Let’s be honest: In the merchant services industry, December isn’t just about eggnog and mistletoe. It’s about retailers panicking over downtime, rushing to get new POS systems installed before the holiday rush, and you trying to close out the year with a portfolio boost.
Whether you are cold calling on Main Street or battling with underwriting on a high-risk file, you need a little holiday spirit to keep the grind going, so,
From the Home Office in Santa Claus, Indiana,
Here are the top 10 Christmas movie quotes, re-interpreted for the life of a payments professional.
10. Die Hard (1988)
The Quote: “Now I have a machine gun. Ho-Ho-Ho.”
The Merchant Sales Take: This is the energy you bring when you finally walk into a pitch equipped with a statement analysis that shows you can save them $800 a month and upgrade them to a smart terminal for free. You aren’t just walking in with a business card anymore; you’re walking in with leverage.
9. The Santa Clause (1994)
The Quote: “Seeing isn’t believing. Believing is seeing.”
The Merchant Sales Take: This is essentially the pitch for Next-Day Funding. The merchant doesn’t believe the money will actually hit their account the next morning because their current processor takes 48 hours. You have to make them believe in the efficiency of your ISO before they can see the cash flow difference.
8. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
The Quote: “We’re gonna press on, and we’re gonna have the hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny Kaye.”
The Merchant Sales Take: This is you talking to your operations team when Underwriting flags a file for the third time on December 23rd. The merchant is screaming for equipment, the bank is asking for tax returns from 1995, and you are holding it all together with a smile that is slightly too wide.
7. Love Actually (2003)
The Quote: “To me, you are perfect.”
The Merchant Sales Take: What every agent thinks when they find a merchant doing $100k/month in volume, with 80% debit transactions, zero chargebacks, and a willingness to sign a three-year agreement. That isn’t just a lead; that is true love.
6. A Christmas Story (1983)
The Quote: “You’ll shoot your eye out!”
The Merchant Sales Take: The warning you desperately want to give a merchant when they tell you they are thinking about signing a lease for a terminal at $129/month for 48 months. You know it’s a bad idea, they know it’s a bad idea, but sometimes you just have to watch them learn the hard way before you can come in and save them.
5. Home Alone (1990)
The Quote: “Merry Christmas, ya filthy animal.”
The Merchant Sales Take: What you silently say to the competing sales agent who tried to poach your best account by lying about “hidden fees,” only for the merchant to call you and stay loyal because you provide actual customer service. Keep the change!
4. Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The Quote: “Christmas isn’t just a day, it’s a frame of mind.”
The Merchant Sales Take: Replace “Christmas” with “Customer Service.” In this industry, rates are a commodity. Everyone can lower the basis points. The “Miracle” happens when you realize that picking up your phone at 7 PM on a Friday when a terminal goes down is the only reason you keep the portfolio. Service is a frame of mind.
3. Elf (2003)
The Quote:
“The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear.”
The Merchant Sales Take: Substitute “Singing Loud” with “Cold Calling.” It’s awkward, people might stare at you, and doors might get slammed in your face. But if you want to spread your brand and build that residual pipeline, you have to get out there and make some noise. Be a Buddy in a world of Scrooges.
2. How the Grinch Stole Christmas (1966 / 2000)
The Quote: “Maybe Christmas, he thought, doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas… perhaps… means a little bit more!”
The Merchant Sales Take: The moment a merchant realizes that the “Big Box Bank” processor doesn’t care about their small business. They aren’t just buying payment processing “from a store”; they are buying a partnership with you. Value selling beats price selling every single time.
And the # 1 Top 10 Movie Quote for Merchant Sales people is ….
1. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
The Quote: “Look, Daddy. Teacher says, every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”
The Merchant Sales Take: Every time a terminal beeps and prints a receipt… an agent gets their residuals. It is the sweetest sound in the world. It’s the reminder that the hard work you put in back in January is still paying off in December. That recurring revenue is what makes this the most wonderful life (and industry) to be in.
Have a great weekend,
David
Payment Lynx Daily 