PaymentVibes

? Teaching Customer Experience: A Unique Opportunity to Shape the Future ? Teaching customer experience is more than just delivering a lecture—it's about inspiring students to see the world ?? through the eyes of the customer and empowering them to create meaningful interactions ?? that drive loyalty and satisfaction. Last week, I had the privilege of welcoming a special guest to my class : Vassilina Lapteva Walford, founder of Paymentvibes—a true expert in the payments industry ??. Her insights into how payment systems are critical touchpoints in the customer journey was invaluable. From simplifying processes to ensuring trust and security ??, she illustrated how a seamless payment experience can transform customer perception and contribute to business success ??. The students were deeply engaged, asking thoughtful questions and drawing connections to the broader principles of customer experience. It was a powerful reminder of how industry expertise, combined with academic learning ??, equips students with the tools to tackle real-world challenges. I’m grateful for the opportunity to bridge education and industry in my classroom, and I look forward to continuing to provide these enriching experiences for my students. #VassilinaLapteva#Paymentvibes#Genevabusinessschool#CustomerExperience #Education #PaymentsIndustry #FutureLeaders

Buy or Build? ?? I often talk about how valuable payment data is for business growth - from understanding customer preferences and sales channels performance, to enabling omnichannel customer journeys. But let’s be honest: getting all your payment data in one place across all providers in an harmonised and usable format isn’t easy. Data harmonisation is a major challenge for many retailers. Different processors often call the same thing differently, like one calling a field with issuing bank ‘Issuing_Bank_A’ while another ‘Issuer A’. When you have a large set of data, these inconsistencies make it difficult to analyse and compare transactions across processors, and to identify trends or issues in your payments ecosystem.? So what are the options? Build an in-house data platform or invest in external payment data analytics solutions? Probably a bit of both, starting with an external, no code solution to establish a baseline, enabling immediate insights into KPIs like approval rates, chargebacks, and customer demographics. Today an increasing number of providers offer streamlined integrations, connecting and harmonising diverse data sources seamlessly, without manual downloading or tedious reformatting. As your needs evolve, building an in-house platform may become the right thing to do, especially if you are expanding providers and want more tailored insights. But whatever path your business chooses, the goal should be clear: let your teams focus on meaningful analysis, not on wrangling inconsistent data. Would love to hear your thoughts. How do you manage your Payment Data Capabilities ? Share your insights. ??? - - - How can we help? At PaymentVibes, we support retail brands in optimising their payment strategies, processes & technologies to future-proof their payment capabilities. ?? Follow us at PaymentVibes ?? Get in touch [email protected] ?? Learn more https://paymentvibes.com/

Buy or Build? ?? I often talk about how valuable payment data is for business growth - from understanding customer preferences and sales channels performance, to enabling omnichannel customer journeys. But let’s be honest: getting all your payment data in one place across all providers in an harmonised and usable format isn’t easy. Data harmonisation is a major challenge for many retailers. Different processors often call the same thing differently, like one calling a field with issuing bank ‘Issuing_Bank_A’ while another ‘Issuer A’. When you have a large set of data, these inconsistencies make it difficult to analyse and compare transactions across processors, and to identify trends or issues in your payments ecosystem.? So what are the options? Build an in-house data platform or invest in external payment data analytics solutions? Probably a bit of both, starting with an external, no code solution to establish a baseline, enabling immediate insights into KPIs like approval rates, chargebacks, and customer demographics. Today an increasing number of providers offer streamlined integrations, connecting and harmonising diverse data sources seamlessly, without manual downloading or tedious reformatting. As your needs evolve, building an in-house platform may become the right thing to do, especially if you are expanding providers and want more tailored insights. But whatever path your business chooses, the goal should be clear: let your teams focus on meaningful analysis, not on wrangling inconsistent data. Would love to hear your thoughts. How do you manage your Payment Data Capabilities ? Share your insights. ??? - - - How can we help? At PaymentVibes, we support retail brands in optimising their payment strategies, processes & technologies to future-proof their payment capabilities. ?? Follow us at PaymentVibes ?? Get in touch [email protected] ?? Learn more https://paymentvibes.com/

Why Continuous Learning in Payments Matters for Every Company ?? In the fast-paced world of payments, staying ahead isn’t just about technology or infrastructure—it’s about equipping your people with the right expertise. ? Large companies may have dedicated payments teams, but even they must prioritise ongoing education as the payment landscape continues to evolve rapidly. ? Smaller companies are even more pressed as they often lack established payment experts but still need a solid understanding of how to navigate this complex, evolving environment. Regardless of company size, the payments landscape is evolving faster than ever, and staying ahead requires constant learning. 1?? Upskilling: A Smart Strategy for Adaptability When I speak to my merchant clients, one recurrent comment made is that many of them didn’t start in payments; they were actually coming from other functions such as Finance, IT or E-commerce and had to learn payments ‘on the fly’. ?? This is where upskilling by investing in payment training is so important - one of the most effective ways for companies to remain agile is by investing in upskilling their current teams instead of perpetually searching for external talent. This also allows your company to nurture your existing workforce, building a foundation of knowledge that grows with the business’s needs. This not only saves on recruitment costs but also fosters a culture of adaptability, as your teams gain skills that directly benefit their career evolution and the business as a whole. 2?? Recruiting Beyond Payments Experience Sometimes, however, hiring externally is unavoidable. Given the scarcity of payment experts with retail and merchant experience, many companies frequently end up hiring? from outside the payment sector. ?? While this may sound like a challenge, it can? bring a lot of value through fresh perspectives and complementary skill sets to a team. And with the right foundational training, these new recruits can quickly adapt to the unique requirements of the payments industry, bringing both diverse thinking and new perspectives to established teams. 3?? Bridging the Knowledge Gap with PaymentVibes At PaymentVibes, we provide training & coaching to new hires and established payment teams. Our training programs are designed to help teams to understand the payments ecosystem, build confidence in their roles, and contribute to innovation and business growth within their companies. Ready to take your payments expertise to the next level? ?? ?? Get in touch with us today to explore how we can help you or your team stay ahead in the rapidly evolving payments industry. Whether you're new to the payment space or a seasoned professional, our tailored training programs are designed to empower your growth. #PaymentsConsulting #PaymentsEducation ?- - - Wonder who we are ? ?? Follow us at PaymentVibes ?? Get in touch [email protected] ?? Learn more https://paymentvibes.com/

Think about the last time you made an online purchase. You browsed products, checked prices, added something to your cart, and, with a few clicks, completed the payment. Easy, right? That’s the power of a well-crafted payment experience, or Payment CX. ?? When done right, it creates a smooth, satisfying customer journey—from discovering a product to finalising a transaction. Key elements like flexible payment options, hassle-free returns, personalised offers, and seamless service across online and in-store channels all contribute to a great experience. But what we see as customers is just the "tip of the iceberg." ?? Behind each simple transaction is a web of technology, financial strategy, data systems, and compliance work that keeps things running smoothly. From managing card network rules to developing secure infrastructure, a lot goes on behind the scenes to make every payment secure and seamless. A question I often get - where do payments belong within a business? ?? Is it finance, tech, product, or customer service? The answer: a bit of each. Payments touch every part of the business, and when they’re managed collaboratively, it becomes an invaluable asset for the business. Aligning payment strategy across teams lets businesses stay agile and keeps the customer journey easy, reliable, and enjoyable. The bottom line? Great Payment CX builds long lasting customer loyalty. Would love to hear your thoughts. How do you manage your Payment CX? Share your insights. ??? - - - How can we help? At PaymentVibes, we support retail brands in optimising their payment strategies, processes & technologies to future-proof their payment capabilities. ?? Follow us at PaymentVibes ?? Get in touch [email protected] ?? Learn more https://paymentvibes.com/

Would you like to read some brilliant origin stories for some of the FinTech industry's fantastic female CEOs and co-founders? Here's a list (in order of publishing) of the female CEOs and founders we've featured so far on FinTech Profile this year. Please have a read: ?? Elena Churilova of Cino: https://lnkd.in/dvAKSU3P ?? Lissele Pratt of Capitalixe: https://lnkd.in/dFtSEHJR ?? Barbara Gottardi of Finbridge Global: https://lnkd.in/dKswtBip ?? Dr Fatemeh Nikayin, PhD of Rivero: https://lnkd.in/dQZdxpP7 ?? Joan Medland of Shoal: https://lnkd.in/dxMFY4er ?? Sarah H?ger of Enable Banking: https://lnkd.in/dyrfgPwG ?? Hannah Baynham of haboo money: https://lnkd.in/dCCmzvtP ?? Joss Tasker of Sync Savings: https://lnkd.in/dywxg2Dz ?? Vassilina Lapteva Walford of PaymentVibes: https://lnkd.in/dCu_UXug ?? Linda Portnoff of Tangy Market: https://lnkd.in/d7Fzh8kE ?? Gosia Furmanik of fena labs: https://lnkd.in/dKJGYRCm ?? Janthana Kaenprakhamroy of Tapoly - Insurance On Tap: https://lnkd.in/dT89Ds2y Thank you to all the super PRs who helped too. If you have any suggestions for more CEOs and Co-Founders working in FinTech that we should profile (female or otherwise!) please send me a note or tag them below -- or ask them/their PR to get in touch at ?? [email protected].