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Website content developed for a credit card processing company.

** Company and product specific names have been changed.**

Running a business requires a lot of relationships. As a business owner, you want to maintain those relationships and spend time cultivating them. However, the relationships you are most interested in maintaining and spending time on are with your customers and employees. Vendor relationships are important as well, but the more vendors you spend time with, the less time you have with your customers and employees cultivating their relationships.

Your customers also require more flexibility in how they pay you. The more flexible you are in receiving payments, the easier it is for you to get paid, the faster your customers are satisfied. That builds good relationships. However, there are many channels for you to receive payments for your products and services now, which usually means you have more vendor relationships to manage as well. More vendors, more relationships to manage, less time for the ones you need to focus on the most.

CCProcessor has a solution that allows you to reduce your relationships and dependency on many vendors for the many payment solutions that are available. With our product, you get the most payment channels with one relationship. No more handling multiple accounts, multiple platforms, and multiple customer service accounts. You have flexibility in billing and receiving payments, your customers have options in paying, and you have the right balance of relationship management.

Our product provides a wealth of payment and invoicing options. With just one platform, you get access to a range of solutions that include:
• walk-in, call-in, mail-in, and web payments
• check scanning and remote deposit capture
• single and recurring credit card and ACH processing
• cash processing
• mobile device payments
• report tracking and generation

Not only do you get one relationship for all your payment needs, you also get services that tie it all together. Using our payment processing platform, your payment and receivables software can be updated in real time as payments are made. You control the rules for payments and you have the ability to provide e-invoicing options for your customers. All with one vendor relationship.

Using CCProcessor’s products and services can simplify your credit card processing relationships, payment processing, and business management. You also get the freedom to help you focus on developing your customer and employee relationships by eliminating vendors that only distract from your business. We know your business needs simplicity and one vendor you can trust. CCProcessor has the name and the power to deliver the services and products you need, and the experience to foster the relationships you want.

Excerpt from a strategic plan for a public safety training organization.

4.1.6: Planning and Goal Setting – The second week after national conference will be the annual planning and goal-setting meeting. All directors will participate in this meeting. The Executive Director will provide the annual report of the state of the organization. Each Component Director will provide an annual report on the status of programs and courses within their component, budget issues, and other issues that may be pertinent to the body. This meeting will also be used to establish the goals and objectives for new programs and courses to be included in the strategic plan for the year to come. The proposing Director must provide the concept for the program or course, research and collateral material supporting the concept, collaboration requirements, and a budget. All Directors will be given an opportunity to discuss the proposed program or course and a vote will be taken. It will require a two-thirds majority for a program or course to be included in the strategic plan. Likewise, it will require a two-thirds vote to remove a program or course from the strategic plan.

4.2: Delivery System
4.2.1: Who – M4S2 personnel will be responsible for providing all programs and courses. If it is determined that a specialty is missing in our deliverables, M4S2 will search out the best expert or organization in the field and consult with them either as stakeholders or as consultants on developing our programs and courses.

4.2.2: When – M4S2 will provide programs and services at any time they are needed and as they are developed. As M4S2 accomplishes established goals, additional goals will be developed and pursued. M4S2 will not market, make promises, or attempt to raise money on any program or course until it is fully developed.

4.2.3: Where – M4S2 will be based out of Austin, TX, but will not be centralized until there is a training facility built for M4S2’s purpose. M4S2 will travel to the client to deliver programs and courses as needed or will create events that will be offered in different regions of the country or world.

4.2.4: How – M4S2 will deliver its programs and courses in many formats. The method of delivery depends on the type of program or course being delivered. Except for training, education, and consulting that require practical skills, application, or personal involvement, M4S2 will provide all programs and courses in platform, Computer-Based, and multimedia formats to provide the greatest breadth of opportunities for personnel and agencies to have access.

Excerpt from the Bastian’s War series, The Killer.

“I’m Bolo and this,” indicating his still silent partner, “this is Gunner. Glad to make your acquaintance, L0n3W0lf1. Do you have something else we can call you by? We have heard several names and aren’t sure which one is most accurate.”

Trevor thought about it for a minute. What names had he given out recently? What cover identities had he revealed? He decided that if he was going to get into this world, he should go ahead and be himself, but the real self.

“My name is Trevor, but I tell certain people different names to keep them off my back, especially the women, know what I mean?” he said with a knowing smirk and leaned back in his chair as another hand was dealt.

Bolo nodded with a likewise smirk, lifted his beer and drank a few pulls. Gunner just sat and watched, occasionally looking at his cards and keeping up with the play. Trevor couldn’t tell if he was disinterested or was just that adept at keeping track of things without seeming to. Regardless, Gunner was a good player and had already taken a few pots.

“Yeah, we do know what you mean, Trevor, and I am glad you came true with your name. I would have been pretty troubled if you hadn’t.” Was that malice in his eyes, Trevor wondered? “So, what other names have you given then, and do you know who you have used them with? To be straight and honest with you, we have a reason for asking.”

“Well, with women I use one of three. Bruce, Chris, or Trent. Those are actually names of some of my relatives, so they are easy to keep track of. I use Bruce for one-night stands that I am just going to play with and toss aside, Chris, for women I just like talking to, and Trent, for women that I want to see regularly, but have no interest in for the long game. So why are you asking?”

The other poker players were busy not being involved in the conversation, but Trevor could tell that the two women at the table were disgusted and a couple of the men were quietly smirking their approval. No one had anything to say about any of it, except for Bolo. It seemed the other players at the table sensed trouble and just wanted to be as small as possible. Trevor didn’t feel it, he felt in control of the whole thing, but he liked that everyone else was scared. He felt powerful.

“Well Trevor, that is pretty clever. It’s a good way of sorting out the women you spend time with. The only problem is that sometimes these women you are leading along have friends, family, or say, close connections with men in a motorcycle club. You understand that, right, Trevor?” Bolo said. He didn’t even look at his cards as he mucked them. He was locking eyes with Trevor. Gunner just sat back seemingly indifferent, playing his hand. Everyone else at the table looked as if they had all felt a heater kick on.

“I do understand that. But I would hope that the friends, family, or close connections with men in a motorcycle club would also recognize that these are women making their own choices, and that most know exactly what is going on when they connect with me. So, if I have offended someone who you know who falls into that category, then you should know that she was never lead on, lead astray, or pressured to do anything she didn’t want to do already. Besides, there really haven’t been that many, anyway.” Trevor said this as matter-of-factly as possible. It was true, after all: all these women knew what they were doing, if anything, they were dictating their relationship with him.

Bolo nodded and played a few hands without saying anything, the muscles on the side of his jaw working like he was chewing something. Then, without looking at his cards, slowly pushed all-in. Gunner called blind. One other player, looking furtively from his cards, to Trevor, Bolo, Gunner, and back at his cards tentatively called. Trevor paused for a few minutes like he was thinking and trying to get a read off the others, but then folded with a slight flick of his hand. As Bolo watched the community cards being dealt, he looked up to Trevor and said quietly. “Fair enough, Trevor, but I would think about what you say to women when you are trying to hook-up with them. My sister takes what people say very literally, Bruce. And the things you wrote to her didn’t sound anything like you were looking for a Bruce adventure. But you definitely gave her one, didn’t you.”

 A Sample Functional Analysis created for a software development company. The product is for a new data management system for public safety and private security.

Article for Examiner.com, Austin, TX.

I watched Dream Machines of Austin build their store in a former boat sales building, located just north of US 79 on the northbound side of I-35 in Round Rock. I thought they were going to be another custom chopper shop, so I was looking forward to seeing what art they were going to build and hope they lasted. I was very much surprised that my assumption was way off the mark.

Dream Machines is not a custom chopper shop, and it isn’t a mom and pop motorcycle repair and sales business either. Dream Machines is something entirely different, and quite the breath of fresh air to boot. Instead, they are a new paradigm in motorcycle sales. They have essentially taken a page from auto sales, put a spin on it and have made a unique motorcycle experience. You want a high quality, low mileage motorcycle inexpensively? Dream Machines is your source.

Harley Davidson, Indian, Iron Horse, Big Dog, Honda, Suzuki: I could go on. They are all here. But the bikes do not stay for long. Dream Machines finds the best motorcycles with low mileage at auction, services them to make sure they are ready to go out the door, provides a limited warranty, financing in some cases, and then posts them primarily on the internet for sale. You can still walk in, but it is not a Taj Mahal like place a lot of other dealerships have become. They are not slacking in appeal and presentation, they are just keeping the overhead low. The sales force is laid back, pleasant and happy to have you come visit. Low to no pressure sales here. Nick Schittone, general manager for the Dream Machines of Austin, puts it succinctly by saying that they are not here to herd people into sales and out the door like a lot of large brand dealerships.

Dream Machines of Austin is actually the second store in Texas and the third in total. Started in the late 1990’s by Larry Davis as a fine car lot with some motorcycles in Kansas, he moved to Texas and started a strictly motorcycle showroom with Jason Quiggly in Farmer’s Branch, just outside of Dallas. They have a knack for finding the machines that people want and have had tremendous success flipping them mainly through Ebay, craigslist and other internet sites. They have built a solid reputation in quality of bikes, variety and condition, but also in customer service and the fact that they ship anywhere in the world.

When Nick was asked how they can afford to sell bikes for less than used bikes at dealerships, the answer was simple: low overhead. They do not maintain a repair shop or keep an inventory of parts. They don’t provide on-site modifications, they don’t sell Dream Machine kitsch requiring floor space and sales girls, and they don’t have a lot of glossy, shiny advertising and marketing materials. They do have a great website, but when you walk into the showroom it is wall to wall bikes. You buy a motorcycle for the lifestyle, not to feel loved and cuddled. You feel respected, and respect their straight forwardness.

And, everyone you talk to rides. You will talk to actual motorcycle riders, who actually ride and don’t need the glam to make it clear they are serious. Here you aren’t buying the esprit de corps of anything but the brotherhood of riders, the camaraderie of being on two wheels. You are welcome to wander, touch, sit on and take for a test ride with out feeling stalked because they realize that riding is a want, a desire, not a need.

Dream Machines is more than a dream of the bike itself, it is a dream come true for people who want to buy a good bike at a good price, with no hassle. Next time you are in a market for a motorcycle, Dream Machines should be on your go-to list to check out.