Hi, Mauro. Tell me, how did Fast Private Jet manage payments before Paynode?

From day one, we always had issues with payments. We had a pool of operators that we’d work with, and we’d typically send a proof of payment. That worked OK, but there was always the threat of issues, such as fraud.

Although our community is small, new operators and brokers pop up every day, and you can’t know everybody. Trust is so important in our industry, and trust is not always there with new people. 

Even if someone paid by credit card, after 40 days they could claim the money back. Plus, we’re talking about huge sums of money – €50,000 might not even cover a single flight. And when working with operators in the US or South America, it can take days for a wire transfer to arrive in the account.

So we said, OK, this is a real pain, we need to find a solution. Thankfully, Paynode showed up.

How was the training you received from the Paynode team?

The training and support has always been very good. Our company is called Fast Private Jet so you can tell that we really value speed. Every time we send an email to the Paynode team, we get a call back in 10-20 minutes, which is great. 

I hope that once the number of customers grow they can maintain that efficiency because payment is one of the most important thing for companies in our industry. If you have an issue, a fast reaction from the other side is crucial. Today the support is brilliant. 

Aside from payments, has Paynode changed the way you work in other areas?

Yes, it has. Let’s say there is a list of operators. One is offering a flight at €10,000, one at €10,400 and a third at €12,000. If I don’t know them, I choose the one that uses Paynode. It’s that simple. 

Of course, we always do our research; we speak on the phone, understand the service they offer, get to know the history of the plane and the history of the company. But Paynode can be the deciding factor in us booking that operator, even if it costs €1,000 more.

And Paynode makes it easy to do business in different currencies.

That’s right, and this is very important. We had a case last week where we were dealing with an operator in the UK, and they sent an invoice in pounds. We had all this money in euros, and it was so simple to switch from euro to pounds and pay so the flight could happen.

Would you recommend Paynode to other brokers and operators?

Absolutely, I invite the whole industry to adopt Paynode. It’s simple, stress-free, and intuitive to use. When we started, not many operators and brokers were using Paynode. Now, bit by bit, more are coming onboard. 

On a practical level, Paynode offers the reassurance that you’re going to get paid instantly. We are all businesses, and it doesn’t matter if it’s €100 or €100,000, you need to know that you’re getting paid for your services. We have a rule within our team, “no money, no flight.” Paynode is the answer. 

What do you think the future of air charter payments will look like? 

Personally, I believe Paynode will be the system of payment in the future. Yes, there are other platforms out there, but I don’t see anyone else being able to do that.

What it has done is providing the trust in the exact same way that Avinode has. It lets us work worldwide with operators and brokers in an efficient, safe way.

It’s so important to be connected and Paynode will be the only system that will be accessible and trusted by all. As new people enter our community, Paynode will be the way to introduce those new members. 

Are there any upcoming developments you would like to see?

One development I would love to see – and I know the guys are working on this in the background – is to integrate Paynode into the many software products used in the industry. At Fast Private Jet we use the FL3XX aviation management system, and when Paynode can integrate with that, we’ll have everything in a single solution.

Business aviation is surely the most inefficient industry in the world. You have 200 platforms, you need to control planes, fuel, handling, airport slots… and everything is manual. Together we need to work towards efficiency with fewer mistakes. Paynode has a crucial role to play in doing this. 

Finally, what one word would you use to sum up Paynode? 

If I had to choose just one word, it would be trust. That’s what Paynode is building. 

The first time my accounts team told me we were going to send €100,000, I said “just do it”. I trust the company completely.

Interested in simplifying your payments? Welcome to Paynode, your new comfort zone.