Specialist: Merchant Solutions at Bidvest Bank

PRIMARY PURPOSE

• To drive business growth by identifying, acquiring, and managing relationships with merchants, promoting and selling payment solutions, and ensuring a seamless onboarding experience.
• The Merchant Sales Specialist plays a key role in expanding the merchant network, increasing transaction volume, and providing excellent service to meet the financial and operational goals of the Bank.

TECHNICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT

• Understanding of point-of-sale (POS) systems, card readers, and payment terminals
• Familiarity with various payment gateways (e.g., Visa, Mastercard, Amex, digital wallets)
• Knowledge of merchant onboarding processes, including document collection and verification
• Insight into the digital payments landscape, including QR codes, contactless payments, mobile apps, and e-commerce integrations
• Ability to explain technical product features in business terms
• Understanding of merchant pricing structures (e.g., MDR, interchange fees) and ability to explain terms clearly
• Competence in analyzing merchant performance data and identifying sales opportunities or risks
• Knowledge of regulatory and compliance requirements related to merchant services (e.g., KYC/AML)
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills
• Sales Driven

REQUIRED MINIMUM EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• National Diploma in Business Management or equivalent

REQUIRED MINIMUM WORK EXPERIENCE

• 3–5 years of experience in sales, payments , preferably in merchant services (acquiring and issuing), financial services, or payment solutions
• Proven track record of meeting or exceeding sales targets
• Experience in B2B sales or field sales is an advantage

KEY PERFORMANCE AREA (KPA)

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT

• Identify acquiring & merchant sales opportunities and offer solutions appropriate for the merchant’s requirements, goal & objectives by applying the tools which outlines the products merchants currently have and the propensity for new product take-up, in order to continually grow the customer base
• Understand the complexities & dynamics of the sales acquiring / merchant targets, achieve and exceed these consistently
• Adopt a commercial approach to appropriate cost-to-service, versus value generation to achieve the agreed business turnover and other revenue targets
• Achieve and exceed the agreed merchant service fee targets by negotiating additional charges, pricing and any other applicable fees relevant to the product / solution presented to and sold to the merchant and / or prospective merchant
• Participate in the design and execution of the respective Regional Sales plan, to ensure that targets are delivered through ‘cross-selling’ and in order to grow the organisation’s customer base
• Action and manage all sales leads received from potential merchants, as well as all internal business partners within the agreed service level agreements and turnaround times, end-to-end
• Negotiate pricing, complete & sign new merchant and other related agreements prior to implementation
• Execute on the Regional Sales plans by ensuring an increase in the percentage of customers taking merchant acquiring solutions by conversion of qualified leads into sales by selling offers, which benefit the merchant, as well as the organisation
• Achieve sales (new business & existing growth), that will establish BB Merchant Services & Customer Solutions as a ‘centre-of-excellence’ for sales execution across the organisation’s targeted markets

CUSTOMER CENTRICITY

• Build and maintain strong relationships with existing merchants and internal stakeholders
• Assist merchants in resolving technical or service-related issues in collaboration with support teams
• Provide after-sales support and ensure merchant satisfaction.
• Improve key relationships and change the acquisition methodology with internal business partners / stakeholders
• Identify stakeholder requirements and expectations, in order to develop effective stakeholder / partner engagement plans
• Educate existing clients in collaboration with their assigned regional sales consultants about the specific acquiring / merchant products and services available, through the provision of professional & expert advice

OPERTIONAL EXCELLENCE

• Guide merchants through the onboarding process, including documentation and KYC compliance
• Coordinate with operations and risk teams to ensure smooth activation
• Continuously keep abreast of the latest developments and trends with regards to customer expectations and service delivery
• Recommend payment solutions (POS, e-commerce & Integrated Payment Gateways), based on projections of the volume and monetary amount of daily transactions and the demographic environments being serviced / served
• Monitor effectiveness of Regional Sales campaigns to ensure delivery thereof and implement remedial improvements for future campaigns if, where & when required
• Work closely with internal & external business stakeholders / partners, to ensure that the sales execution delivers on ‘best-in-class’ products, services & support
• Maintain accurate records of merchant interactions, contracts, and sales activity
• Prepare daily/weekly/monthly sales reports for review by management
• Monitor individual sales performance on a daily / weekly /monthly / quarterly & annual basis and provide feedback to management in how to improve performance
• Gather market intelligence on competitors, pricing, and new trends
• Provide product feedback and suggest improvements based on merchant needs
• Ensure management is regularly up-dated on sales activities, pipeline prospects and pending deals via regular and agreed call & activity reports, as well as weekly sales performance & feedback reports
• Create and execute opportunities and prospects for new business, by working through potential customer lists and find new innovative ways of selling other than via the normal channels
• Adhere to the laid down sales processes & procedures within the BB Merchant Services & Customer Solutions frameworks / parameters
• Complete new applications and ensure that process is finalised within the agreed service level turnaround times with a continuous follow-up on progress of outcomes, end-to-end
• Maintain accurate records of merchant interactions, contracts, and sales activity
• Prepare daily/weekly/monthly sales reports for review by management

LEARNING AND GROWTH

• Take ownership for driving own career development.
• Prepare and obtain sign off on your Personal Development Plan
• Achieve the objectives/milestones set out in the development plan.
• Review performance on a regular basis (monthly, quarterly, and annually)
• Ensure merchants understand the usage, benefits, and features of the services offered