.”

That means a new roster of products, tools and support teams to help ISOs boost revenue and deepen their relationships in the form of a new ISO program. These resources include a new podcast, “Worldpay ISO Partner Advantage,” available through Apple podcasts and other podcast providers.

“The ISO channel is made up of some great companies, but, more importantly, they’re local to their community,” said Tahali. “They have referral partners and deep relationships often built over many years, bringing a lot of value and expertise. They should never be overlooked.”

Your go-to resource

Tahali co-hosts the podcast with Greg Myers, the payments commentator and thought leader who started the popular Leaders in Payments podcast in 2020. Several installments in, the ISO partner advantage podcast is a resource for ISOs looking to grow and gain a competitive edge.

Among the areas of focus are:

• Industry expertise: Hear from Worldpay’s deep bench of specialists who are shaping the future of payments.
• Partner perspectives: Learn directly from some of Worldpay’s ISO partners about what’s working for them.
• Insights: Get practical tips on how to maximize revenue, improve operations and differentiate your business.
• Trends: Stay ahead of the curve with the latest innovations and what they mean for the future of your business.

A new world for ISOs

Joining Tahali and Myers in the second episode is Phillip McHugh, group president of global experience at Worldpay, who said the ISO market has “some of the best entrepreneurs – people who have really figured out a unique way to serve and win. We want to help some of these great businesses grow.”

“The market has changed rapidly, especially for small and medium-sized business,” he said. “We’ve seen the rise of integrated software vendors, card-not-present and true tech-enabled platforms like Shopify, Stripe and Square.”

McHugh said ISOs understand the industry, economics and their local markets better than anyone, and they can uniquely harness tools and approaches that set them up for success.

Tahali added that, because they go to market with their own brands, they have more control over the reliability and quality of their provision to partners.

Top tips to help ISOs grow

Tap into technology that helps level the playing field and allows you to compete in the market better.

Value-added services can help make a difference, creating stickiness with merchants, strengthening dependencies and reducing attrition.

Prioritize supporting partners with easy tools, reliability and transparency. It’s just as important as supporting merchants.

Speed to boarding is vital, so use a provider that can deliver across the ecosystem fast, as well as continually optimize, listen and tweak based on predefined performance indicators.

Cultivate mutual respect through communication and advocacy to give a white-glove feeling. Always do what you say you’re going to do and build confidence with merchants and partners alike.

For more tips for ISOs, success stories, practical strategies and events by subscribing to “Worldpay ISO Partner Advantage.”

We’re investing in our ISO channel. Learn more about Worldpay’s offerings for ISOs here.