Ray Graber
Principal
Graber Associates

Session Description:

When it comes to bill presentment, Small Businesses lag far behind their Middle Market and Large Corporate counterparts in their use of electronic alternatives. While some Small Businesses recognize cost and efficiency benefits associated with electronic bill presentment, most question customer acceptance and/or are put off by complexity and security issues.

Changes also continue in payment practices as debit and ACH payments continue to slowly erode check volumes. This presentation will explore trends in Small Business and Middle Market (businesses up to $100M) billing and payment issues from our annual survey of 1,000 businesses completed in November 2003.  The presentation examines current Small Business billing and payment practices, with emphasis on the B2B billing environment. Current usage of and interest in electronic presentment and payment are explored in a discussion of the issues and obstacles that are unique to this market segment.

This program is appropriate for senior financial executives with responsibility for Small Business and Middle Market Banking, Retail Marketing, Lockbox Marketing, Electronic Payments, Product Development, Market Research and Strategy Teams.

Attendance Fee:

$275.00 plus $50.00 per telephone line used.

About Ray Graber:

Ray Graber presents a holistic understanding of the banking process by combining his business and academic experience. Before founding Graber Associates in 2002, he was a senior research analyst for small business and commercial banking at TowerGroup.  He has spent over 15 years in banking including managing best practices for Internet security, policies, and procedures at FleetBoston Financial; wire transfer operations at Citibank; product launches at Citibank and BankBoston. As a user of financial services, he managed the treasury operations for a $325 million public company.

Ray is an adjunct professor of E-Banking and Leadership at the Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College.  He holds a bachelor of arts in Mathematics and an MBA in Finance and MIS, both from Boston College.

About Payments Research

Payments Research is a division of ESP Consulting, a new organization formed with the express intent of bringing together experienced research professionals with unmatched financial services expertise to apply knowledge and competence to seek solutions for its clients. We offer high-quality, factual, quantitative and qualitative data-based solutions for clients needing high-quality decision support.

Contact ESP Consulting at: (410) 860-2005 or visit us at www.paymentsresearch.com