Today we see the start of the latest Money 20/20 Payments Race in EMEA, from Istanbul to Amsterdam, and though GLORY is a sponsor I would normally hesitate to offer advice to anyone embarking on such a trek. In the past competitors have been very innovative in their involvement of third parties but we're confident Stuart Thomas will get there under his own steam. As I considered some of the challenges he will face I couldn't help drawing some parallels with our business experience at Glory and would highlight the following: 

• Training and preparation - though you've done this sort of thing before, every race is different. Not only is it important that you know each local market but as a racer you are continually evolving. At Glory we invest upward of 150 million dollars on research each year, ensuring a constant flow of innovation to meet our customers challenges now and in the future.
• Fast transactions enable greater interaction - Stuart is using cash so transactions should be straightforward. While others are wondering how they can overcome barriers Stuart can use extra time to perform the tasks he has been set. If you need an analogy, think of a bank cashier not being distracted by having to count cash and being free to focus on interacting with a customer. Our TCR and coin solutions accelerate transactions at the counter and our sorters do the same in the back office, enhancing staff productivity and reducing queues.
• Keep moving - Anyone who has run any distance will tell you that if you stop you will lose momentum and it's difficult to get started again. Think of a retailer accepting cash payments. As the cash is sitting still in tills and safes it loses you money. Rather a retailer should seek to keep their cash in perpetual motion - idle cash has potential value, cash in motion has real value.
• Seek assistance - nobody knows, or indeed can do, everything. There are times when we all need help or advice. In bank branches, for example, some customers are tech savvy and will be comfortable using new technology. Others are less confident and will be happy if there is someone on hand to help them. With our assisted service technology it is possible to enhance the customer experience while increasing resources dedicated to sales.

And finally

Move on to the next race - whatever the result there is always another race. While it is important to celebrate success, it is critical to embrace the next challenge. Once you're ahead it's about staying there. While Glory is a global leader in TCR and retail cash recycling solutions there is no complacency, only hard work to understand how we can keep solving the challenges faced by our customers – optimising costs, improving profitability and enhancing the experience they deliver.