Technology Inside and Out
With a passionate in-house development team,
CardCash.com is able to keep ahead of the technology curve
in order to improve existing technologies and prepare for
shifts in the industry and consumer behavior.
“Staying ahead really comes down to your team. You need
a team that’s very passionate and very informed on technology,” Bohm explains. “Often people hire outside development teams, but they’re not living and breathing your core
business. It might be somewhat cheaper, but at the end of the
day, you’re not going to see that good and secure product.”
CardCash.com’s technology department focuses on two
main aspects of business: The experience and internal
operations.
Consumer Access & Protection
Their e-commerce site, mobile-responsive app, and informative blog are some of the ways CardCash.com has streamlined their online experience for ease of use—while also
delivering attractive design and useful information. With
the shift to e-gift cards, Bohm’s team has also focused on
fraud protection to ensure gift cards and payment methods
are vetted and secure. This not only gives consumers peace
of mind when conducting business on CardCash.com, but
also protects the company’s inventory and assets.
Internal Evaluation & Refinement
In-house, Bohm and Ackerman have hired product developers
to observe and interview each department. They explore
tasks and technology to gauge whether or not existing
practices are effective. If processes or practices are found to
hinder productivity, they devise ways to improve and streamline them. Just this year alone, such operational evaluations
have helped CardCash.com nearly double their volume from
the previous year while cutting payroll costs by 10%.
This practice of constantly evaluating internal and
external systems, Bohm explains, follows CardCash.com’s
14 | SNB.COM // CONNECT TECHNOLOGY FALL 2016
intent to remove as much friction from the consumer experience as possible. That includes paying cash to customers
up front.
A Sterling Experience
Unlike online auction sites, where customers wait for product
bids and purchases, CardCash.com immediately pays once
the transaction has been approved. This, Bohm explains,
reduces friction in the selling process. In order to finance
this policy and foster the rapid inventory turnover they see
with their site (with some items purchased within minutes
or others within the week), CardCash.com turned to Sterling
National Bank’s inventory financing program.
“They’ve been a great partner,” Bohm says.
In addition to inventory financing, CardCash.com uses
Sterling’s online banking services and Automated Clearing
House program to pay sellers. “We’re very impressed with the
online cash management side,” Bohm says. “Their online platform is easy to use and they’re also receptive to new ideas. If
there’s something we can’t do, they try to figure out a way to
accommodate us.”
What’s Next? The Bigger Picture
Moving forward, Bohm continues to focus as much on finding
ways for consumers to save money as he does on supporting
his team. Not only does CardCash.com aim to ensure that
consumers are paid on time, but also that customers receive
great service—getting what they want, when they want it—
even with significant savings.
“The rising cost of a living with our economy—it’s challenging. There are many people who have a hard