18 | Managing Director of the Year Awards 2022 touchless checkouts, we have helped them to adapt and survive lockdowns and restrictions. Moreover, we have developed an e-commerce system that is so adaptable and advanced that we can move faster than the big industry leaders, winning contracts with the likes of the NHS, Pizza Hut UK and Goals. We have embraced new technology, including alternative payment methods and Pin on Glass. We were also the first company, outside of Stripe, to bring Apple Pay and Google Pay to online purchases in the UK.” Fraser’s role as managing director is to oversee the day-to-day operations, ensure the team is happy and healthy, manage the company finances, and ensure that Swipen is looking beyond the forefront of the industry. “As an MD, I want to run a business I can be proud of. I don’t ever want Swipen to be successful at the expense of our customers or staff. The biggest compliment we receive from clients and partners is that we do what no one else does. To us, making everything about profit and the bottom line makes for a stressful working environment. It’s my job, therefore, to empower staff; the happier and more successful my team is, the more successful we are as a business.” The new year has brought new opportunities; Swipen will soon be offering Open Banking and crypto mainstream acceptance. Fraser adds, “We have invested in an in-house development team and, with outside investment, we’re building revolutionary new tech for the payments industry. We also have imminent plans to open a second location in Glasgow and increase the team further over the coming year.” With the ‘ePayments MD of the Year’ in charge, Swipen is in good hands, making this unique payment services company the one to watch. Company Name: Swipen Contact Name: Fraser Mitchell Web Address: www.swipen.co.uk Contact Email: fraser.mitchell@swipen.co.uk Fraser Mitchell, accredited as the ePayments Managing Director of the Year, has been recognised for his remarkable efforts in the industry; he has won multiple awards for his business and managing excellence, from Payments StartUp of the Year and Marketing Campaign of the Year to a nomination for Industry Newcomer of the Year. Fraser explains his success and the services his company offers for SME News below. Before becoming the Managing Director of Swipen, Fraser Mitchell established his outstanding reputation across differing sectors, building up his accreditation to become one of the most renowned MDs of the year. Expanding on this statement, Fraser explains, “I spent 19 years working as a surveyor and partner for one of the oldest and largest brands in the world, working in both London and the South of France. I learned the invaluable lesson to create an excellent and lasting reputation. This established brand was all about doing the job well, not about making money; profit was just a side effect of a job well done. I have brought this ethos with me to Swipen.” Utilising over two decades’ worth of experience and expertise, Fraser was able to combine his natural ambition and instinctive management style to found Swipen, and took on the role of Director from the start. “I founded Swipen, a payment services company, in August 2019. Having spent many years working with some of the leading payment service providers (PSPs), my business partner and I had witnessed the limitations and frustrations our clients were experiencing. The standard model within the industry has always been that merchants must adapt to whatever pre-made payment solution is available from the banks. However, there was a niche in the market for a PSP that could offer truly bespoke solutions to suit each and every business. We chose to build a company that could offer a more honest, innovative and personal service.” Swipen began with a small yet powerful team of two, offering fully-tailored solutions to its merchants, including integrated payments, state of the art card terminals, next day funds, pay by phone, and e-commerce. Swipen has now expanded to a dedicated team of eight, adding order and pay at table solutions, online stores ePayments MD of the Year 2022: Fraser Mitchell and shopping carts, and full virtual terminals that service over 3,000 loyal customers. “I manage Swipen with an ethos of honesty and transparency for everything we do.” Fraser adds. “As such, in 2020, we chose to become an authorised and regulated member of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), allowing us to provide independent protection to our customers and help us stand out from our competitors.” Due to its exceptional products and effective service, Swipen’s clients range from brand new companies and small businesses to onlineonly retailers and large chains. Additionally, a significant number of its customers operate within the retail and hospitality industries. As with any successful business, Swipen has had challenges to overcome, including just six months after its launch when the COVID pandemic struck. Their ability to provide a tailored set up to any type of business, even if that solution is a brand new concept, was key to their success. “Together with our partners, Swipen has provided innovative and bespoke software systems and custombuilt EPoS solutions to hundreds of businesses nationwide,” Fraser explains. “With cashless and Mar22437
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