Welcome back to another WWYD Wednesday! Grab your coffee and mute the news for five minutes, because today’s scenario is a classic industry “rescue mission.” We’ve all walked into that one shop where the owner isn’t just a prospect—they’re a victim of the “old school” hustle.
We’re talking about a merchant buried under a predatory equipment lease, trapped in a pricing model from 2015, and too “contract-shy” to see the goldmine sitting right under their counter. It’s 2026, and while the tech has evolved, the “bad lease bandits” are still out here breaking hearts.
The Scenario: You’re sitting with Dave, a hardware store owner, and the air is thick with frustration. He shows you his Riverside Payments statement. He’s 6 months into a 48-month lease for two “smart terminals.” He’s paying $300/month for hardware that’s worth less than a high-end tablet. Over the next 42 months, he’s on the hook for nearly $12,600 in remaining lease payments for equipment he already hates.
The Audit: You start digging into his processing. Dave thinks he’s on a “good deal” because his rep told him he has “Wholesale Rates.” You find out he’s on Interchange Plus (IC+) at 60 Basis Points ($0.60%) and $0.15 per transaction. He isn’t using Dual Pricing (Cash Discount/Surcharge). He’s eating 100% of the processing costs himself.
The Math:
- The IC+ Play: You could easily beat his 60 BP rate on IC+, saving him a few hundred bucks a month.
- The Dual Pricing Play: If you move him to a Dual Pricing model, you eliminate nearly $1,200 a month in processing fees he’s currently paying.
The “Miracle” Discovery: If Dave switches to your Dual Pricing model and a modern Point of Sale (POS) system, the savings from the processing fees alone would completely cover the cost of his $12,600 Riverside lease debt in just 11 months. By month 18, he’s officially “in the green” by $14,000 compared to where he is now—even if he keeps paying that “paperweight” lease every single month.
The Dilemma
Dave is shell-shocked. He wants to switch, but he has “PTSD” from the Riverside rep. He says: “I want the POS, and I want the savings, but I am NOT signing another long-term equipment deal. If I switch to you, and Riverside sues me for the lease, I’m coming for you.”
What Would You Do?
- Option A: The “Full Transparency” Consultant. You tell Dave: “Keep the Riverside lease. Don’t fight it, don’t stop paying it, and don’t tank your credit. Treat it like a monthly ‘stupid tax’ for the next 3.5 years. But, switch your processing to my Dual Pricing model today. The savings I generate will pay that lease for you, buy you a brand new POS system, and still put $14,000 back in your pocket over the next year and a half. You aren’t ‘escaping’ the lease; you’re out-earning it.”
- Option B: The “Skin in the Game” Buyout You put your money where your mouth is. You offer to pay $3,000 of his lease upfront as a “signing bonus” to show good faith.
- The Residual Math: On a Dual Pricing account with this much volume, your monthly residual will likely sit between $650 and $700/month.
- The Payoff: Even after paying $3,000 out of your own pocket, you reach your break-even point in just 5–6 months. For years you have a fiercely loyal client and a pure-profit residual stream. You’re betting $3k to win in long run.
- Option C: The “Interchange-Plus” Safe Bet. Dave is terrified of Dual Pricing because he’s afraid of “annoying his customers.” You decide not to push him. You just lower his IC+ to 20 BP. He saves $400 a month—just enough to cover the lease and a little extra. It doesn’t get him the $14k windfall, but it’s a “safer” sell for a merchant who is already spooked by dual pricing.
The Big Question
Is it worth “buying” a client’s trust with $3,000 of your own money? Do you take the 6-month hit to your pocketbook, or do you tell the merchant the “Math is the Message” and make them pay their own way out?
Whether you go for the “Full Transparency” of Option A, put your own money on the line with Option B, or play it safe with Option C, your decision defines the kind of partner you’ll be for the next five years.
So, what’s your move?
- Are you a Consultant who lets the math do the talking?
- Are you a Mercenary who buys the business to win the war?
- Or are you a Safe Bet who leaves money on the table to avoid a tough conversation?
Drop your choice (A, B, or C) in the comments below and tell us WHY.
Happy Selling,
David
