The Payments Podcast · 2026-01-27 · 16 min
Key moments - from our scoring
Substance score
53 / 100
Five dimensions, 20 points each
Payment implementations often fail not because of technology but because of poor planning and stakeholder engagement. Solitaire Moffett draws on 15 years of experience - 12 at Nexus Systems before joining Bottomline - to outline how clients can navigate onboarding effectively. The key early steps involve ensuring decision-makers, IT teams, and day-to-day users all understand the product being implemented, communicating blackout dates upfront, and asking questions throughout discovery. Bottomline has recently created a pre-implementation specialist role to help clients prepare technical requirements and generate initial files before the formal implementation phase begins. Common pitfalls include resource conflicts that derail timelines and testing paralysis - the overwhelming feeling that testing file variations (single payments, batch payments, split invoices, different payment types) takes too long. Moffett emphasizes comprehensive testing is non-negotiable; success stories like Schimberg, who arrived on their first call with well-prepared files, demonstrate how preparation accelerates outcomes. Post-deployment, Bottomline typically maintains engagement for two to four weeks, monitoring multiple payment types and file sizes before handing clients to member services. CFOs and treasurers should recognize that North America's continued reliance on checks creates unnecessary fraud and delay risks, making the transition to electronic payments - whether ACH, virtual cards, or premium ACH - critical for operational efficiency.
Engagement gaps due to unexpected resource conflicts, audits, or internal projects are the top reason, followed by testing paralysis when clients become overwhelmed by the need to validate multiple payment file variations and scenarios before going live.
End-users should be included from the discovery phase and early planning stages, not just at go-live, because they become internal champions and are more likely to adopt the system smoothly if they understand it was implemented with their input.
Testing validates every variation of payment files: single payments, multiple payments in one file, one payment spanning multiple invoices, split payments across accounts (common in real estate), and all configured payment types to ensure nothing fails when processing begins.
Typically 2 to 4 weeks in post-deployment, during which the implementation manager monitors multiple file types and payment volumes to confirm the client is comfortable and ready before handing off to member services.
The U.S. is one of the last large developed countries still relying heavily on checks due to slower adoption of electronic methods; offering multiple payment options like ACH, premium ACH, and virtual cards can help vendors transition faster to electronic payments.
Our reviewer’s read on each dimension, with quotes from the episode.
The episode delivers practical implementation guidance that payment operators would find useful, particularly around engagement, testing strategies, and handoff procedures. However, most insights are procedural rather than novel - getpeople involved early, communicate blackout dates, test comprehensively, and measure post-deployment success. The advice is sound but largely confirms what experienced operators already know; there are no counterintuitive frameworks or surprising data points that would elevate this.
just let us know. You don't have to know at the onset that you're going to run into something, but that helps
we're not just looking for you to process a file. We want to see multiple files. We want to see larger files. We want to see different payment types rolling through
The episode relies on standard SaaS onboarding best practices (early stakeholder involvement, clear communication, phased testing, managed handoffs) without introducing novel frameworks or contrarian thinking. The pre-implementation specialist role is a minor operational innovation but not a genuine strategic insight. Most of the conversation repeats conventional wisdom about change management and project governance.
getting people who are using the system - getting them involved early
we've set up a new team which we're calling our pre-implementation specialists
Solitaire Moffett is a relevant practitioner with 15 years of implementation experience (3 years at Bottomline, 12 at Nexus Systems) and currently directs implementation services at a payments company. She has real operational credibility and speaks from direct experience with dozens of client implementations. However, she is an internal company resource (VP of Marketing interviewing internal director), not an external expert or customer perspective, which limits the fresh perspective.
I am the director of implementations primarily focused on the Bottomline Direct side
I have fifteen years doing this
The episode names two specific customer examples (one redacted, one 'Schimberg') and describes their characteristics, but provides minimal concrete metrics, timelines, or dollar figures. The eight-week timeline is mentioned once but not explored. Testing scenarios are described generically ('one file with a single payment,' 'multiple invoices') without data on failure rates, cost impacts, or measurable outcomes. The advice is illustrative but lacks hard evidence.
They kept saying we'll be done in eight weeks
they were like, hey, we have the files. Can you guys look at these now?
Paul McMeekin asks competent procedural questions ('What are the critical steps?' 'What common challenges do clients face?') and occasionally summarizes Solitaire's points, but rarely probes deeper or challenges claims. There are no follow-ups that push on trade-offs, no pushback on vague assertions, and no questions that expose tension or complexity. The conversation is cordial but surfaces-level, missing opportunities to test the expert's reasoning or extract richer insights.
So, if I were to summarize, getting people who are using the system - getting them involved early
So, we want to cover every single scenario, basically
Computed from the transcript - who did the talking, and the words that came up most.
In this Paymode-focused episode, host Paul McMeekin sits down with Solitaire Moffett, Director of Implementations at Bottomline, to explore best practices for seamless client onboarding. From engaging the right stakeholders early to overcoming common pitfalls like testing fatigue and resource constraints, Solitaire shares actionable insights and success stories that highlight why preparation and communication are key. Plus, hear her advice for CFOs and treasurers on accelerating the shift to electronic payments.
Transcribed and scored by The B2B Podcast Index.
Speaker 0: The Payments Podcast from Bottomline. Owen McDonald (Host): Welcome to the Paymode edition of The Payments Podcast. I'm Bottomline managing editor Owen McDonald. This is a series of Paymode-themed podcasts looking at the hottest trends in business payments with Paul McMeekin, vice president of marketing at Bottomline, along with expert guests. In this episode, Paul welcomes Solitaire Moffett, director of implementation services at Bottomline. They look at best practices in onboarding - from planning to execution. Here's Paul McMeekin and Solitaire Moffett. Paul McMeekin (Co-host): Hi, and welcome to another episode of The Payments Podcast. My name is Paul McMeekin, and with me today is Solitaire. Solitaire, I would like for you to introduce yourself to the audience. Solitaire Moffett: Sure. Hello, everyone. So, my name is Solitaire Moffett. I am the director of implementations primarily focused on the Bottomline Direct side, and the new fintech group. So very exciting stuff going on over there. I have been with Bottomline for three years, and was acquired by a company called Nexus Systems, which I was at for twelve years - so, I have fifteen years doing this. So, I'm very excited to be chatting through implementations. Paul McMeekin: Lots of rich experience to drop in today. So, the first question: what are the critical steps in a successful onboarding process? Solitaire Moffett: Yeah. Absolutely. So, I think one of the first steps is really to make sure that the client project team has a full understanding of the product and the technology that they're implementing and that the right people are involved. Right? The individuals who are signing the contracts and making all the agreements aren't necessarily your project team. So, we want to make sure that they're aware of that. And if that requires a few extra demos when they're with us, going through discovery calls, making sure that everybody really understands what they are implementing, and the decision-makers are part of the team. Right? Everybody wants to have their hands in! And we know people get busy too, so some drop off. But decision-makers are definitely key there. I think some of the other things too, is, you know, advising us early of blackout dates. Right? Everybody gets to take a vacation. If you're a SOX-requirement company, you've got auditors in house, you know, company events, you have a company picnic. Just let us know. We want to plan accordingly and don't want to make you feel overwhelmed. And then be the squeaky wheel. If you have a question, ask it. We do this all the time, but we don't know you necessarily. So, if you're unsure, ask the question because probably somebody else in the meeting has the same question, but nobody wants to speak up. So, the squeaker the wheel, the better. The better the implementation goes, the better we can get in front of anything that may be perceived as a blocker. And let's get through it together. I think, you know, also including individuals that are going to be doing this on a day-by-day basis is also key because they really become the champions. Right? They feel like they got brought in early enough that, like, oh, I get this. I was part of the implementation, so then they become your internal champions. Oh, you're going to love this - it's so easy to use. Right? So, they don't know me or my team from Adam, but they do know themselves. So, it definitely helps out. And we see that makes for great, successful onboarding. Paul McMeekin: Oh, I like that. Thank you for that. So, if I were to summarize, getting people who are using the system - getting them involved early, being the squeaky wheel as you mentioned, and planning accordingly. There's one thing which you hinted around - of a demo or selling the software. How early does your team get involved in the client's buying experience? Solitaire Moffett: Yeah. So, the implementation managers (specifically), don't. However, recently, we've set up a new team which we're calling our pre-implementation specialists. Right? They live in the implementation house, but they support the sales individuals, and they're brought in to talk through technical requirements. You know… how do you want to present the files to us if you're doing files. Gather an understanding of the APIs if that's what we're using in the system. But this team really tries to do their best to get in front of everything so that your IT or technical teams can be prepared, and also possibly generate initial files, before you get into implementation. That way, you're not walking into it blind. It really helps you to hit the ground running. Paul McMeekin: What common onboarding challenges do clients face? You know, you've seen a lot of implementations over the years. Like, what are the most common pitfalls? Solitaire Moffett: Yeah. So, I think engagement is number one. Right? I mean, I get it - life happens while we're making other plans. You have this great plan that, like, oh, we're going to get through this, and we're going to knock this out. Right? And then something happens. An unexpected audit, or you've got a special internal project that comes up, and you’ve got to pull resources - that's probably the most common one! But, again, it goes back to my answer in the first one. Just let us know. You don't have to know at the onset that you're going to run into something, but that helps. I think one of the other things is testing paralysis. We see this a lot. We're asking you to test and test again and test again, and you're like, I’m so tired of testing! And I think it really comes down to it's okay to have us get on the phone with you and assist with testing or just explain to us… like guys, we’ve got to get this right. We could do a little bit more discovery inside of this, figure out what's causing this. Don't get overwhelmed that it feels like it's too much. It's not going to be this way once you go live. So, we’ve just got to help you get through that phase. Paul McMeekin: And what sort of things do we test for? Solitaire Moffett: What we want to test if you're using files. Right? We don't want to just get one file and say, oh yeah - this is good. I want one file that has a single payment in it, and I want a file that has multiple payments. I want files that has one payment but it's multiple invoices. I want to see all the variations. You're splitting a payment - that happens all the time in the real estate industry, where it's one invoice but it encompasses four different properties. Each has their own operating account. We want to make sure all those little nuances are working correctly. So, it can feel like a lot, but we want to get it right so when you get out the door, it's awesome! Paul McMeekin: So, we want to cover every single scenario, basically. Solitaire Moffett: Exactly. Yep. Absolutely. Paul McMeekin: Can you share a standout onboarding success story? Solitaire Moffett: Yes. I can. I actually have probably two. So, one of them was a client of ours, [customer name redacted]. They were fast paced. They came to the table highly engaged. They said, we're giving you all of the resources that you need, including our IT resources, and this is the only thing they're dedicated to. And they were highly responsive. They were completely dedicated, and the client really drove the deadlines. They kept saying we'll be done in eight weeks. And we were like, okay, we are a little bit more conservative on our side, typically, but they kept pulling us back. They're like, no, where are we? We [said] you're meeting the eight-week timeline - like, you guys are killing it. So, I think that really helped as well. And then, Schimberg, which is another one. Even before we got to the implementation call, we had presented them with the technical specs of how they needed to generate the files. We got on that first call, and they were like, hey, we have the files. Can you guys look at these now? And they were really good! Minor tweaks, nothing crazy. This was huge, right? It was one of the things that got us thinking about that pre-implementation role, right, that sits in our house but is really to talk through these items. And that kind of drove the bus to have this new role, which we're having great success with as well. Paul McMeekin: So, you talked to them about being engaged in both those examples. They're coming up prepared and ready to roll. Right? Solitaire Moffett: Yes, exactly. And that's definitely the key to success. Paul McMeekin: Okay. And moving on to the next question. We talked a little bit about success stories - so how do you actually measure success of the onboarding efforts? Solitaire Moffett: Yeah. So, there's a couple different elements here. So, obviously, was the client engaged? The more engaged the client is, we seem to see a better success post deployment. Did they understand what was implemented? This goes back to one of my first answers where the person signing it, the decision-makers and all, that they're all involved - as the sponsors as well - making sure that the project team on the client side understands what's being implemented. And then the last one is really after deployment. How much handholding, how much retraining, how many issues did they have. And I'm not talking like, oh, we forgot to set up Solitaire so that she can approve payments - that's a little click of the switch. But where payment files are just failing all over the place - that's bad! Right? That's not benefiting us. It's definitely not benefiting the client either. And ideally, we really want to get the client migrated over to our support group as quickly as possible, but we're not going to do that just to check a box. We’ve got to make sure they're good. And for a good client going over to support who's been successful, well engaged, everything seems to be running smoothly for them, you’re looking at two to four weeks with the implementation manager, and then we're able to get them over. Paul McMeekin: At what point do we hand over from implementations? Is it like first payment live? Solitaire Moffett: Oh, it depends. So, first payment, they're still with us in post-deployment. We want to see them make every different type of payment, and we want to see the payments rolling through. Larger batches of files and that sort of thing. And it really is not just a comfort level for us because we could say, oh yeah, things are going great - but we don't even know if they're struggling on their side! So, we're still having those touch bases with them. Paul McMeekin: Do you have, like, an exit interview or, like… Solitaire Moffett: We do have a handover. Yeah. We have a handover where we introduce the member services. We introduce the team that's over there. There's a PowerPoint presentation that's done, and where to find all the client documentation. Paul McMeekin: So, Solitaire, after we've had a widely successful implementation, what happens next? Like, what's next in the customer's journey? Solitaire Moffett: Once they actually go live, they process their first payment, we don't leave them. Right? You're still stuck with us! And we call that the post-deployment period. And with the post-deployment period, we're not just looking for you to process a file. We want to see multiple files. We want to see larger files. We want to see different payment types rolling through based on what you have configured in your system. And we want to make sure it's not just us saying that you're comfortable, but that you're comfortable, that you're ready to go as well. So, once we are in a successful spot, where we can roll you over to member services between two to four weeks, we also have a meeting with you and your account manager and members of our member services team to actually do a hand off transition. Right? And the client is included as part of that. We want to make sure that they now know that they're going over here and hear their contacts going forward. We don't want to just leave them high and dry! Paul McMeekin: If you could give one piece of advice to CFOs, treasurers about the future of payments, what would it be? Solitaire Moffett: What's interesting is North America, specifically The United States, is one of the last large countries still doing checks today. And it baffles me that we still do this with the amount of risk and fraud and mail delays and everything like that. Right? North America is just slow to adopt electronic payment methods. And I think, you know, people really need to trust that process. I think there's always a scary bad actors out there, that we all hear about, but if you listen to Katie's podcast about risk and fraud, there's so much good information there - I could sit there and listen to Katie for days! And the other thing is that there's no one standard payment type. Right? Being able to offer an array to all of your vendors. Some have point of sale systems that can do virtual cards, some can do ACH. Some want that extra piece of ACH - you know, that little bit of white-glove treatment - so they want premium [ACH]. Being able to offer multiple solutions, in regard to the payment types, I think, opens up how much faster you can move to an electronic payment. Paul McMeekin: Oh, I love that answer. Okay. Well, so thank you for joining me today. Solitaire Moffett: Yeah. Thank you for having me, Paul. Owen McDonald (Host): Overcoming common onboarding issues, dealing with the tediousness of testing, measuring the success of your implementation efforts. It's all part of your implementation handled the right way. Our thanks to Bottomline's Solitaire Moffett and to co-host Paul McMeekin. To our audience, the smartest people in B2B payments, thanks for listening. Hit subscribe. Catch us again on your favorite podcast platforms, including Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio, and YouTube. Bye for now.
Speaker 0: The Payments Podcast, from Bottomline.
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