ConnexPay at Phocuswright: The "Top Gun" of Payments

I look forward to attending the Phocuswright Conference every year. This year's conference in Phoenix was one of the most memorable to date, partly because I was able to weave in references to one of my all-time favorite movies, Top Gun, and how it relates to ConnexPay.

The original Top Gun movie from 1986 is great and a true classic, but I have to say that its 2022 sequel, Top Gun: Maverick, is even better.

And for the Phocuswright Conference, it was my honor to team up with TravelPass Group CFO James Hall to present a breakout session titled:

"Your Payments Wingman: How to Save Money, Boost Profit, and Reduce Fraud in Travel."

(That’s me and James pictured above, channeling our inner Maverick.)

TravelPass Group is one of ConnexPay’s valued clients, and they’ve been on board with us for a little over a year now. I’m thankful for the relationships we have with each of our clients, and it was my privilege to spend time with James on stage at Phocuswright to speak about how our respective companies work together.

Vision: See the Target

In the breakout session, we had fun building on the Top Gun theme. Fighter pilots must have great vision, and companies are no different.

James and I each shared our companies’ respective visions and how those visions drive our success:

• TravelPass Group’s Vision:
  To create a more interconnected and understanding world by opening doors and enriching people’s lives through travel.
  Every time someone travels, they make new connections and encounter new cultures. James pointed out how travel teaches us that, at our core, people everywhere are more similar than we are different. More travel leads to less judgment and more kindness—ultimately making the world a better place.
• ConnexPay’s Vision:
  Simply put: Connecting payments to transform lives.
  We make our clients’ lives easier through our all-in-one platform—combining merchant acquiring, fraud prevention, and virtual card issuing. While it may sound simple, no other company in the world connects payments in this way.
• And yes, we really do transform lives.
  During the pandemic, the savings we offered on merchant acceptance helped clients stay afloat. With such thin margins, even saving 1% per transaction was a huge deal. And when airlines collapsed, our ability to file disputes helped clients and their customers recover funds.

Mission: Execute with Precision

Back to the movie. In Top Gun: Maverick, the mission was to eliminate a threat by neutralizing a uranium enrichment plant. To succeed, the team needed:

1. Pilots – the best of the best
2. Teams – tight coordination and trust
3. Technology – next-level tools to accomplish the job
4. Execution – flawless performance with zero margin for error

Each of these elements mirrors the TravelPass experience with ConnexPay.

Banks don’t like working with travel companies.
They’re seen as high-risk—on par with online gambling or adult content. That makes it hard to even open a merchant account. And if you do, you're often hit with high rates, forced to hold reserves, and limited in transaction volume—obstacles that stall growth.

James shared that ConnexPay solved all of those problems for TravelPass.

Why ConnexPay Is the Best-of-the-Best

I know I might be biased—but ConnexPay truly is the "Top Gun" of payments.

Here’s why:

• Acquiring Side:
  We always save clients money on payment acceptance. Why? Because we de-risk every incoming transaction and pass the savings back to you.
• Issuing Side:
  We offer 40+ BINs to choose from—a unique advantage that no other provider matches.

But you don’t have to take my word for it. Here's what James Hall shared at Phocuswright:

"Adding ConnexPay as a payments provider saved TravelPass over $1 million a year, which directly impacted their bottom line."

Ready to Take Flight?

ConnexPay’s technology is best-in-class. Our APIs are easy to implement, and we deliver 99.999% uptime—a rarity in this industry.

If you're ready to save money, boost profits, and modernize your payments, ConnexPay is ready to be your payments wingman.

Let’s take flight—together.

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