Shawcast Recap: Enhancing the Payment Experience with Shaw Systems and PayNearMe

Originally published by Shaw Systems

In the latest episode of the “Shawcast” podcast, Justin Gann from Shaw Systems and Dawn Fretwell from PayNearMe discuss the emergence of Payment Experience Management in lending, and how this concept goes beyond the traditional customer payment experience.

You can listen to the full audio version here, or read a version of the transcript below that has been shortened and edited for readability using AI and human editors.

Justin:
Welcome to another episode of Shawcast, where we talk all things Shaw—our business and our partners. Today, I’m joined by Dawn Fretwell from PayNearMe. Dawn, how are you? Please introduce yourself to our listeners.

Dawn:
Thanks, Justin! I’m excited to be here. I’m currently with PayNearMe and bring many years of experience in the payments space. I started my career in a collections department managing a large team, so it’s great to come full circle and be talking about payments again. Thanks for having me.

Justin:
You once told me you actually started out as a collector, right?

Dawn:
Yes, I started on the phones as a collector. I learned so much during that time—from the strategies to the daily interactions. It was a really formative part of my career.

Justin:
So you have a true appreciation for the beauty of just being able to take a payment quickly and easily, right?

Dawn:
Absolutely. Things have changed so much over the years. We used to think we were high-tech for taking ABA and routing numbers over the phone!

Justin:
It’s funny how many people at Shaw—especially in development—also started their careers in collections.

Dawn:
Definitely. It’s such a great foundation. Talking to customers firsthand gives you real insight into their challenges. Many people start out in collections right out of college. It was a valuable and enjoyable experience for me.

Justin:
It definitely builds perspective. For our listeners, Shaw Systems and PayNearMe have a strong integration that many of our most advanced consumer and auto lenders rely on. They’re taking advantage of real-time tools within our Spectrum system and all the payment functionality PayNearMe brings to the table.

One topic that comes up often in our conversations is customer experience. At Shaw, we call it borrower experience. Our clients’ executives focus on streamlining servicing requests—things like due date changes, deferments, address updates, and adding co-borrowers. With Spectrum tools like workflows and APIs, they’re making these processes seamless and measuring how quickly they can respond. What once took three days can now be done in an hour. That’s a better experience and a more efficient operation.

Dawn, our shared clients are thinking the same way about the payments experience. Can you tell our listeners more about that?

Dawn:
Definitely. Customer experience is always a hot topic, but we like to zoom in specifically on payment experience management. That means optimizing every touchpoint in the payment journey—not just for customers, but also for agents, collectors, and the operations team.

A positive payment experience isn’t just a “nice to have” anymore—it’s a necessity. Lenders and borrowers alike expect smooth, flexible payment options. So we broaden the view beyond customer service and look at the full ecosystem. That’s where real transformation happens.

Justin:
That reminds me of the reports you share with clients showing adoption across various payment channels. It’s impressive how many you support. I think of one client with borrowers ranging from 75 years old to 25—and obviously their preferences are going to be very different. Do you see that reflected in your clients’ expectations?

Dawn:
Absolutely. As demographics shift and technology evolves, customers are expecting—maybe even requiring—more diverse and flexible payment options. They want things like smart links and mobile-first solutions.

We recently worked with a lender who only offered debit card and ACH. We helped them expand to cash payments at retail locations, and also options like Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal. Not only were the customers thrilled, but the lender saw a massive shift to self-service. In fact, 64% of their payments moved to self-service channels, reducing agent load and improving efficiency across the board.

Justin:
That’s huge. I remember when we first learned about PayNearMe—it was primarily a cash payment platform, right?

Dawn:
Yes! We had a strong foundation with our cash-only solution. But as we added more digital options, our customers welcomed the expansion. Now we offer Apple Pay, Google Pay, and stored wallet capabilities—things we couldn’t have imagined 5 or 10 years ago.

Justin:
And as both of our platforms have grown, we were really excited about how we structured our integration. We developed a payment integration framework that allows both companies to keep innovating without breaking the integration. Clients have taken Spectrum and PayNearMe upgrades, added new tender types like Apple Pay, and everything just works. It’s been seamless.

Dawn:
I completely agree. I love that our integration allows both Shaw and PayNearMe to focus on our respective strengths. When companies can concentrate on what they do best and bring those capabilities together—it creates magic.

Justin:
It’s why we consistently recommend PayNearMe for all things payments. Our clients benefit from your deep expertise, and Spectrum serves as the hub that ties everything together. In the past, integrations were often built reactively for one client—and then became a burden later when it came time to evolve. This time, we did it right.

Dawn:
Absolutely. It’s been a fantastic partnership.

Justin:
It’s not just our existing clients adopting the integration—prospective clients really value it, too. Replacing a loan management system is a big decision, and anything that reduces risk or complexity is a huge help. Being able to show them a tested, modern payment integration is a major advantage.

Dawn:
That’s so true. Switching LMS platforms—and sometimes payment providers—is a big undertaking. But if you’re already making that switch, it’s the perfect time to look at modernizing payments as well. We always try to take a consultative approach, just like Shaw does. We consider each lender’s priorities, success metrics, and unique workflows to make the transition smoother.

Justin:
We were drawn to PayNearMe not just because of the product, but because of the feedback we heard from your clients. They love working with your team.

Dawn:
Thank you! That means a lot. I always say, in this stage of my career, working for a company that genuinely cares about both its employees and customers is incredibly important. We get amazing referrals and feedback from clients who appreciate our support—especially when things don’t go perfectly. We’re there for them, and that trust makes all the difference.

Justin:
Beautifully said, Dawn. We’re excited about the future of this integration. Our teams are already planning new enhancements, and we’ll be back to share more when those go live.

For Shaw clients interested in the PayNearMe integration, reach out to your strategic account manager or account executive. Like all our well-supported integrations, it’s easy to implement, and we—along with partners like Dawn—are happy to walk you through the features and benefits.

Dawn:
Thanks, Justin. It’s been great chatting with you today.

Justin:
Likewise. Looking forward to having you back on Shawcast soon.

Dawn:
I’d love that. Take care!

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