CrossCheck Blog

Buena Vista Auto Works repairs a customer's vehicle, accepts a check payment for the services, and sends the happy motorist on his way. All is well until the next morning when the driver discovers that he wrote the check for $4,000 instead of $400, the correct amount.

In this instance, most people would simply ask the shop to destroy the original check and write an amended check for $400.

Unfortunately, the customer decides to initiate a stop payment on the $4,000 check at his bank instead of contacting the shop for resolution. The bank charges him a $35 stop-payment fee and the shop now possesses a check with no apparent value. What recourse does the shop have?

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The building materials industry has experienced significant change in recent years — granite is the “new” Formica; two-by-six framing is as common as two-by-fours; and wood (solid, laminate, engineered or reclaimed) has replaced wall-to-wall carpeting as the flooring of choice for many Americans. Beyond this veneer of change is a fundamental framework of industry growth, sustainability, technology, do-it-yourself homeowners, and the need for simplified installations.

The focus is on sustainable products and technology, but other trends are also having a profound influence on the building materials industry. Many of these disruptive changes are interdependent, and as expected, there is a direct correlation between construction and building materials.

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Check guarantee companies are a small segment of the financial services industry, and CrossCheck has seen competitors come and go since launching in 1983. Over the years, some privately owned check guarantee firms have been gobbled up by much larger conglomerates, yet CrossCheck has remained independently owned throughout its distinguished history.

More importantly, though, CrossCheck is periodically contacted by merchants who are looking for a new check guarantee company because they just parted ways with their old one. Disgruntled merchants come in all shapes and sizes, but their reasons for dissatisfaction generally center on a group of check processing faux pas:

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Underlined by resounding approval from attendees and exhibitors, organizers of Las Vegas Market (LVM) said the successful 2018 Summer Market was represented by “strong buyer traffic, increased order writing, and new product introductions.” Home furnishings dealers, retailers, designers, and other industry experts and stakeholders were presented with more than 5 million square feet of permanent and temporary exhibit space showcasing a wide selection of home décor, gift, housewares, gourmet, handmade, and antique products. The mega-event took place July 29 – Aug 2 at the World Market Center campus (WMC) in Las Vegas.

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The story you are about to read is true; the names have been changed to protect the innocent. On one side are the numerous instant financing options for consumers to use for virtual and in-person purchases. On the other is CrossCheck’s Multiple Check service that accomplishes everything the “other guys” do and then some. As the saying goes, “seeing is believing,” so stick around for closing arguments.

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The retail industry is rapidly evolving with new technologies and changing consumer behavior and attitudes toward the retail experience. In response, retailers are implementing a consumer-centric approach at both brick-and-mortar locations and virtual storefronts. According to the Home Furnishings Association (HFA), every effort should be made to make customers’ shopping experiences “better than ever before.”

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Veterinary medicine has experienced extraordinary advancements and growth since its early stages in known ancient history — taking place in Mongolia more than 3,000 years ago. An increase in consumer demand, along with modern-day technologies unfathomable to the Mongolian nomadic herders of 1300-700 B.C., have revolutionized animal healthcare. Veterinarians working in today’s rapidly changing veterinary industry must remain informed on the latest trends, breakthroughs and approaches to remain competitive. Here are five trends to watch in 2018 and beyond.

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CrossCheck’s very own Brandes Elitch, director of Partner Acquisitions, has written a book, Lancia Loraymo and the Loewy Logic of Industrial Design. The work focuses on mid-1900s designer Raymond Loewy’s career and car designs, particularly the Lancia Loraymo.

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The term “shoot the moon” means to attempt the near-impossible or to attain great heights per UrbanDictionary.com. Ironically, the daring 1969 Apollo 11 lunar landing qualifies as an ideal example and according to some experts, the promise of producing autonomous cars in the immediate future is not far behind.

The top automakers from around the globe are individually committed to self-driving cars, and so is a U.S. advocacy group for the legally blind that longs for the day when its beneficiaries can attain self-determination or autonomy behind the wheel.

Despite the widespread interest, push back to self-driving cars became international news in March 2018 after they were directly involved in two fatal accidents within five days of each other.

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Auto parts industry professionals from around the country gather each year at the SEMA Show (Specialty Equipment Market Association) to compare notes, practices, and most importantly, automobiles. SEMA is expected to put this year’s newest trends on display at their big event on October 30 – November 2 in Las Vegas.

The SEMA Show contains over 2,400 exhibiting companies and every type of new and hot product that one could imagine. It offers well-known speakers, a plethora of demonstrations, educational seminars and numerous networking opportunities. The convention covers over one million square feet of space and SEMA brags of over 70,000 buyers attending last year’s show.

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