The Green Sheet: Our CEO Shares Insights on What Merchants Want from Payment Providers?

What are some of the concerns merchants have about payments? In The Green Sheet article, reprinted below, our CEO and founder, Chip Alfred Kahn IV provides his thoughts on:

• What shoppers want out of a payment experience

• How payment expectations differ, depending on merchant size and vertical

• What payment services improvements have the biggest impact on merchants

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Excepted from The Green Sheet article: What do merchants really want?

1. What payment-related challenges are your merchants talking about most often right now?

Alfred "Chip" Kahn, founder and CEO of Ovation CXM, has observed that merchants are focused on affordability and value. "Rising processing costs and complex fee structures continue to challenge profitability, and many are re-evaluating what they're actually getting from their providers in return," he said. "They're asking for solutions that provide more value, not just fees, and are integrated into their broader customer experience strategies that drive tangible business outcomes."

2. Are shoppers asking for faster payments or new options at the point of sale, or are other issues more pressing?

Kahn emphasized that customers aren't asking for faster payments as much as merchants are asking for lower fees. "Shoppers still care about convenience and personalization," he said. "They want self-service options, mobile wallet payments, and the ability to start a purchase online and finish it in-store. But the bigger conversation is coming from merchants, who are focused on reducing processing costs and ensuring the fees they pay deliver real value.

3. How do merchant concerns differ depending on their size or vertical market?

According to Kahn, merchant expectations vary widely by size and complexity. "Mid-market and enterprise organizations tend to want a more concierge, strategic partnership and hands-on support during integrations or system changes," Kahn said. "They expect proactive service, data insights, and a partner who understands how payments fit into a larger customer experience strategy.

"Smaller merchants, meanwhile, emphasize responsiveness; they need quick resolutions to technical or funding issues and clear, direct communication. Both groups want reliability; they just define it differently."

4. Beyond speed and payment options, what improvements would make the biggest difference for your merchants (e.g., lower costs, fewer disputes, easier integrations, better service)?

Kahn stated that implementation continues to be a challenge, especially for merchants investing in new POS or smart terminal solutions. "Even after onboarding, many cite reliability as a top priority, followed by stable systems, dependable funding timelines, and responsive customer support when something goes wrong," he said. "What they want most is confidence that their technology and service partners will perform consistently.

"Streamlined integrations and reliable services, from setup to daily operations, make the biggest difference in keeping merchants focused on their customers instead of their payment problems."

5. If you could name one thing merchants wish the industry would fix, what would it be?

Kahn noted that merchants want affordability and quality service to go hand-in-hand. "Too often, lower-cost options come with trade-offs in support or reliability," he said. "The industry has an opportunity to better align transparent pricing with dependable support services so merchants can operate confidently without sacrificing value or trust."