María López, who runs a small grocery store in a bustling neighborhood of Guadalajara, used to keep a wooden cash box under the counter, its slots filled with crumpled bills and jingling coins. For decades, that was how business was done—until a customer success manager named Jorge visited her shop, sat down with her for two sessions, and showed her how to accept digital payments with a simple tap. Six months later, María’s monthly revenue had increased by 18%, and she no longer worries about running out of change.
In a city where cash has long ruled the streets, a Cornell-led study is proving that human support—not just technology—can bridge the digital divide. Across 479 small businesses in Guadalajara, researchers tested a simple but powerful idea: what if merchants weren’t just given digital payment devices, but were also guided through their use? The results were transformative. When customer success managers (CSMs) provided training and demonstrated real-world benefits—like faster transactions and access to more customers—adoption of digital payments surged.
The study found that basic training alone increased digital payment use by 66.6% compared to merchants who received no support. But when CSMs went a step further—helping shop owners conduct early trials and see immediate benefits—adoption rose another 25% beyond that. These weren’t tech-savvy startups; the average business owner came from a lower socioeconomic background, and their shop was often the financial backbone of their family. Yet with personalized support, even those skeptical of technology began to embrace it.
The impact extended beyond individual stores. Neighboring merchants, seeing digital payment stickers in nearby windows, became more likely to adopt the technology themselves—suggesting a ripple effect of confidence and curiosity. And from a financial standpoint, the program paid for itself: the estimated profit increase from digital adoption covered the cost of deploying CSMs within just six to twelve months.
This isn’t just about convenience. Digital payments can improve financial resilience, help track income for tax purposes, and connect small businesses to broader economic networks. Yet in 2018, when the Mexican government distributed free payment devices to 10,000 merchants, fewer than 12% were using them just six months later. Many gave up, saying the system felt too complex; others didn’t see customer demand. The lesson is clear: technology alone isn’t enough. As Shreya Kankanhalli, the study’s lead researcher, puts it, “Once the technology is in the hands of the business owner, that’s just the beginning.” In Guadalajara, that beginning is now becoming a movement—one conversation, one tap, and one small business at a time.