Oct. 6, 2025

This piece is sponsored by Central Bank.

As the owner of Maximum Irrigation, Max Erickson needs to focus on things like sprinkler startups, blowouts, installations and repairs – without thinking twice about how to process payments for those services.

When he started the Sioux Falls business almost three years ago, Erickson used a payment feature integrated into his national website provider.

“I didn’t necessarily love it,” he said. “It took awhile to use, and I wanted to support local.”

His banker, Ethan Moxnes at Central Bank, mentioned Phase 3 Payments, a Sioux Falls-based payment solutions company.

“They were quick to reach out from there, and both sides have been very helpful as I made the switch,” Erickson said. “Now, if I need anything, customer service is on top of it.”

That’s the mission of Phase 3 Payments, which was founded by Blake Wilson and Dustin Robinson in 2021 after they spent 15 years in the industry.

Based at Lake Lorraine, “we’re a little different from most payment processing companies,” Wilson said. “Our goal was to try to bring as much technology as you would get from a big tech or payment processing company in Silicon Valley but give it a Midwest feel with our service and relationships.”

It’s also why Central Bank recently chose to partner with the company and refer its customers there for payment needs.

“We think the appeal for small-business owners is big,” said Joe Gannon, senior vice president and Sioux Falls market president. “It’s the personal approach – in-person meetings and the overall customer service.”

The 14-person Sioux Falls team at Phase 3 is supported by 75 representatives nationwide. It serves thousands of business customers, mostly in the Upper Midwest.

“We offer solutions for retail, restaurants, professional services like HVAC companies, plus we’re releasing new software solutions for health care,” Wilson said.

“We do all the credit card processing, but even beyond that, we’ll do a full point of sale for a restaurant, from putting in orders and setting up kitchen printers. We’ll also do point of sale systems for retailers and set up websites for e-commerce, so we go into a lot of different verticals.”

Phase 3 has met individually with bankers at Central Bank to educate them about the technology, so they help connect clients who would benefit.

“Merchant processing can be sort of a commodity in the marketplace, so having local staff you can call is a key differentiator,” Gannon said. “They’re going to know you by name. And, on top of that, they’re offering a better product than I’ve seen elsewhere, with local personal service.”

The Phase 3 system “is a very good product,” he continued. “It works well in high-density retail environments or for clients just starting a business and getting to the point of accepting credit cards.”

The system also reflects how businesses increasingly are being transparent about credit card fees.

“Over the last 24 months, an option to pass through a fee has been the most requested platform,” Wilson said. “We work with cards to make sure all the compliance is there and the solution is fully supported.”

Gannon sees it as a fit “for really any number of small businesses that take credit cards,” he said. “We have small contractors interested in it, automotive shops, retailers and larger companies. Plus, they serve northwest Iowa and the Des Moines area, so they’re able to support all our clients.”

For Erickson and his irrigation business, Phase 3 “has been a very valuable tool,” he said.

He uses the system to send invoices – including right to customers’ phones – and accept payments.

“People want things done quick, and I can take care of this at their door,” Erickson said.

“It handles a lot of bookkeeping and allows people to opt into whether to accept an additional fee for using the credit card, or it allows me to absorb it. Plus, it’s an affordable monthly charge to use it, so it’s been great.”

To learn more about how Phase 3 Payments can support your business’ needs, stop in any Central Bank location, reach out to your lender, or start online at phase3payments.com.