- 1Roitblat says renewing merchants cost less to acquire and repay more predictably.
- 2Clear communication, education and fair collections drive loyalty.
- 3Predictable speed beats advertised speed; pressure builds churn.
This piece summarizes a guest column by David Roitblat, founder and CEO of Better Accounting Solutions, a New York City accounting firm specializing in merchant cash advance companies.
Roitblat argues that MCA companies pour most of their energy into acquisition while the stability of the business comes from merchants who come back. In his view, renewals are the backbone of sustainable growth rather than a softer version of a new deal: a renewing merchant costs less to acquire, repays more predictably and needs less hand-holding.
How loyalty forms
He describes a broker who took a fifteen-minute call from a restaurant owner behind on a project. Nothing dramatic happened, but the owner told her no other funder talked to him like a person instead of a ticket, and he renewed three months later. Roitblat's point is that loyalty comes from moments, not marketing.
- Communication. Merchants want clarity, not scripted reassurance, and a funder who speaks to the specifics of a roofer in Arizona versus a Manhattan retailer builds trust.
- Consistency. Merchants notice a forgotten check-in or a collector's calm tone.
- Education. Taking five minutes to explain how daily or weekly payments interact with cash flow produces calmer merchants who flag problems early.
- Collections. Handling collections as a relationship function recovers more money and preserves trust, he says. A deli owner in Queens whose block was disrupted by construction got a temporary reduction without begging, finished the term, renewed and began sending referrals.
Speed, timing and records
Roitblat says merchants value predictable speed over boasts about hour-long approvals. He also cautions against forcing early renewals: letting a merchant say "not yet" tends to bring them back willingly. Clear, consistent notes let any team member pick up a conversation without making the merchant repeat their story, he adds, and companies with strong financial documentation often show stronger merchant relationships.
The payoff
As a firm grows, he writes, these habits need structure: standardized follow-up schedules, shared note language and training that stresses respect. The result is lower acquisition costs, steadier repayment and inbound interest from merchants who talk to each other. In his words, the most profitable MCA companies treat renewals as central to the business model rather than bonus volume.
Referrals and reputation
Roitblat says merchants talk to each other more than funders realize: good experiences travel quickly through neighborhoods, industries and online forums, and bad ones travel faster. A funder that handles renewals thoughtfully may receive inbound interest from merchants it never contacted, which turns the relationship into its own marketing channel.
He concludes that long-term relationships are strategic rather than sentimental goals. They stabilize the portfolio, reduce volatility, lower costs and widen the circle of opportunity, shifting a funding business from constantly chasing the next deal to growing from deepening roots.
Source reporting: deBanked.
