CrossCheck Blog

Each October we celebrate our birthday here at CrossCheck. This year, we're celebrating not only our 28th year in business (wow, that went fast), but also a new headquarters and new services that benefit our clients and their customers. We're proud of our 28 years and are thankful to have had continuing success and growth, even during some challenging years. As we begin our 29th year, now is a good time to take a look at where we started, where we've been and what we see coming up. Back in 1983, CrossCheck opened the doors in Petaluma, California, and began a check guarantee business that offered merchants the opportunity to accept checks for payment and be reimbursed should the check be returned for non payment. In the days when "cash or check" were often the only payment choices for consumers, CrossCheck grew quickly to become an expert in authorization services and solutions.

It's that scary time of year: the days get shorter, we set out the carving tools, get lost in mazes, drag the skeletons out of the closets and become easily startled. Halloween? Yes, that, too, but it can also mean...Business Budget time! For many businesses this time of year is when budget planning begins. Managers wrap up the year, see what worked, review what didn't and start preparations for mapping out the new year. Sometimes it's scary, sometimes tedious, but always necessary. With all this going on, now is the time to keep an eye out for ways to improve business practices and consider new services to maximize business efficiencies for the upcoming year. Use budget time as an opportunity to make your business more profitable.

Football season is a great display of training, discipline, attitude and ongoing practice from athletes committed to excellence. Top sales performers share this commitment and work at their game constantly, too. With this in mind, we asked Todd Little, CrossCheck's National Sales Trainer and former football coach for his tips on how to become a top-rated sales pro. As Vince Lombardi says: "Running a football team is no different than running any other organization..." Whether you are trying to refine your own sales skills or lead your sales team to victory, keeping these points in mind can up your game and keep the competition on their toes.

We may be writing fewer checks than in years past, but we still rely on them for payment at some of our favorite retailers, to pay bills or person-to-person when cash isn't convenient or plastic isn't accepted. Business-to-business payments are very often made by check as they offer companies an affordable way to pay their suppliers and service providers and are easily reconciled with bookkeeping accounts and software. As comfortable as we are with checks, though, consumers and businesses both need to stay alert to fake checks and check scams that cost time and money to recover.

Think it's impossible to grow your business during a lackluster economy? Several national retailers are growing at a rapid rate and they are doing it in ways that businesses of all sizes can embrace. The 2011 Hot 100 Retailers from Stores magazine found a variety of national retailers that have thrived during our sluggish business climate by creating their own identity and standing out in a competitive market.

A recent article in USA Today reported that small businesses are still plagued by late payments. The article found that many businesses are finding that receivables are coming in at a slower pace, pushing payments out of the thirty day cycle to something closer to fifty. Late payments are more than an annoyance; they can impact your cash flow, credit rating, inventory and ability to pay your own outstanding bills and payroll.

Keeping current on industry trends and news can be a challenge. With limited hours in the day to devote to research, it's good to know that there are some web sites that can be relied upon to provide a snapshot of statistics, trends, forums and more. Rushed for time? Here's a look at five web sites that provide concise and current information on the retail industry, sales, marketing, and banking and financial news.

Everyone has a customer service horror story...excruciating wait times on hold, unresponsive or unfriendly help, inaccessible hours, the list goes on. These experiences can destroy a hard-earned relationship with a business, affect future sales and referrals and, in extreme cases, even cause legal problems. Focusing on good customer service, on the other hand, can reinforce your customer relationships and help strengthen your business. Here are five tips to make sure your customer service really does serve your customer.

A recent study the by Federal Reserve tells us some things we already know about payments in the US. As consumers, we're carrying less cash, writing fewer checks, and using our debit cards to buy our morning coffee. However, this recent study offered some surprising information on check and debit card payments, dollar value of transactions and growth in consumer-to-consumer checks.