A Relentless Focus on the Customer Gives San Francisco’s 360 Payments a Winning Edge

• From 2016 to 2018, 360 Payment's net income increased by a whopping 298%
• In the same period, new accounts increased by 26%
• While gross revenue grew an enormous 40%

Fintech sales can be tough, but Lisa Coyle of 360 Payments has found her stride.

The aim of 360 Payments is to change the fabric of the payments industry by partnering with customers to provide honest and streamlined payment solutions. We chat to Lisa Coyle, Co-CEO of 360 Payments, to find out how her customer-centric approach has helped to drive her success.

The mission of 360 Payments is to remove the stigma of credit card processing by delivering honest and pain-free payments. Lisa explains that the idea came to life in 2011 when she and her business partner were only 24 and 26.

“We were just two kids who knew how to sell and accidentally became CEOs of a big company.”

Trust and long-lasting relationships are integral to scalable sales success.

Solid customer relationships not only generate more sustainable revenue, but also serve to bolster your reputation and establish your business as a powerful and successful player in the market.

It is no surprise then that 360 Payments is growing fast.

The company has been selected for the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest growing businesses in America for the fourth year in a row, and has now opened operations in California, Utah, and Oklahoma.

They scaled with a bang, too: from 2016 to 2018:

• Net income has increased by a whopping 298%
• New accounts have increased by 26%
• Gross revenue grew an enormous 40%

Ambition and resilience were written into Lisa’s DNA.

From a young age, Lisa was enterprising and always pushing herself to work harder and do better.

“I’ll admit I’m a born entrepreneur. I was always that kid that my parents would describe as relentless and competitive. I was the one who sold the most entertainment books on the soccer team just so my parents didn’t have to pay for a jersey or a uniform, or set up lemonade stands in our driveway so I could buy a trampoline. The persistence and competitiveness are still in me today and I don’t see myself ever stopping.”

While persistence and competitiveness are undoubtedly key attributes for any successful business leader, it’s Lisa’s compassion and genuine interest in others that has given her, and her business, the winning edge. Of course, confidence in her own product is critical, but she considers this to be secondary to her customers.

3 simple rules for customer-first sales

Customer-centricity runs through the veins of everything 360 Payments does. Lisa takes a real interest in her customers and how she can make their business and their life better.

“What makes me feel like I’m winning is truly being genuinely interested in the customer and what’s going on in their personal lives and their business. What I sell is secondary to that foundation of trust.”

1. Be genuinely curious

“Sales people need to be genuinely curious about their prospects. They need to not only ask questions, but make the questions sincere and provide feedback as to why they are asking the question so it doesn’t come off too ‘salesy’”

Your Expert Sales Advice: Understand the psychology of decision-making.

2. Take notes

“Without notes, I would not be nearly as successful. I take notes on how long a prospect has been in business, how many kids they have, what trade-shows they go to, where I met them, who I have spoken to, etc. Most of my notes have nothing to do with the product I am selling, but I reference them continually and my note taking is hands down what builds the rapport and confidence someone has in me.”

Your Expert Sales Advice: Find simple tactics to build strong relationships.

3. Be likeable and relatable

“If you can get a prospect to talk about themselves or about anything besides what you are trying to sell them, you are setting yourself up for a win. Find a common similarity. For example, I always ask where someone is from and try to talk about a sports team in that area, about a time I visited there, or something recent in the news going on there.”

Your Expert Sales Advice: Constantly improve your communication skills.

Successful selling comes from a winning team

Lisa extends the same ethos and expectations when it comes to those working in her business. She shares how team relationships are paramount to her business and how she will always put people before processes.

“Without a doubt, what I’m most proud of at 360 Payments is our people. The family that we have created is a true work family and we genuinely care about each other.”

Culture is the crux of every solid company and is something that needs to be driven from the top down. How employees operate and treat one another ultimately reflects what you value and what you stand for as a company. It’s clear that respect, communication and trust lie at the heart of 360 Payments and that Lisa values each and every one of her employees and has their best interest at heart.

“There's nothing more I want than to take my teammates to the next level and to make my family proud. When people bring their families to the office, that is hands down the best feeling as a business owner—to see that your employees are proud of where they work.”

Sales software should empower your team

Lisa believes that the sales software Pipedrive has helped, especially when it comes to getting everyone on her team aligned. In particular, Pipedrive’s ‘Activities’ feature has been key to help Lisa to prioritize workloads, manage time efficiently and make sure everyone is on the same page.

“As a salesperson, my favorite part is the simplicity of putting the data in and using the activity views to structure days and weeks; we all feel we can truly end our day not worrying that we have dropped any balls.”

From a sales management perspective, Pipedrive's reporting and real-time dashboards allow Lisa to stay up to date with what her team are working on, without constantly chasing updates.

“I am obsessed with the activity customization, statistics and the dashboards because the salesperson never has to send any reports, they are real time and the data is beyond accurate.”

Lisa’s success truly illustrates the power of selling with integrity and conviction. It’s clear that Lisa was destined to be successful from a young age, but what we love most about her story is how she propelled her vision through passion, honesty, and sincerity.

One thing looks certain—the future holds plenty more busy growth for Lisa and 360 Payments.

“I always want to do better. I always want more. I want to give more. I want more for other people. I like to bring out the inner entrepreneur in everybody and I always see myself as being unstoppable. With the right attitude, mentality, and work ethic, I believe anyone can win at sales.”

For help on how to win at sales for your business, check out these Pipedrive resources.

360 Payments moved up to Pipedrive's Professional plan and it has helped them grow. Find out more about the various plans and features.

This is the second in a series of case studies highlighting how Pipedrive helps small businesses grow and thrive. You can see part one, about Pro Arts Management, here.