Fee Increases

We continue to see various processing fees (Card Network Fee and Markup Fee) increasing as processors adjust for inflation.

In addition, twice a year – in April and October – Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and AmEx (the card networks) release updates to their programs and fee structures (usually an increase). This is the Interchange Fee that you see below in the graphic.

Addressing these increasing costs is not a one-size-fits-all. Solutions can include changing providers, adopting new technology and adjusting fee structures based on transaction volumes.

More integration options

We continue to see the development of more software integration options for businesses who utilize both merchant services and ERP systems. Some of the newer integration options include ERP systems such as QuickBooks, Sage and NetSuite. Integrations offer a great opportunity to find savings in merchant services fees as it opens up more processing options.

Mobile Wallets and Contactless Payments

With the growing popularity of ApplePay and Google Wallet, more consumers are paying with their smartphones for transactions both in-store and online. These options are very popular with the Millennial and Gen Z generations who prefer the convenience and speed of digital payments.

As the graph below indicates, the popularity of digital wallets will continue to increase.

Please feel free to share this update directly with your clients. If you are interested in white labeling this monthly content with your own branding, please reach out (by replying to this email).

Schooley Mitchell offers expertise in reducing the cost of merchant services, the integration of various ERP systems and the introduction of digital wallets.

If you have any feedback on this newsletter or would like to discuss the topic further, let’s meet:https://calendly.com/robyn-bowles/meeting_with_robyn

Guaranteed Service Refunds (GSR)

Guranteed Service Refunds applies to express packages that were guaranteed to arrive at a specific time. If the delivery was late, your client is entitled to a full refund of shipping costs, but it must be applied for within 15 days.

Peak Surcharges

Peak (or Demand) Surcharges are now being placed on some other surcharges year-round. Previously, these Peak Surcharges were only applied at heavier shipping times like over the holiday season. But, these Peak Surcharges are now being added to other surcharges like Oversize Package and Additional Handling. This means the client is billed for additional handling and then a peak surcharge is placed on top that!

In addition, Address Corrections with UPS will now have Fuel added to this surcharge, which is a change from last year.

Zone Skipping

I am honored to be partnering with FlexChain Holdings, a Value-Added Supply Chain Solutions partner. One of Flex Chain’s most impactful solutions involves Zone Skipping, which is a shipping strategy that consolidates shipments into one large shipment to avoid crossing multiple shipping zones. Because this strategy is very complex (factoring in product size, shipment size, distance and fixed costs), it was often limited to high-volume third-party logistics.

FlexChain makes zone skipping accessible to any business, saving up to 40% on outbound shipping costs with a simple, fast process.

Please feel free to share this update directly with your clients. If you are interested in white labeling this monthly content with your own branding, please reach out (by replying to this email).

Schooley Mitchell offers expertise in reducing the cost of merchant services, the integration of various ERP systems and the introduction of digital wallets.

If you have any feedback on this newsletter or would like to discuss the topic further, let’s meet:https://calendly.com/robyn-bowles/meeting_with_robyn

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please hit reply and let me know.

Integrations

More and more telecom solutions are integrating with other business tools (like CRM or project management software), creating a unified system for smoother operations that reduce the need for external telecom systems.

Several CRM systems offer built-in telecom features, including HubSpot, Zoho CRM, Pipedrive, Zendesk, Freshsales, and Insightly. These systems allow you to make and receive calls directly within the CRM platform, streamlining communication, improving efficiency and managing client and prospect data.

Industry Consolidation

Mergers and acquisitions aren’t new in the telecom industry and will continue, if not accelerate during this year as companies look to overcome challenges such as maintaining and funding growing infrastructure, adapting to regulatory changes and increasing costs.

In 2024, the biggest deals included:

• Verizon’s proposed $20 billion acquisition of Frontier Communications, expanding Verizon’s fiber coverage to over 25 million passings.
• Uniti Group and Windstream’s $13.4 billion merger, reuniting their wholesale fiber network and FTTH operations.
• T-Mobile’s $4.4 billion acquisition of US Cellular’s assets, expanding T-Mobile’s rural coverage.
• T-Mobile and KKR’s joint $4.9 billion acquisition of 50% of Metronet, aiming to grow fiber coverage.

What is UCaaS?

UCaaS or Unified communications is a cloud-based solution that brings together multiple communication tools into a single interface or platform.

Please feel free to share this update directly with your clients. If you are interested in white labeling this monthly content with your own branding, please reach out (by replying to this email).

Schooley Mitchell offers expertise in reducing costs and optimizing solutions in telecom.

If you have any feedback on this newsletter or would like to discuss the topic further, let’s meet:https://calendly.com/robyn-bowles/meeting_with_robyn

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please hit reply and let me know.

Rate Increases

The waste industry in 2025 is expected to see continued price increases due to a combination of factors such as:

Rising Costs: higher costs for energy, labor, and transportation

Labor Shortages and Inflation: difficulty in finding and retaining a skilled workforce

Landfill Taxes: increased landfill taxes and levies

Technology Investments: companies are investing heavily in recycling automation and technology to improve efficiency and potentially reduce long-term costs

Sustainability Efforts: the push for sustainable waste management practices and recycling can also lead to higher costs

What affects the price of waste?

Waste can be a complicated expense, as there are many factors that contribute to the final price that businesses pay for their waste removal. This makes it hard for business owners to control their costs or even determine if their invoices are accurate.

Size of Containers – Larger containers cost more as they can hold more waste.

Number of pickups per week - More frequent collection services will increase costs.

Type of waste - Disposing of hazardous materials (such as chemicals, medical waste or electronics) requires specialized handling and disposal methods, which can increase costs.

Volume and/or weight of the waste - Waste management companies often charge based on the volume (cubic yards) or weight (tons) of waste.

Accessibility of the property - Waste that is collected from a remote location or an area with restricted or difficult access may have increased costs.

Landfill fees - Landfills charge per ton or volume for waste disposal, known as tipping fees. Rising tipping fees are a significant factor in increasing overall waste management costs.

Additional Services - Extra services like recycling or composting can affect the overall waste cost.

Shredding

The shredding and storage industry has experienced significant consolidation as large vendors such as Iron Mountain and Pro Shred acquire smaller competitors across the country.

This consolidation greatly reduced competition and consequently, opportunities for savings.

As a result, Schooley Mitchell is no longer consulting in the shredding and storage space.

Please feel free to share this update directly with your clients. If you are interested in white labeling this monthly content with your own branding, please reach out (by replying to this email).

Schooley Mitchell offers expertise in optimization and cost reduction for all types of waste.

If you have any feedback on this newsletter or would like to discuss the topic further, let’s meet:https://calendly.com/robyn-bowles/meeting_with_robyn

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please hit reply and let me know.

What are the Legal Requirements for e-Signature usage?

There are two main laws that pertain to e-Signature usage: ESIGN and UETA:

• The federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce (ESIGN) Act of 2000 makes electronic signatures legal in all states and territories where federal law applies.
• Many states, including 49 and the District of Columbia, have adopted the Uniform Electronic Transactions Act (UETA), which also recognizes the legal validity of electronic signatures.
• New York did not adopt UETA, but instead, passed the state's ESRA, which provides similar legal standing for electronic signatures.
• Other states, such as AZ and NV have passed their own laws in addition to the federal laws.
• These laws have similar requirements that must be met in order for the e-signature to be legally valid.

How is e-Signature different than Digital Signature?

Electronic and digital signatures are both methods of signing documents online, but digital signatures offer a higher level of security and authenticity as they use cryptography to create a unique fingerprint of the document.

This added security is often used in the following types of transactions:

Software Distribution Financial Transactions Healthcare Governmental Entities Contract Management

Considerations for selecting an e-Signature system

There are dozens of different e-Signature providers with DocuSign holding about a 67% share of the global market. It is a crowded market!

Selecting an e-Signature system can be challenging due to several factors:

• Legal Compliance and Security
• User Experience and Acceptance
• Branding and Customization
• Integration and Scalability
• Accessibility

In addition, there are variable and fixed costs that can sometimes be hard to compare across various e-Signature options.

Please feel free to share this update directly with your clients. If you are interested in white labeling this monthly content with your own branding, please reach out (by replying to this email).

Schooley Mitchell offers expertise in the reducing e-Signature costs and the selection/implementation of new e-Signature systems.

If you have any feedback on this newsletter or would like to discuss the topic further, let’s meet:https://calendly.com/robyn-bowles/meeting_with_robyn

If you would like to unsubscribe from this newsletter, please reply with “Unsubscribe”.