When it comes to payments, the numbers don’t lie—but they don’t always speak for themselves either. That’s where payment analytics comes in. 

Whether it’s uncovering hidden fees, improving approval rates, or optimizing routing strategies, merchants who invest in payment analytics often see measurable impact. But don’t just take our word for it. 

In this roundup, we’re pulling back the curtain on 5 real-world case studies—showing exactly how we were able to help leading merchants use their payment data to drive down costs, boost revenue, and make smarter, faster decisions. 

AutoNation Cuts $1M+ in Fees by Tackling Downgrades and Chargebacks

 Credit card processing fees have long been a pain point for growing businesses—becoming more difficult to manage as operations expand and transaction volumes increase. For AutoNation, this challenge was all too familiar. 

“We process millions of credit card transactions every year, and it became clear we were overspending on fees,” said Greg Moore, Director of Treasury Operations at AutoNation. 

To uncover exactly where savings were hiding, AutoNation turned to Optimized Payments. Our team conducted a deep-dive analysis and used our Harmonize platform to surface key areas of inefficiency—specifically around chargebacks and downgrades. 

By centralizing payment data across all locations into one intuitive dashboard, AutoNation was able to filter and explore performance metrics down to the store level. This newfound visibility led to significant results: over $200K in annual savings from reduced chargebacks and $1M in interchange savings from minimizing downgrade fees. 

For the full story, check out this post: AutoNation: Taking Charge of Chargebacks and Upgrading Downgrades  

Transforming Payment Operations for One of the Nation’s Largest EBPP Providers 

As one of the largest Electronic Bill Payment & Presentment (EBPP) providers in the country, this client processes over $50 billion in card payments annually—across a complex network of processors and sub-merchants. 

The Challenge: Their payment environment was difficult to manage at scale due to several compounding factors: 

• Data analysis was largely manual, relying on Excel and pivot tables 
• Interchange rules varied subtly by Merchant Category Code (MCC), creating fragmented optimization opportunities 
• Sub-merchants operated under a range of pricing models, including Interchange-Plus, bundled pricing, and convenience fee structures 

To bring clarity to the chaos, the client partnered with Optimized Payments. Our Harmonize platform centralized and streamlined payment data, enabling faster and more actionable insights. 

By standardizing data across processors and applying custom optimization logic for MCC-specific nuances, the client unlocked over $10 million in annual savings. 

For the full story, check out this post: Revolutionizing Payment Processing Efficiency for a Leading Payment Facilitator 

Unlocking $3 Million in Payment Savings Through Data-Driven Insights 

With operations spanning 10 states and a wide range of vacation ownership offerings, Westgate Resorts faced growing complexity in their payment ecosystem—making cost control a significant challenge. 

Their payment environment included over 700 MIDs across multiple acquirers and industry codes, creating fragmented data that made it difficult for the payments team to spot inefficiencies or opportunities for improvement. Rising interchange fees only added to the pressure to find savings and streamline operations. 

To tackle this, Westgate partnered with Optimized Payments. Using our Harmonize Analytics platform, we analyzed transaction data across key metrics like Address Verification Service (AVS) usage and settlement timing. This deep-dive uncovered root causes behind persistent downgrade issues—insights that ultimately led to $3 million in total savings. 

For the full story, check out this post: Westgate Resorts & Hotels 

Uncovering $200K in Annual Savings for a Leading Medical Software Company 

Serving over 25,000 users, this medical software provider supports mid-sized and enterprise therapy organizations with advanced EHR and RCM solutions. 

After witnessing the results Optimized Payments achieved for another portfolio company, the client’s private equity firm recognized the value of our work and encouraged a partnership to explore similar opportunities for cost reduction and process improvement. 

Our team conducted a detailed audit of the client’s existing payment setup, using a combination of domain expertise and advanced analytics to surface areas of hidden inefficiency. 

We prioritized recommendations based on effort and impact—starting with low-lift, high-value wins and mapping out a longer-term strategy for deeper optimization. The result: over $200K in annual savings opportunities identified, along with a roadmap tailored to the client’s operational capacity and strategic goals. 

For the full story, check out this post: Medical Software Company Cutting Costs and Improving the Bottom Line 

$50M Recovered: How One Media Giant Fought Involuntary Churn 

This North American financial media company is a trusted source for millions seeking market insights and investment advice. While much of their content is freely available, their revenue model relies heavily on paid subscriptions—offered in both monthly and annual formats. 

Over time, the company saw its subscriber retention rate steadily decline—dropping by 30%. Facing mounting involuntary churn and revenue loss, they turned to Optimized Payments to help reverse the trend and regain profitability. 

Our team quickly identified opportunities to improve retention, drawing on insights from top card issuers and optimizing their account updater configuration. These targeted changes delivered major results—recovering an additional $1 million in subscription revenue per week, totaling more than $50 million in annual retention gains. 

Read the full story here: Large Financial Firm SeesMassive Gains in Revenue 

These real-world examples highlight a clear truth: payment analytics isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a strategic advantage. From recovering lost revenue to uncovering hidden inefficiencies, the merchants we work with prove that data-driven decisions can lead to millions in measurable savings. If you’re wondering what untapped potential may be hiding in your own payment stack, it might be time to take a closer look.