Is there really such a thing as having “enough money”? It would be an amazing experience if such a thing was ever true. If we all had “enough money”, we wouldn’t need to go into work every day. Nevertheless, many clients who first hear about our merchant cash advance program insist that they have “enough money”.
Well, we completely understand that perhaps, as the owner of a small or mid-sized business in Canada, you may not want to involve yourself in something that is foreign to you. And our licensed funding specialists usually discover, after having conversations with such owners, that they most certainly could use some extra working capital.
It is important that we make something clear, because the concept of the merchant cash advance has often been misinterpreted. Our mission at Synergy Merchant Services is to assist Canadian business owners by helping their companies grow. To be very honest, we are not in the business of “saving” businesses from bankruptcy or debt.
So there are times when business owners feel that by expressing that they have “enough money”, they are communicating that their companies are not in financial trouble. It has never been our intent to imply that about any business. Our funding specialists have gained a lot of experience getting to know that the most successful business owners are the ones that are best suited for our program.
We believe that an owner of a company that is doing great business will best know how to utilize our merchant cash advance program to turn an even greater profit than he or she is used to. And while our cash advances can be used for literally anything the business owner wants, we know that they are best used when the money is invested back into the business.
Take, for example, a restaurant owner who has a very successful bar and grill operation. He gets tons of patrons, especially on the weekends and days when a major sporting event is taking place. By all accounts, he is successful and could rightfully claim that he has “enough money”.
However, he knows that if he were to add or expand a patio outside of the restaurant, he could entertain hundreds of more customers throughout the summer season. He could, potentially use his own money to construct this patio. But doing so, of course, would force him to dip into his personal savings and/or use money that would generally be used for payroll and inventory among other things.
Instead, he decides to not use his own money and put a merchant cash advance towards the cost of the patio. While not spending any money of his own, the owner now has a new patio installed that significantly increases the amount of sales his establishment makes.
The payback process is as easy as continuing to process credit and debit sales as his restaurant does regularly. Therefore, once the repayment of the cash advance is made, that owner is instantly earning greater profits than he ever has before without having to use his own cash.
This may sound like a random example, but it’s the truth. It has happened before, and it could happen for you. Whether or not you feel you have “enough money”, you may still want to consider the cash advance option to bring your business to the next level.
One of the best aspects of Synergy Merchant Services’ cash advance program is the fact that we have such great relationships with merchant processors throughout Canada. Our relationship with Moneris – Canada’s largest processor of debit, credit and gift card transactions – for example, allows for us to be the leader in this industry.
Working with processors throughout Canada allows for us to provide small to medium-sized businesses in the country the opportunity to get their hands on extra working capital quickly. In fact, we are confident that our merchant cash advance program is the quickest and easiest way for owners of small and mid-sized companies in Canada to get money.
You may be wondering what their processors have to do with it. And if so, we’re glad you were wondering that. Firstly, our relationships with companies like Moneris allow us to assess just how much money we can advance to a business owner. We base this number on a merchant’s monthly credit and debit transactions.
Without requesting collateral, liens or even the standard credit check, Synergy is able to determine exactly how much of a cash advance can be offered and what it would cost. We do this by simply reviewing the statements provided to a merchant by his or her merchant processor. Our ties with many of these processors allow for this process to be a simple one.
Secondly, these relationships allow for our clients to enjoy the usually painstaking process of paying the money back. The repayment of the cash advance just so happens to be our program’s greatest feature. And it is because of our relationships with their processors that we can offer it.
Through a seamless, automated process, merchants pay back their cash advances through a small percentage of their future credit and debit sales transactions. What that means is they never have to worry about cutting a cheque or transferring a balance from their bank accounts. There literally is no such thing as ever being late as there is simply no fixed repayment schedule.
There are other merchant funding operations out there, of course. But they don’t enjoy the type of relationships we do with processors across Canada. As a result, many of them require the opening of a “lock-box” or third party bank account that a merchant’s daily batch outs are placed in. What this does is force a merchant into wait an extra day or two to have their money deposited into their own bank account so that the funders may retrieve their percentage first.
Our program offers the easiest way to not only get money, but to pay it back without worry. So what are you worried about? Give one of our licensed funding specialists a call and discover just how easy it may be for you to get the working capital you need to help your business grow. We promise to provide an easy process.
With all of the talk in the mainstream media lately about the reluctance of Canada’s big banks to lend money to small businesses in the country, it’s only a matter of time before they are no longer considered the primary option for business owners.
For the past several years, Synergy Merchant Services has continued to grow by offering small to mid-sized Canadian business owners the extra capital required to help develop and expand their own companies.
We have been successful in doing so, by the way, without putting the owner through the long drawn-out process which is generally the norm at traditional banking insitutions. We proudly are able to fund our clients with merchant cash advances within five days of having their businesses approved. Quite often, when speaking to these clients, we discover that it took several weeks and sometimes even months for them to discover whether or not the bank would even approve their applications.
As the Financial Post made abundantly clear last week, more often than ever before, these applications are being turned down. Now, not only are we known for providing Canadian entrepreneurs with the quickest and most convenient way to get money that they will ever experience, but we also put business owners at far less risk than the big banks do.
Unlike the banks, we do not request any collateral or liens. So, of course, there is nothing for an owner to put on the line to potentially lose in the event of a default payment. As well, with our merchant cash advance program, there is no such thing as going in default as “late” payments are non-existent.
Upon first hearing of these major differences between the process of applying for a bank loan and trying to secure a merchant cash advance, most clients ask that all-too-familar question: “So, what’s the catch?”. We believe strongly that a “catch” is something that is hidden. And quite frankly, we have nothing to hide.
There is, obviously, a cost for the cash advance. Known as our “discount fee”, we tell our clients upfront the exact cost of the cash advance. That way, they know exactly how much they will have to pay back before even receiving their working capital five days later. There is no fixed repayment schedule, and as a result, there are no due dates that a business owner could possibly miss.
One thing we never do is call a business owner and make the proclamation that our program is “better” than a bank. We would never be so bold as to make such a statement. We want our clients to form their own opinions about which option they feel is better for themselves.
We feel that, with all fairness, if they actually have options to weigh against each other, they will be better equipped to decide what will work best for their businesses. One thing is for sure though.
Synergy Merchant Services is not in the business of declining business owners at the rate the banks do. It starts with you speaking to one of our licensed funding specialists who will review your Visa, MasterCard and Interac sales at no cost to you in order to provide you with the quote you need to make the decision that could change your business forever.
With April in full swing, many people are already basking in the sunshine and thinking about the summer ahead. For some, it feels as if the fresh spring air is symbolic of a fresh start. So, of course, one of the most popular activities to partake in, at this time of year, is “spring cleaning”. Getting set for the summer by getting rid of the clutter can help invigorate you and feel renewed.
For businesses, this is especially an important task as it prepares companies to start a brand new season of opportunity. As Alyssa Gregory pointed out earlier this month on SitePoint.com, when businesses partake in spring cleaning, it helps to “shake off the winter woes and get a renewed enthusiasm for the season of growth and new beginnings.”
Many believe that when you unclutter your physical surroundings, it helps to clarify your goals and better prepare you for your next step. Organization is key to running a successful business. Gregory lists a number of steps that can be taken so that your business can utilize the concept of spring cleaning to clear a path to a brighter future.
“Clean of your desk”, she writes. The simple task of having a neat and tidy workstation will ensure that your assignments are completed free of distraction. Sometimes, employees get caught up in what feels like an overwhelming number of different projects simply because they cannot remember just how many they have to complete. Unkept files and miscealleaneous documents strewn all over a desk is only cause for confusion.
Ensuring that you are organized will help you stick to a schedule that will allow time for all of your tasks to be completed. Gregory writes that workers should “get rid of ‘rolling’ tasks by getting them done, delegating the work or removing them from your list entirely.” Procrastination, evidently, is an example of clutter and disorganization.
Gregory also recommends that you “freshen up your business card, website and other marketing materials”. Your business can appear out of date, behind the times and even off the market (to use a few catch phrases) when things do not look updated. It is also a good idea to “review client agreements, and act on any revisions/renewals that need to be made.”
Keeping your contact list up to date, sometimes means making contact with those on the list. “Touching base” helps your clients remember that you haven’t forgotten them. This encourages loyalty in addition to potentially re-opening doors for further business with these clients.
“Schedule a meeting with a colleague, or even competitor, to explore a collaborative effort,” says Gregory. Sometimes the creation of a new project or joint venture is just what is needed to provide that extra boost to your company during the advent of a new season.
Of course, there are many ways that businesses can being their own spring cleaning regiments. If you haven’t begun yours yet, you might want to get to it. You may just find that it will help for your upcoming summer to be your most successful season yet.
Yesterday, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog visited the concept of keeping your phone manner as pleasant as possible for the benefit of your business. A courteous and professional approach to answering your business line is a surefire way to make a good impression. Considering that the way in which your phone is answered is the first impression you can give of your company, it is imperative to make sure that it is done properly.
To be honest, this topic drew our interest when a staff member commented on a number of outdated voice messages he received when calling certain businesses. Susan Ward of About.com agrees that keeping your phone greetings (be they live or recorded) accurate and attentive is of great importance to the success of a company’s image.
Revisiting some of the many useful tips that she provides business owners, Ward also advises that the taking of telephone messages should be done in a complete and concise way. The only way to make a favourable impression when returning a call is make sure that you know exactly who you are calling and what the nature of the call is.
She writes that if there is something you do not understand and can’t spell – important things such as someone’s last name – you ask the caller to repeat or spell it so that the right message gets to its intended recipient. It is also a good idea to return phone calls within one business day.
Writes Ward: “I can’t emphasize this one enough. Remember the early bird? The early caller can get the contract, the sale, the problem solved… and reinforce the favorable impression of your business that you want to circulate.”
Another great suggestion that so many businesses tend to forget is to ask the caller if it is okay to put him or her on hold. Simply saying, “please hold” can be taken as rude and abrupt, not to mention, annoying. Also, be sure to not keep the caller on hold for too long. If necessary, return every 30 to 45 seconds, simply to offer choices such as, “He is still on the other line, would you like me to have him call you back?”. This courtesy will be much appreciated.
Avoid the speaker phone, if possible, says Ward. They give callers the impression that they do not have your full attention. It also implies that the call is not private and may make the person who is on speaker uncomfortable. A speaker phone should only be used when more than one person needs to take part in the conversation on one end and all parties are aware that the feature is being used.
Finally, all of the tips from today and yesterday’s blog would not be useful if everyone in your company who answers the phone wasn’t trained to adhere to them. You may even want to call your own business yourself just to make sure the phone is being answered in the professional manner that you trained. Following these tips will keep the impression of your company a top-notch one for years to come.
Today is Thursday, April 15th, 2010. So what impression would you get of a business if you called one today and received the following voice greeting?: “Hello. I will be out of the office until March 31st , so please leave a message and I will get back to you as soon as I return.”
Or how about this one?: “It’s Monday, April 5th, and I’m not my desk at the moment. Leave a message at the tone and I’ll return your call when I’m back. Have a good day.” Why is it that some people who own businesses do not complete the simple task of updating their voice greetings on their business lines? An outdated outgoing message immediately leaves the impression that your business does not necessarily function all that well.
Susan Ward of About.com discusses the various ways in which proper phone etiquette can be maintained to keep the impression of your business a great one. She writes that “phone answering skills are critical for businesses” as the telephone still represents a company’s “primary point of contact with customers.”
How you answer the telephone is the first impression given of your business. So, naturally, this is something that shouldn’t be taken lightly. Ward insists that following a number of her tips will help prove that you run a “winning business.”
The first tip is to answer all incoming phone calls before the third ring. This helps to provide the impression that you are on the ball and not neglectful of your customer base. You want to provide service that is dependable and efficient. Ward also advises that you answer the phone in a warm and enthusiastic manner.
Welcome callers in a courteous way while identifying yourself and your business, she insists. Your greeting should make it so that no one ever has to question if he or she has contacted the right place.
“Enunciate clearly,” writes Ward, “keep your voice volume moderate, and speak slowly and clearly when answering the phone, so your caller can understand you easily.” It’s frustrating for customers who are seeking information or assistance when they are greeted by someone who appears as if they will be of no service.
In addition to making yourself understandable and clear, you should also refrain from using any slang or jargon. Ward believes that one should maintain a business-appropriate vocabulary that also sounds positive and upbeat. Do your best to highlight what your company can do as opposed to what it cannot. So, for example, use phrases like “I’d be happy to find out about that for you” instead of “I don’t know”.
Remembering that the ways in which you answer your business line represent the first impression that your business gives, it is important to not only update your outgoing message but ensure that you update your approach to your own personal greeting. We will continue to visit this topic in tomorrow’s blog. Thanks for calling!
This morning, Synergy Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche rallied the troops and offered up to his staff some of the best advice an office manager could give. Speaking to the fact that it was a Monday morning, the seemingly always-lively John shared his method of ensuring that every morning, he is energetically prepared for his day of work.
We know that no matter where you work, Monday morning isn’t exactly the easiest time of the week. After either a relaxing or party-filled weekend, most people don’t get overly excited about waking up on Monday to prepare themselves for the first day of the work week. This doesn’t apply to John, however. In addition to loving his job, John also has managed to develop a failsafe regiment that always puts him in the best physical and emotional mood.
Firstly, John shared with his team the sound of his wake-up alarm. And it’s not what you would generally expect. Instead of the often-irritating noisy alarm sound that awakes most people from their slumbers, John’s wake-up call is a single peaceful strum of a harp. We’re not kidding. And it actually wakes him up!
John’s insistence that this is the perfect sound to wake up to lies in the fact that the harmonic and graceful tone sets the mood for his entire day. He doesn’t wake up agitated or annoyed but instead, is at peace and happy about the day ahead. John is a big believer that moods – like colds – are contagious. Therefore, he does his best to ensure that he walks into the Synergy offices each morning with a smile on his face and an exuberant approach to his interactions with his employees.
This way, believes John, his mood will catch on with the rest of his team, providing a joyful atmosphere for all to work in. This, of course, fosters a more productive work day from everybody. Perhaps, it is this productivity that inspires John to get to work early each day.
Ehow.com agrees that “to overcome the Monday blues” one should plan ahead and set a goal for the very reason to get out of bed on Monday morning. When you have developed an incentive to get out of bed, it will help with the wake-up process.
It may sound cliché, but breakfast is the most important meal of the day. John insists that you make it a hot breakfast as well. This gets the body going and the blood flowing, he says. The energy derived from a good, hot breakfast is also a requirement to get you through the day.
John also loves to discuss what the members of his team did over the weekend. Think about starting your Monday morning meetings with this topic in an effort to put your staff at ease. In Ehow.com’s steps to overcoming the dreariness of a Monday morning, it also suggests sharing exciting news with your friends and co-workers to help get you get in the mood for your Monday morning.
Most important, perhaps, is the site’s advice to “embrace the day (and) remember that it is not going to last forever. If you keep a positive attitude throughout the day, it will go much faster and you won’t have to endure the Monday blues.”
What would you do with an extra $50,000 in your bank account? This is the type of question that we generally pose to many of our prospective clients who are considering a merchant cash advance. For the most part, we find that these clients did not previously have any specific ideas on how they would grow their businesses.
The reason for this has often been that they had no means by which to make their aspirations to grow come true. It’s no different than a person who takes public transit to all of his or her destinations. Chances are that this person has no plans to buy a car simply because it is likely not affordable. If this person was given the opportunity to receive a large sum of cash within the next five days however, the possibility of him or her buying a car would surely increase.
Very simply, Synergy Merchant Services provides business owners the opportunity to make their otherwise unattainable dreams come true. And while unlike a bank, we do not require merchants to specify what their plans are for the money, we do encourage them to consider the possibilities that the money can open up for them.
Most often, our clients utilize our merchant cash advance program for the purpose of renovating, advertising or buying new equipment or inventory. Our licensed funding specialists will openly admit that our program is not necessarily for everyone. Truthfully, if you find that you are in a situation where you are struggling financially, a merchant cash advance may not be your best option.
This is because our program benefits those who are looking to use the money they receive to take their businesses to the next level. This is important to a merchant because of the way in which the merchant cash advances are paid back. This is, in fact, the best part of our program. We only receive payments towards the cash advance through the daily credit and debit sales of a merchant. As a result, we ensure that no payment is unaffordable.
Clearly, we only get paid when the merchant makes a sale. However, we also know that it is important that a merchant can afford the small percentage of their sales that are used for their repayments. If a merchant has no aspirations to grow his or her business, this percentage may be difficult to afford. Merchants who are investing into their companies, on the other hand, find that this is the easiest way to make payments that they have ever experienced.
The seamless automated payment process makes it so easy on the company owners. They literally do not even have to think about it, as payments are made automatically through the daily batch outs of their credit and debit sales. In the meantime, the additional income that is being earned as a result of the renovations, advertising or new inventory that is being sold makes the repayments to Synergy that much easier to complete.
More importantly, these owners enjoy increased profits. The bottom line is that Synergy’s merchant cash advance program is designed to help small to medium-sized businesses in Canada to grow. When the money is used properly, it proves to be a great investment.
We know that Valentine’s Day was about a month and a half ago. But we were kind of hoping that maybe we could still play “matchmaker” with you. That is, of course, if you are a Canadian business owner who accepts Visa, MasterCard and/or Interac transactions as methods of payment at your establishment, we’d like to get to know you better.
Earlier today, one of our esteemed staff members at Synergy Merchant Services compared our merchant cash advance quote to a blind date. When questioned about it, our team member made sense of the analogy by simply stating that each provided an opportunity where no commitment was necessary.
“Think about it,” he insisted while posing the following questions. Has anyone ever tried to hook you up with someone to go out with? What was your initial response? While some may meet this proposal with immediate refusal based on being skeptical of the unknown, others would at least as some probing questions.
The most popular question is generally: “Well, what does he or she look like?” For many, a simple glance at a picture would be all that was needed to convince them of going on at least one date with the person in question. For others, it may be all that was necessary to assure them that going on the date would be a bad idea.
Here at Synergy, the very least we would like to offer you is a look at our picture. And what we mean by that is taking the opportunity for your business to receive a free quote from one of our licensed funding specialists with no obligation. Once you get a picture of what we are offering, it is at that time that you can make the best decision possible for your company.
Our picture, by the way, is quite detailed. Based on a simple review of your monthly merchant statements that reflect your credit and debit sales volume, we will inform you of exactly how much money your company is approved for, exactly what the cash advance will cost you and exactly what percentage of your future transactions will be used to make repayments towards the cash advance.
We believe strongly, that by receiving this information, you will be able to properly weigh your options as it relates to securing extra working capital to grow your business. There is absolutely no obligation to participate in our program. So if, for whatever reason, you decide that you don’t like the “picture” we’re showing you, you don’t have to commit to anything.
We’re thrilled to inform you, however, that our “blind date” process has worked out quite well for us. We don’t want you to get the wrong idea about us or anything, but we have happily developed a great number of relationships with business owners across Canada who have come to find that the merchant cash advance is the quickest and easiest way to secure their much-needed funding. We hope you’ll give us a call soon.
Calling all drivers. Let’s suppose that your car couldn’t start this morning. You’re not sure exactly what is wrong with it, but you know it’s going to need some repairs. So you call your local mechanic. He’s nice enough. You’ve taken your car into him before, so you figure he’s bound to help you out. So you ask him how much it will cost to have the car repaired.
What do you think his response will be? Chances are, he won’t have an answer for you just yet. Of course, he’ll need to inspect your car first. How else will he know what it will cost to repair? In order to know how much he will charge to fix your vehicle, he has to check out your car, assess the situation and then determine the type of work he will need to do.
Once he has done that, it is then that he can provide you with an estimate as to the cost of the repairs. Once you are provided with the estimate, it is then that you have the opportunity to decide whether or not you want to go ahead with the repairs, take the car to another mechanic or fix the car at all.
Consider your merchant cash advance quote as the exact same process. Each and every quote provided is unique. We determine the type of cash advance that we provide by a number of factors. Among them are how long the merchant has been in business, which company it processes their credit and debit transactions with and what its average monthly volume in credit and debit sales are.
To properly give a quote to a client, we must review his or her merchant statements that are provided on a monthly basis from the processor. These statements show the totals of their Visa, MasterCard and Interac transactions every month. Once these numbers are received, our licensed funding specialists are able to calculate a unique quote for the client. It is no different than taking a look under the hood of your car before giving you a price for fixing it.
Our quotes include three important pieces of information. The first is the total amount of money that the client is approved for. Even before the merchant statements are received, we know that we have the ability to provide up to 110% of the average monthly volume of credit and debit sales.
The second piece of info is the total amount of the repayment of the cash advance. There is no accruing interest rate affixed to our merchant cash advances. Instead, we charge a one time discount fee. This fee is represented by the difference between the amount offered and the amount that needs to be repaid. No matter how long it takes for the merchant to pay back the advance, the balance never gets higher.
Finally, our quote also entails a withholding percentage. This refers to the percentage of the client’s future credit and debit sales that will be withheld in order to repay the cash advance. Our clients never cut us a cheque. They never have to transfer a balance from their bank accounts. They literally only have to conduct business as usual and allow their customers to use their credit and debit cards to make payments in their establishments.
Call us for your quote today. Just remember, we won’t be able to quote you without seeing your car…er, merchant statements first. The quote is free and there is no obligation for you to take any money from us. We’re confident, however, that you will find that our merchant cash advance program is an ideal option to get your company the extra working capital it needs.
Imagine, if you will, the following scenario. Perhaps it’s one that you are familiar with. You’re at home. You’re hungry. There’s nothing at all in the fridge or the cupboards to eat. So you figure it’d be a good idea to order out. When thinking of having a meal delivered straight to your doorstep, what is the first type of food that comes to mind?
For most people, it’s pizza. Our society is quite used to ordering pizza as a delivered-hot-to-your-home option for quick and easy-to-get food. As a result, pizza restaurants have no need to call customers to introduce the concept of pizza delivery. Most people have pizza store phone numbers memorized, so ordering up something to eat is an easy task.
But what if, in the same scenario, you decided that since there was no food in the house, it was necessary to get some groceries? What would you do then? For most people, the simple answer is to go the grocery store. This is generally the case even though there are businesses in existence who deliver groceries to your front door.
The concept of grocery delivery, of course, is not as popular as ordering pizza. Many find that they would be more comfortable going to the grocery store to choose their own produce, for example. The familiarity that comes with doing your own shopping encourages most people to not want to change that practice. The bottom line is that most people simply are not yet used to the grocery delivery concept.
Think of pizza delivery as the bank’s business loan. And consider that grocery delivery is Synergy’s merchant cash advance program. Both are viable options for business owners to attain extra working capital. However, one option just simply happens to be more popular than the other. It doesn’t necessarily make it the better option, it’s just the one that people are used to.
For the most part, there is nothing strange or abnormal about going to the bank to borrow money. It’s what people have been doing for years and years. The merchant cash advance concept, on the other hand, is one that is still relatively new for most business owners. As a result, some choose to go the traditional route simply because the familiarity associated with it brings about a sense of comfort.
The point, of course, is that the alternative option, albeit unfamiliar to most, is not necessarily a bad idea. For all we know, within the next decade, ordering groceries to your front door will be just as popular as ordering pizza. It is our firm belief that within the same amount of time, Canadian entrepreneurs will be better aquainted with the concept of the merchant cash advance.
We predict that there will be a time in the near future when we won’t need a call centre with reps calling business owners to introduce our program. We are confident that more and more business owners will be seeking the convenience of a merchant cash advance to put towards the growth of their businesses.
Our advice is to simply give our amazing staff the opportunity to introduce you to this alternative source of working capital. You may just find, that even though you are not yet familiar with this concept, our cash advance program is the ideal option for your company’s quest for working capital.
Regular readers of the Synergy Merchant Services Blog have come to know a little bit about our beloved Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche over the past couple of years. In those years, John has proposed to his beautiful girlfriend Kathryn, won yet another first prize at a Halloween costume contest, vacationed in Dominican Republic, bought a new car and celebrated his 30th birthday!
And even though one of his many duties as Synergy VP includes ruling the roost at Synergy’s headquarters, John evidently keeps busy having a lot of fun. This time around, we have video evidence to prove it!
Friday, March 19th, 2010 marks a monumental day in the history of Synergy Merchant Services. In case you haven’t press play on our attached video just yet, earlier today the ENTIRE Synergy staff gathered around to see Big John take not one, but TWO lemon meringue pies to the face!
You may be wondering what John did to deserve getting the never-to-be-forgotten pie facing. Well, today’s events proved once again that John is pretty much up for just about anything that seems like a good time, especially if it means keeping his staff happy. Owning up to a promised incentive for his sales staff, John allowed two members of the team to each hit him square in the face with a fresh pie!
You’ll notice that after some conspiring by Synergy team members, the second pie didn’t quite hit its mark. Instead a new, an even more hilarious target was nailed. We’re all pretty sure that as much as this event made John laugh hysterically, he’s pretty upset he didn’t get to chow down on that second pie. Notice how he opens wide on pie number one? We think that today’s pie facing may just have been an excuse for John to down some of his favourite sweet deserts.
Regardless, John has yet again invigorated his staff and has added to his ever-growing list of reasons to be considered the best office manager in the city of Toronto (dare we say, the world?). Our hats off to John for showing us all how to have a good time at work, reminding us that laughing at yourself and allowing others to laugh along with you is okay.
As if the 6 foot 7 Synergy VP wasn’t big enough, John proved today just how big of a man he is. Allowing several dozen camera phones to capture the action earlier today, John ensured that his moment as an office joke-to-tell-for-years was documented for the entire world to see.
Thanks to one of our esteemed staff members, we present to you the attached video – perhaps the best one taken today – to bring to you John Meloche in all his glory. We challenge any other office manager out there to provide as awesome an incentive to their staff members – and own up to it!
As John himself mentioned, today actually was one of the most productive days in the company’s history. Perhaps, John should offer his team the opportunity to hit him with more food items more often!
Thanks John. No one can ever say that you’re not a good sport. The entire staff appreciates your good natured humour and ability to keep the team on its toes. We hope you enjoyed the pie as much as we all enjoyed seeing it all over your face!
There is only one day left for you to experience Canada’s largest hospitality show. Since Sunday, the Direct Energy Centre has been hosting the CRFA Show which, according to www.crfa.ca, “brings together 12,000 industry professionals, 1,200 exhibitor booths, 12 top Canadian chefs, seven mixologists and much more under one roof.”
An amazing showcase of restaurants, food suppliers and other foodservice industry professionals, the CRFA Show is the perfect meeting place for entrepreneurs to socialize, network and of course, sample the endless supply of foodstuffs.
Synergy Merchant Services has enjoyed the past two days at booth #1009, speaking to business owners from all over Canada and the rest of the world. Introducing them to our innovative cash advance program has become an annual treat for us.
For some of these professionals, it is their first time hearing about the concept of merchant cash advance. And as we experience every year, so many of them are greatly interested in this alternative source of extra capital for their businesses.
As a result, we remain very happy and loyal members of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association. The opportunity provided to us by the CRFA Show continues to pay dividends as it always increases our customer base.
As CRFA president and CEO Garth Whyte explains: “The CRFA Show is largest gathering of foodservice professionals in Canada, and a unique opportunity to network, exchange ideas, shop for new products and services and celebrate this $60-billion industry. A show of this magnitude is especially important in the restaurant industry, where innovation is a hallmark.”
As if the networking opportunity wasn’t incentive enough, the CRFA Show always provides its visitors with tons to experience. This year, the show has a few new additions. The “Centre for Sustainability” joins the event as a brand new showcase of “a variety of innovative and sustainable products, ranging from energy-efficient fridges and non-toxic cleaners to low-flow fixtures and bamboo placemats.”
In addition, The Sysco Innovative Products Pavilion has been added to the event. This includes a display of “exciting new food and beverage products from some of Canada’s leading foodservice industry suppliers.”
As well, back by popular demand are the series of free workshops including an awesome wine and spirits tasting experience. Visitors also receive tips from the nation’s top chefs and mixologists by taking in cooking demos and competitions.
There’s only one day left to experience the 2010 CRFA Show. Bring your business cards and your appetite. We look forward to seeing you there.
Better make it quick. Your last chance to register for the upcoming CRFA Show at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto is fast approaching. The three day extravaganza begins this Sunday, March 7th and lasts until Tuesday, March 9th marking yet another incredible opportunity for business owners and consumers alike to mix, mingle and network with industry professionals in the restaurant and foodservices field.
This event is literally a can’t-miss. The online registration fee is only $20 so head on over to www.crfa.ca right way. Or at least, when you are finished reading this blog! Once you are there, you will be prompted to follow a quick and simple step-by-step process to secure your spot at the greatest hospitality event of the year. The registration fee at the door is $30. And quite honestly, still very well worth it.
As it promises every year, The CRFA Show comes fully prepared with seminars, presentations and workshops that everyone can enjoy. Among them this year is “Canada’s Top Chefs” which is presented by Garland Canada and McCain. You will be able to meet the best culinary artists in the country and be dazzled by their cooking presentations.
“Cooking With The Stars” is yet another amazing feature of this year’s event. Presented this Sunday and Monday by Garland Canada and Manitowoc, this is a live culinary event that will pair Ontario’s top chefs with members of the audience for a special contest. As CRFA’s website explains it: “Together, the professionals and their newly recruited sous chefs will prepare two plates for judging, based on mystery ‘black box’ ingredients.”
Escoffier Society of Toronto will be bringing you the “Culinary Salon”. This event, which spans the full three days of the CRFA Show, will showcase top chefs as well as culinary apprentices to compete in a showcase of their cooking prowess. Considered the “Culinary Olympics”, the focus of the competition will be on cold plates that are created by the professionals and their students.
Making its return to the show this year is Tabasco and BartenderONE’s “Cocktail Stage”. Also to be presented on all three days, visitors will get to “see master mixologists sharing the latest trends in cocktails and demonstrating the difference that fresh quality ingredients and proper technique can make in preparing and serving cocktails.”
Now how can you miss all of that? Of course, your friends at Synergy Merchant Services will be waiting to meet with you over at Booth #1009. Be sure to stop by and meet our Vice President of Marketing, John Meloche. While you’re at it, you may want to bring him a snack.
The office still likes to rib John about his exploits at the CRFA Show from 2008. With a wealth of free food samples to be had all over the building, John decided that he would buy his lunch. Feel free to make fun of him for that. See you there!
We must say, we are pretty proud of our Synergy Merchant Services Blog. With it’s recent facelift complete with photos and easier access to other related posts, our blog is one of our most effective sources of communicating with our client base on a regular basis.
Although we pay close attention to Canada’s financial climate and discuss small business and our alternative source of funding, our blog also likes to peruse through the many wondrous current events that affect our nation. Everything from weather to sports to various stories involving our industry, this very blog is a favourite go-to destination for many an online reader to discover what’s happening in today world.
We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have been loyal readers of this blog since its inception in 2008. Of course, at just two years old, your favourite blog only continues to get better. We’d like to ensure that you continue to reap the great benefits of this fascinating daily read by inviting you to subscribe to our RSS feed.
If you haven’t yet joined, it’s as simple as going to http://www.synergymerchants.com/blog/feed. The sign-up process is simple. Doing so will allow you immediate access to all of our latest posts. There are a number of easy ways to subscribe to the feed including through Google Reader and iGoogle.
As we have mentioned a number of times before, maintaining a frequently updated blog keeps your customer base aware that things are happening with your company. A website that goes un-updated for lengthy periods of time becomes virtually useless. Your clients want to know that you are on top of your game and that you are continually working towards becoming a leader in your industry.
Our blog has not only secured Synergy Merchant Services a constantly growing number of loyal readers, but it has also opened up a nation of small to medium-sized business owners to the prospect of securing extra captial for their compaines in a way they never before knew about.
Sometimes a blog is the best way to communicate to your customers. Industry jargon set to the side, blogs are most often written in a conversational, everyday speech type of fashion. They lend themselves to being more “friendly” than your average article or news piece.
Often explaining our program in a simple and to-the-point way, the Synergy Merchant Services Blog continues to help grow our business. As always, we recommend that you take advantage of blog writing for your own company’s website.
Now, don’t worry yourself if you can’t get your blog to look and read as snazzy and as slick as ours (we try our best). Simply ensure that your topics are relevant to your business as well as the readers who you are trying to attract to your brand. Feel free to keep them light and be sure to touch on a variety of subjects.
Blogs help to add that human side to an otherwise cold business world. So subscribe to our blog and help us to keep in better touch with you. Perhaps you may even have some ideas that you would like us to blog about. We are always open to suggestions. Thanks for reading!
