Payment Authorisation Expert

After my technical diploma (BTS), like Obelix, I fell into the banking cauldron (I followed the entire banking training course, starting from the vocational training qualifications (CAP, Brevet professionnel) to a postgraduate diploma in banking (DES) in an industrial, cooperative, mutual bank, financial company). Thanks to professional and geographical mobility, I moved from purely banking fields to electronic banking.

Today, I work at Crédit Agricole Payment Services, the Group’s payment instrument processor, where I’m in charge of Bank Processing. Since 2015, I have been recognised as the Payment Authorisation Expert within the CAPS Community of Experts. The purpose of this Community is to promote expertise in the field of payments within the Group and beyond.

How would you describe the position of Payment Authorisation Expert?

My role is to guarantee all Crédit Agricole cardholders that each request for authorisation that they make from an ATM (withdrawal or payment) will be correctly processed in the shortest possible time.

My duties are structured around three aspects:

1 – controlling processes and resolving incidents
2 – contributing to studies to improve things such as the ergonomics of the consultation tools at the disposal of electronic banking managers.
3 – managing the activity

So throughout the day, I have to wear many hats:

A firefighter: in the event of a malfunction, to warn and mobilise all the parties concerned so that the company can meet its commitments.

A nurse: to resolve or contribute to resolving complex operational incidents.

A security guard: to propose, carry out and monitor controls relating to the services linked to my activity. Ensure that the services provided comply with internal requirements and with the contracts signed with partners, customers and suppliers.

Scribe: to write specific studies (such as strengthening the security of transaction processing, regulatory changes, incident analysis) or to draft procedures.

An assistant: to advise and provide support to the Group’s partners and banks (Crédit Agricole, LCL, AVEM, the Electronic Banking Divisions).

What are the peak periods of your job during the year?

The world of payments is ever-changing. This explains why, three or four times a year, we have to take account of these changes in the form of releases or updates. They consist of regulatory changes, the addition of new services or innovations such as, for example, management of the processing of contactless or mobile payment requests.

These phases are important for customer service and therefore require careful preparation and follow-up.

However, the highlight of the year is the “User Club”. This is a fun time for sharing and exchanging ideas with all the players in the Regional Banks who work on bank card processing. We present the achievements of the past year, the roadmap for the coming year with the developments envisaged, and gather opinions and practical feedback. It is also a time of intense preparation and teamwork where everyone takes part in planning the day by contributing and expressing their talents.

With our Community of Experts, every month, we meet with 17 other counterparts to exchange best practices. We bring in external contributors to better understand the world of payments and how it is developing, and reflect on how best to support projects and pass on our knowledge and know-how. For example, in addition to a payment wiki, we write and distribute VLVC* memos on how payments work to a wide audience
*VLVC: quick reads

Can you describe your typical day?

I like to start off my day in a muted morning atmosphere. This is in order to validate the operation of the authorisation server and carry out routine checks.

When I finish, I’m ready for the day ahead. I’m lucky to have a job that is varied, which brings me into contact with many players and leaves no room for monotony.

A major part of my work consists in responding to requests from Group entities on the functioning of bank cards on the authorisation server, explaining, training, dealing with production incidents, exchanging/comparing our analyses among colleagues, validating file processing, taking part in the production of functional upgrades, drafting procedures, etc.

What career path is required to reach your position and what are the possibilities for development?

My initial training was aimed more at a “traditional” banking role geared towards private or professional clients. Aside from my knowledge of the Crédit Agricole universe, I had no IT knowledge. I was lucky to meet people who trusted me and trained me to enable me to reach my current position. My curiosity and my desire to learn have shown me that nothing is impossible. And contrary to what one might think, it was my colleagues, not machines, who introduced me to the secrets of electronic banking and helped me the most.

What message would you want to pass on to someone who is thinking of taking up a similar position?

Electronic banking has become a very open sector, and in the end, it doesn’t matter whether you are male or female. In the years to come, the growing technological complexity will require a good knowledge of computers and/or electronic banking to be able to evolve in this exciting, stimulating and constantly innovative environment.
The creation of a sector of excellence is also a real driving force for recognition.

How do you see the company’s progress in terms of diversity?

Over the last few decades, I have noticed that gender diversity humanises professional relations because it enables employees to understand the richness of the reciprocity and complementarity that the male/female relationship brings to the working environment.
Even today, even if they have to show a lot of conviction to prove their skills, more and more women feel empowered to apply for positions of responsibility. When their competence is recognised, they are naturally accepted by their male counterparts and gradually the power rivalries diminish.