“Sales” can sometimes sound like a dirty word. Cold calls, price wars and one-sided pitches that are more about pushing a product rather than helping the client. Therefore, only 29% of buyers trust salespeople.
At PAYSTRAX, we believe the best partnerships start with listening and understanding the challenges our partners face. So, we asked our sales team to share what that looks like in practice and explain how they put that into action.
Tom Suter, Regional Sales Director for UK
After more than a decade in payments and seeing every kind of sales pitch, Tom knows what actually works. At PAYSTRAX, he sticks to one rule: it’s less on selling at all costs and more on finding the solution best suited for the client’s needs.
In the largely commoditised world of card payment processing, it’s easy to fall into the trap of ‘traditional’ sales tactics: pitching products, selling on price and pushing for a deal. At PAYSTRAX we flip that mindset entirely. Our job isn’t to sell to partners and merchants, but to help them buy from us, if we are indeed the right partner for them.
This shift in perspective changes the entire dynamic of the sales pitch. When we focus on helping partners and merchants make informed, value-driven decisions, we move away from being just another vendor and become trusted advisors. The goal is no longer to “close the sale” but to provide solutions that make the merchant’s life easier, more efficient, and more profitable – in the long term.
As a licensed acquirer, we work in a complex and ever-changing environment with regulatory, technical and scheme compliance challenges. Navigating these complexities can often be overwhelming for merchants, which is why it’s our responsibility, hand in hand with our partners, to guide them every step of the way and help them choose the best solutions for their needs.
This approach genuinely fosters a long and mutually beneficial relationship, going beyond just a commoditised transaction.
Our core route to market is via our partner network – over 90% of our business today comes from our selectively chosen partners. By focusing on helping partners and ultimately merchants buy, we’re positioning ourselves as allies rather than salespeople.
This approach builds long-term relationships that lead to repeat business, referrals, and maintain the good reputation that we have built within the industry.

Noure Ouaari, Regional Sales Director
Sales have changed a lot since Noure started, but some things never go out of style. Like being approachable, listening well, and making people feel seen. That mindset has shaped how he builds partnerships to this day in payments:
When I was a novice in the sales world, I remember my manager at the time asking me a question: “What is your definition of selling?”
I gave a long and boring technical response. He then said:
“Selling is simply being able to talk to people.”
His reply instantly clicked and stuck with me for the last 20+ years. But what does it all mean?
There was a time when most sales were made face to face. I started my career in retail sales, competing with 50 other stores providing the similar products and services. As salespeople, we had a very limited window to capture a potential customer’s interest and attention before they walked out and checked out a competitor.
The key was to be professional, welcoming, and approachable. That gave you a chance to engage, understand their needs, and showcase how your product could support their needs. Even if they didn’t buy that day, a great experience could turn them into a future customer or even your biggest advocate.
Fast forward to today, business is more digital, but that personal touch and the magic of great customer service is still essential.
At PAYSTRAX, we’ve built long-lasting partnerships since 2018. Many of the businesses that joined us back then are still with us today. Because we always put our merchants and partners at the heart of every decision we make and strive to be the best version of ourselves.

Ian Bedford, Partner Sales Manager
Ian doesn’t do sales fluff. With 15 years in payments, across high-risk verticals like crypto and iGaming, he knows that what matters most is showing up and being someone, your partners can rely on when things get messy:
Let’s be honest – high-risk sales aren’t for the faint of heart. When merchants are stuck or partners go silent mid-crisis, flashy slide decks don’t mean much. What matters is who picks up the phone and who shows up, especially when it’s uncomfortable.
I’ve learned a few things in the field that have shaped how I think about partnerships – not as transactions, but as shared responsibility.
Here’s what I’ve seen:
- If your partner’s leaving you hanging, they’re not your partner. “We’ll get back to you soon” doesn’t cut it when time is money. Urgency is a form of care.
- Trust beats tech. Every time. You can have the fastest system in the world. But if no one believes you’ll actually deliver, what’s the point?
- Pressure reveals who’s real. Partnerships aren’t proven in pitch meetings. They’re proven on the WhatsApp call at midnight when something’s gone sideways.
- Legacy comes from trust, not just innovation. It’s easy to chase the next shiny thing. It’s harder (and more meaningful) to build something that lasts.
- The real work starts after the deal is signed. Anyone can talk a big game, but long-term partnerships are built through consistent follow-through – not one-time wins.
- The best salespeople care. Not about the number. About the outcome, the customer, the long view.
- Revenue follows relationships. Not the other way around. Strong relationships create strong deals. Every time.
- Trust doesn’t need a boardroom. Some of the strongest partnerships I’ve seen began with a five-minute voice note. Clarity and consistency go further than flash.
- Google Meets isn’t a shortcut. It’s the new normal. We’re closing global deals without ever meeting in person. But the ones that last are still built on human connection.
- The best partners don’t disappear when it gets hard. When things get messy, you find out who’s real. The people who show up fully and honestly are the ones worth building with.
The strongest partnerships aren’t built on product alone – they’re built on trust. On showing up when it counts. On real relationships that last under pressure. That’s what matters to me and that’s how I approach every deal.

Across the team, one thing stays the same: people come first. PAYSTRAX sales approach is all about real conversations, honest support, and trust that keeps growing long after the deal is done.
Want to experience it first-hand? Get in touch with us today!