By Greg Hansen, Fiserv VP of Partner Sales
Greg Hansen is Vice President of Partner Sales at CardConnect, a Fiserv company, overseeing Agent and ISO partner growth across the payments ecosystem. He has over 20 years of experience in merchant acquiring, payment processing, and partner sales strategy. Greg focuses on helping partners scale through secure, flexible CardConnect technology and data-driven solutions.
How Agents Win: TL;DR
Top agents win by doing three things better than everyone else:
- They specialize and understand merchant needs deeply.
- They sell value, not price, by focusing on tools that help merchants run their businesses.
- They stay involved long after the deal closes, which keeps attrition low and portfolios profitable.
If you want a portfolio that grows every month instead of rebuilding from churn, start here.
The Playbook for Building a Portfolio That Lasts as a Merchant Service Sales Agent
The payments business has changed. Ten years ago, you could walk into a merchant with a sharp rate and a cheaper terminal and win the deal. Today, software-led competitors, integrated POS systems, and nonstop consolidation have raised the bar.
The agents who consistently outperform the market aren’t simply selling processing; they’re building business enablement portfolios that merchants rely on.
Here’s what they do differently.
1. They Specialize Instead of Selling to Everyone
Top agents go deep, not wide.
They pick a vertical, whether that’s restaurants, retail, automotive, or professional services, and learn:
- Operational workflows
- Compliance rules
- Software preferences
- Pain points that affect margins
Specialized agents close faster, negotiate from a position of knowledge, and spot opportunities others miss. They also avoid credibility-damaging mistakes (like applying general surcharging rules to states where it’s restricted, or mishandling future-delivery risk for furniture and custom-order businesses).
Specialization = higher close rates + lower attrition.
2. They Lead with Business Tools, Not Payment Rates
Processing is a commodity. Every provider can authorize a transaction. What merchants want and stay loyal to are the solutions that help them run their businesses.
Winning agents focus on:
- POS systems that integrate with payroll, scheduling, loyalty, and inventory
- Gateways that support omnichannel and eCommerce growth
- Integrations with vertical-specific software
- Tools that help owners manage labor, cash flow, and operations
When an agent brings value outside of pricing, they become harder to replace. And when a merchant uses multiple integrated tools, the account becomes stickier and more profitable.
This is where the CardConnect + Clover + ISV ecosystem gives you an edge. You’re not walking in with “just processing.” You’re walking in with solutions that solve daily operational pain.
3. They Position Flexibility as Their Competitive Advantage
Many payments partners lead with one product line, whether that’s payments hardware or software. This creates a ceiling: if the merchant doesn’t want that product, the deal is gone.
Top agents avoid that trap entirely by partnering with a company like CardConnect.
Through CardConnect, they can use the flexibility of the Fiserv ecosystem — including Clover, CardPointe, gateway options, hardware ranges, and a massive ISV network — to win deals others can’t even compete on.
When you can support 90%+ of the solutions a merchant might use, you stop losing deals because of “software mismatch.” And when you can offer both exclusive solutions (like Clover) and open integrations, you’re positioned to win in any vertical.
Flexibility protects revenue. Flexibility prevents churn. Flexibility keeps agents scalable.
4. They Stay Visible Long After the Installation
The biggest difference between top performers and everyone else:
They don’t disappear once the merchant is live.
Top agents treat every touchpoint as a retention opportunity:
- Checking in on new features or upgrades
- Talking through operational challenges
- Flagging emerging compliance changes
- Suggesting add-ons that improve workflow or reduce costs
- Reviewing statements before the merchant calls with questions
This level of engagement prevents a competitor from walking in with a slightly better rate and taking the business.
When merchants feel supported, not sold, they stay.
5. They Invest in Their Own Education
The landscape is shifting fast. New POS companies, new integrations, new rules, new competitors. Agents who don’t keep up eventually fall behind.
High performers:
- Understand how software-led payments are changing merchant expectations
- Learn the tools their merchants use, not just the ones they sell
- Stay informed on regulatory and compliance changes
- Know how to position business solutions, not just line-item savings
The more you know, the more valuable you become and the harder it is for competitors to displace your accounts.
6. They Choose Partners That Strengthen Their Pitch
A strong portfolio requires a strong partner. Experienced agents gravitate toward platforms that:
- Support multiple hardware and software paths
- Offer proven, stable brands merchants trust
- Provide consistent onboarding and responsive operations
- Deliver tools that make agents more effective, not more burdened
CardConnect’s value, from the flexibility of the ecosystem to the power of Clover to the speed of merchant activation (not to mention the reliability of Fiserv), gives agents a foundation built for long-term portfolio growth.
When your partner expands what you can offer, you stop competing on price and start competing on value.
The Bottom Line
The agents who build lasting, high-value portfolios don’t work harder, they work sharper.
They understand their vertical.
They solve deeper problems.
They stay engaged.
They choose tools that make them indispensable.
If your goal is long-term residual income, not just short-term wins, build your business around the principles above. Everything else is just chasing the next deal.
Sales Agents Can Do More with CardConnect
Top performing agents don’t win by cutting rates. They win by offering flexibility, insight, and solutions that keep merchants loyal. CardConnect is built to support that model.
With CardConnect, experienced agents can go beyond basic payment processing to offer technology that help merchants operate more efficiently across POS, gateways, and integrated software. This flexibility makes it easier to specialize by vertical, solve real operational challenges, and reduce attrition over time.
CardConnect also continues to invest in the tools and resources agents need to work smarter, from ongoing platform improvements to partner education that helps you stay current as the market evolves. The result: stronger portfolios, higher retention, and more durable residual income.
If you’re an experienced payment sales agent looking to build a portfolio that lasts, sign up below for a free consultation with CardConnect.