How Buckaroo grew: Frank Jongenotter on 15 years of change
Buckaroo has been around for 20 years! We’re taking a trip down memory lane with Frank Jongenotter, Client Integration Manager at Buckaroo. He first joined the company 15 years ago. What has changed since then? Can he still compare the Buckaroo of the past to the Buckaroo of today?
“I basically only do the things I enjoy—and I’ve decided to call that my job”
The Buckaroo of today is worlds apart from where it started. Back then, only about 30 people worked at the company. Because of that, Frank often had to lend a hand in other departments. Now, with nearly 200 employees, that growth is clearly felt in a positive way. Frank has truly found his place at Buckaroo and shares what he’s experienced over the past 15 years.
“I’ve done a bit of everything at Buckaroo. That helped me discover what I’m good at and what I enjoy. Besides my role as Client Integration Manager, I’m also a confidential advisor within Buckaroo. That allows me to empower people and help them feel safe enough to speak up, so they can grow. Being trusted to take on that role shows me that Buckaroo believes in me. If I could give one message to fellow Buckaroo colleagues, it would be this: you can become anything you want, as long as you’re clear about it. I now basically only do the things I enjoy—and I’ve decided to call that my job. How great is that?”
The cowboy ethics of Buckaroo
Which values have always remained the same at Buckaroo? Frank has a clear and quick answer to that question: “Do what you say and say what you do. That came from the book *Cowboy Ethics*, which I received when I joined the company. The principles from that book were translated into a top 10 list that shows how a company should approach them. Buckaroo partly represents the idea of a cowboy. That’s often seen as a carefree figure who just does their own thing. But on the other hand, you can only survive on the prairie if you help each other. That hasn’t changed: you still have to help each other.”
Gamechanger: iDEAL acquirership
In August 2018, Buckaroo became an acquirer for iDEAL. That was a major step that set us apart from the rest. When iDEAL first launched, no PSP could process and authorize iDEAL payments. Our solution turned out to be a smart move. “Then we’ll just buy a server ourselves and make it happen, right?” It came with a lot of work and raised a few eyebrows externally, since we weren’t a bank. But it quickly became clear that wasn’t an issue when Buckaroo successfully processed and approved its first iDEAL transaction. Years later, this step proved to be the logical one. Today, industry peers take it for granted that a Payment Service Provider can also act as an acquirer.
1 million transactions
When Buckaroo first started, we processed about 2,500 transactions per month during the first year. By 2010, when I joined the company, that number had grown to around 50,000 per month. Then came the moment we hit 1 million transactions in a single month for the first time. “We all cheered together in front of the screen that was tracking the number of transactions. Now, we process that amount on a daily basis—and even more!” Frank says enthusiastically.
“I actually enjoyed calling customers who gave us a 1”
“I once literally called a customer who gave us a score of 1. I actually enjoyed doing that. The customer responded, ‘Who do you think you are, calling me about that?’ I told him there was a reason I was calling—I genuinely wanted to know why he had given us a 1, because I couldn’t quite figure it out from his comment.” (The comment consisted of just one word: “worthless.”) When Frank dug a little deeper—despite the customer's initial frustration—the tone of the conversation shifted. A simple miscommunication had caused an issue, but it was easy to fix. The customer later received a follow-up call to see how things were going. He was happy with the solution and appreciated the call from Frank, allowing everything to move forward smoothly.
Paying attention
This story ties in perfectly with our new slogan: *Paying attention*. “The best one we’ve ever had,” says Frank, “because it highlights Buckaroo’s strengths. We can truly make a difference by giving attention.” He also feels the slogan fits him personally and aligns with the role he plays at Buckaroo. Frank’s wish for the future? “That we can provide customers with even more solutions tailored to the market. That they feel comfortable coming to us with their challenges, and feel safe enough to be vulnerable—even if they’re a big name. At Buckaroo, you’re allowed to think critically about what the real problem is. That way, we can give the right kind of attention where it’s truly needed.”
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