AN INTERVIEW WITH
Glenn Smith
Enterprise Payment Sales, Hospitality, joined NCR in 2019
AN INTERVIEW WITH
Glenn Smith
Enterprise Payment Sales, Hospitality, joined NCR in 2019
Tell us a little about your career journey. What is your role at NCR and what led you here?
I started to work at a young age, and I realized early on that I enjoyed two things—solving problems and engaging with customers face-to-face. With that in mind, I started my professional career in telecom expense management. I was in a client-facing role ensuring that we were exceeding customer expectations and earning more of their business. Success in that role allowed me to create and take on new positions. At the end of my time with the organization, I was responsible for three divisions dedicated to the onboarding, support and retention of our global clients. From there, I got my first itch to move into a 100% sales role, leading me to the payment acquiring space. Over the next eight or so years I held sales, relationship management and people management roles in the industry. In January 2019. I joined NCR shortly after the acquisition of JetPay as director, relationship management, and was responsible for the health and production of our top acquiring partnerships. In 2021, I shifted roles and joined a newly built team focused on new logo sales and eventually landed in my current role focused on enterprise payment sales within hospitality.
“In 2021, I shifted roles and joined a newly built team focused on new logo sales and eventually landed in my current role focused on enterprise payment sales within hospitality.”
How do you personally define success? What drives you to reach your professional goals?
I used to view success as a dollar amount or title, but that continues to evolve as I grow and watched my daughters grow. Success to me today is achieving my goals while being myself and living a balanced life. I am driven by my manager, my teammates, my family and our customers. It may sound noble, but it is a bit self-serving in that I feel my best when those who matter to me are taken care of and think well of the work I am doing.
“Success to me today is achieving my goals while being myself and living a balanced life.”
Congratulations on your recognition for Forty Under 40 by ETA - considering your career at NCR, what do you view as a significant contribution to this recognition?
NCR Merchant Services is a very small division of our company, and leadership has allowed me to explore different roles enabling me to grow within the company. NCR is also supportive of my board work with the Western States Acquirers Association a group dedicated to the growth, education and improvement of the payments acquiring space. I am honored to represent NCR at this year’s ETA and extend yet another thank you to my former manager Lynn Kneebone for recommending me to the ETA Industry Affairs Awards & Recognition Committee for inclusion in this year’s ETA Star Awards and its Forty Under 40 class.
“I am honored to represent NCR at this year’s ETA and extend yet another thank you to my former manager Lynn Kneebone for recommending me to the ETA Industry Affairs Awards & Recognition Committee for inclusion in this year’s ETA Star Awards and its Forty Under 40 class.”
How do you relax or unwind after a long week of work?
No unwinding for me—my wife and I have two daughters in high school who participate in a collective 15 sports, clubs and organizations that keep us on the go. Any expected downtime is usually replaced by volunteering at or attending some event that my wife or kids signed me up for, but with three years left before they go to college, I would not have it any other way.
“Any expected downtime is usually replaced by volunteering at or attending some event that my wife or kids signed me up for, but with three years left before they go to college, I would not have it any other way.”
How are you helping NCR to transform, connect and run the business in your role?
NCR has a strong team of salespeople, relationship managers and consultants finding ways to improve and expand the way our hospitality customers do business with their customers. I am extremely lucky that my counterparts and I have been able to put the final puzzle piece in place for existing customers, which is the processing and depositing of the funds that other solutions help capture more of. I believe both internally and externally NCR is recognized as a top payments company. And we are finding that including payments in our solution offerings leads to greater success in winning and retaining new business.
“I believe both internally and externally NCR is recognized as a top payments company. And we are finding that including payments in our solution offerings leads to greater success in winning and retaining new business.”
