When did you first become an Avinode Group customer, Thomas?
I’ve actually been using Avinode for the past 13 years. I spend ten years working in sales for another operator, before starting my own broker-only business – Wingman Aircharter – in October 2017. Throughout all that time, Avinode has been a constant partner for me.
And how about Paynode?
I’ve used Paynode since the beginning. I had it before the Paynode to Paynode transaction feature existed, which meant I didn’t use it too much, but it has progressed so much since then.
With all the new features, I depend on Paynode for a lot of my business, including all of my non-Danish accounts and everything except credit card payments. I use it almost as a normal bank account.
What pain points has Paynode taken away from your daily life?
There are a lot of benefits to using Paynode and many ways that it makes my life easier – I can still remember how time-consuming and complicated things were in the past.
One of the biggest positives is that I can pay operators 24/7. If a client decides at the last minute they want to fly somewhere, it’s not for them to worry about the banks being closed and what that might mean for transferring money to the operator. I can now do that instantly thanks to Paynode.
The alternative would mean me paying with a credit card until I’m able to do a bank transfer on the next working day. I’d have to have the funds to use my credit card and have the money in the bank too, so I’d need the funds twice to make just one payment. Paynode does away with this problem and makes everything much simpler and smoother. That’s one of the things I really like about it.
Also, if you pay euro to euro there are no transaction fees, which is great. I have a euro account, a Pound Sterling account and a US dollar account, so it’s very flexible and lets me pay in a range of currencies.
Have you been well supported by the Paynode team?
I really have. They were great in the beginning especially, showing me how the system works and how to get the best out of it. I still rely on the support team in the US and ask them a lot of questions. They’re always available by email and they reply quickly.
And I believe you worked with the Paynode guys on the recent developments
Yes, I was happy to volunteer and help the product team make improvements by sharing my thoughts. I told them how I personally want to use Paynode and what I would like it to do. I enjoyed being part of the process.
What new features would you like to see in the future?
One of the things I asked for is the ability to connect a credit card to an account. That might seem like a small detail, but it would be nice to have in the future. Also, while my customers can pay with Visa and Mastercard, some have requested being able to use American Express. I’m very much looking forward to when EU based members can do that as the US based members can today – I believe it’s coming soon.
I think we’ll see the full potential of Paynode realized when the whole industry is hooked up and we can pay all of our operators directly and instantly.
Would you say that being a Paynode user has helped build trust in your business amongst operators?
Yes, I would. For a start, operators know that they will receive their money instantly. They can depend on that, which is nice. Many operators won’t fly if they don’t have the money beforehand and that’s how the industry works. When you have an urgent flight that occurs with just two hours’ notice and you can’t pay them, they won’t fly. Paynode is the perfect solution. For us, the fact that we can make those payments in seconds is a game-changer.
Interested in Paynode? No fee to sign up. No subscription costs. No monthly minimums. It’s all included in your Avinode membership. Contact us here!