Predictika · Merchant services proposals
An AI sales agent prepares a card-acceptance proposal for a merchant: business type, plan, devices, pricing model, term and sales channel. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the plan, device, pricing and approval rules and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed. There is no price list in this model.
Not covered: any list price, rate card or fee schedule. This validator models the structure of a proposal, not its prices, so it produces no price build-up. The only money figure is an estimated markup revenue computed from the proposal's own inputs. Assumptions: every rate floor, spread limit, approval band, device rule and channel share limit is a placeholder chosen for this demonstration and is not any provider's policy.
7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch
Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.
Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)
Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run
What this means
Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.
| What the validator caught | Typical rules-based CPQ | Predictika |
|---|---|---|
| Plan and device eligibility that depends on the merchant segment and the device count together | Only with care Each combination becomes a product rule. It works, but the table of allowed combinations grows with every new device or segment and has to be kept in step by hand. | The segment, plan and device quantities are all inputs to one model, and every combination is checked on every call. |
| A markup floor that depends on monthly volume and on the sales channel | Only with workarounds The floor is a lookup on two fields, with a channel add-on. It usually ends up as a price-rule table or several rules that must be edited together. | The floor is computed from the volume band and the channel record, and the markup is compared with it, with a separate approval band near the floor. |
| The proposal states a monthly revenue figure that must match the inputs | Only with care A validation rule can compare a stated figure with a calculated field, but only if the stated figure is a field on the proposal, which it rarely is. | The stated figure travels with the proposal and is compared with the computed one on every call. |
| Tiered rates that must rise in order and stay within a spread | Only with care Two simple rules, but they only fire when all three rates are filled in, and they interact with the volume and risk limits for tiered pricing. | Order, spread, volume ceiling and high-risk exclusion are all checked together. |
| A partner revenue share with a hard limit and a lower approval threshold, both per channel | Easy A lookup table and two comparisons. | The same, with the thresholds held in the channel record. |
| Every problem returned in one answer | Only with workarounds Rules tend to fire as a step is completed or the quote is saved, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next. | All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in. |
Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the proposal; approval findings need a person to sign off. All limits are placeholders.
| 1 | Block: the proposal has no counter device (Station or Mini). |
| 2 | Block: a mobile reader is not a primary device for counter, retail or full service merchants; the Kiosk is offered for counter service and retail only, and needs the Standard or Advanced plan. |
| 3 | Block: the Starter plan covers up to 2 devices; full service dining with 5 or more devices needs the Advanced plan. |
| 4 | Block: more than 25 devices is an enterprise deal, not a standard proposal. |
| 5 | Block: interchange-plus markup below the floor for the monthly volume and channel; per-transaction fee below the minimum. |
| 6 | Block: tiered rates must rise from qualified to mid-qualified to non-qualified, and the spread may not exceed the limit. |
| 7 | Block: tiered pricing above the volume ceiling, or for a high-risk merchant. |
| 8 | Block: card-not-present share above the limit; term above the maximum; early termination fee on a month-to-month agreement or above the cap. |
| 9 | Block: partner revenue share above the channel maximum. |
| 10 | Block: the stated device count or stated markup revenue does not match what the validator computes. |
| 11 | Approval: more than 10 devices needs sales management sign-off. |
| 12 | Approval: markup within the approval band of the floor needs pricing desk approval; a low qualified rate needs pricing desk approval. |
| 13 | Approval: a high-risk merchant, or a high card-not-present share, needs underwriting review. |
| 14 | Approval: a long term on low volume, or a partner share above a rep's authority. |
The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.
The agent's request. Please quote a full service dining merchant on the Standard plan through the direct sales channel, with 2 Station, 4 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $300,000 with an average ticket of $45, on a 48 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 18 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $1,500.00. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please quote a full service dining merchant on the Advanced plan through the direct sales channel, with 2 Station, 4 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $300,000 with an average ticket of $45, on a 36 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 22 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $1,326.60. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Needs approval.
The agent's request. Please quote a full service dining merchant on the Advanced plan through the direct sales channel, with 2 Station, 4 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $300,000 with an average ticket of $45, on a 36 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 30 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $1,566.60. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
The agent's request. Please quote a retail merchant on the Standard plan through the bank partner channel, with 3 Station, 1 Mini, 2 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $450,000 with an average ticket of $60, on a 36 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 22 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $2,325.00. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please quote a retail merchant on the Standard plan through the bank partner channel, with 3 Station, 1 Mini, 2 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $450,000 with an average ticket of $60, on a 36 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 28 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $2,010.00. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Needs approval.
The agent's request. Please quote a retail merchant on the Standard plan through the bank partner channel, with 3 Station, 1 Mini, 2 Flex devices (6 in total). Monthly card volume is $450,000 with an average ticket of $60, on a 36 month term. Pricing is interchange-plus with a markup of 40 basis points and 10 cents per transaction. The proposal states 6 devices and estimated monthly markup revenue of $2,550.00. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
The agent's request. Please quote a counter service merchant on the Standard plan through the ISO partner channel, with 5 Station, 3 Mini devices (8 in total). Monthly card volume is $250,000 with an average ticket of $30, on a 24 month term. Pricing is tiered at 180, 250 and 340 basis points for qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified cards, with a 45 percent partner revenue share. The proposal states 8 devices. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please quote a counter service merchant on the Standard plan through the ISO partner channel, with 5 Station, 3 Mini devices (8 in total). Monthly card volume is $250,000 with an average ticket of $30, on a 24 month term. Pricing is tiered at 180, 250 and 320 basis points for qualified, mid-qualified and non-qualified cards, with a 45 percent partner revenue share. The proposal states 8 devices. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.