Powering Payments Expertise with MAG Education

The Merchant Advisory Group (MAG) is committed to empowering payments professionals through robust educational resources tailored to every career stage. . From foundational courses that introduce core concepts to advanced programs that tackle industry challenges, MAG's educational platform equips members with the knowledge and confidence needed to excel.

This article highlights the transformative impact of MAG’s offerings through real-world success stories, showcasing how our courses have helped learners grow and thrive in their professional roles.

Case Study 1: Newcomer Success

“Starting my journey in the payments industry was a daunting task, but the Merchant Payments 101 ( MP101 ) course transformed it into a smooth and enlightening experience. The hands-on work was particularly beneficial, allowing me to apply theoretical concepts in real-world scenarios, which significantly accelerated my learning curve.” Tessa Cashwell, from Optimized Payments.

Tessa’s testimonial underscores the effectiveness of the MAG's foundational courses for those new to the industry, providing a clear path to success.

But that’s not all… our educational programs increase confidence in new and seasoned learners alike. In fact, learners report a 28% increase in confidence after taking just one of the 200-level courses, showing that these courses are effectively building the skills and knowledge of participants. This increase in confidence often leads learners to seek further education and professional development opportunities. The MAG's courses are designed to educate and inspire continued learning, encouraging learners to both take additional courses and recommend them to their colleagues.

Case Study 2: Elevating Expertise Through Professional Development

"The Merchant Advisory Group's educational resources are invaluable for anyone new to the payments industry, offering a comprehensive introduction to payment terminology. Their training programs, especially the 100 and 200 series, have become an integral part of our new hire onboarding process, and we're excited to extend this awareness across our partner organizations, enhancing our collective expertise." Stephanie Ciocco, AT&T.

The Merchant Payments 101 (MP101) course serves as an invaluable starting point for those new to the complexities of the payments ecosystem. It provides a solid foundation and deep insights into the industry. Executive Overview of Electronic Payments in the U.S. (MP101E) was designed for the busy payments executive or adjacent role, to distill the highest level concepts of MP101 into a digestible course for the C-suite. The 200-level courses, now FREE to MAG All-Access Merchant Members and Tier 1 Sponsors, provide in-depth knowledge on critical areas of payments. The five courses, Exploring Payments Technology, Managing a Payments Program, Exploring Card Types and Products, Navigating Fraud and Chargebacks, Evaluating Touchless Payments, and An Exploration of Debit Routing are designed to help payments professionals at all levels refine their skills and stay ahead of the curve.

Case Study 3: The Need for Ongoing Education

“The MAG has become an essential part of what it takes for payments professionals to stay in lockstep, and hopefully a step ahead, of what’s happening in payments.” Peter Jessiman, The Wendy’s Company.

It is vitally important to commit to continuous learning to remain current in the payments industry. In 2024, the MAG launched a series of microlearning courses to create easily digestible learning opportunities. These courses address specific topics, providing learners with the tools needed to embrace new payments capabilities securely and efficiently.

Examples include:

Getting Buy-In for a Fly-In: Develop advocacy strategies and build influential relationships with policymakers. A payments manager may use this course to help advocate for attending a fly-in to influence legislation and regulation.
Adopting and Implementing Payment Account Reference (PAR): Understand how PAR facilitates seamless transactions and enhances fraud detection and prevention measures.
Brand Release Essentials: Gain insight into how to assess the implications of quarterly brand updates on merchant operations, like fee changes. A payments professional may use this course to better understand how to assess the financial and operational implications of brand updates, as well as how to review fee changes and make adjustments to payment processing.
Overview of Global Payments Markets: Get insights into international market expansion by exploring regulatory compliance and key payments players. A merchant expanding into Australia would benefit from the knowledge of debit routing options in Australia, or other insights on cross-border payments strategies as provided in this course.

Strong Engagement and Measurable Results

The MAG's commitment to high-quality education is reflected in member engagement, as indicated by these 2024 stats.

Course Completions: MAG achieved 473 course completions.
Member Engagement: 79% of MAG merchant members had at least one individual participate in a MAG eLearning course.
Top Participants: Companies like Walmart, ExxonMobil, Verizon Communications, AT&T, and The Home Depot are among the leading participants.
Webinar Popularity: Webinar recordings have seen nearly a threefold increase in views since 2023, highlighting their growing value.

Looking ahead to 2025, the MAG remains dedicated to evolving with your learning needs. There are plans to expand international reach, ensuring platforms and courses are accessible to a global audience.

We encourage all members to take advantage of the educational opportunities available and encourage your thoughts and feedback along the way. Please contact me if you have any questions – I’m happy to help!