Merchants are adapting their operations to new consumer behaviors. They’re enabling curbside ordering and pickup, taking more payments online or by phone, and accepting digital payments at the front door when delivering orders. Traditional, stationary point of sale (POS) terminals don’t give grocers, retailers, restaurateurs, and consumer service providers the flexibility to conduct these types of transactions efficiently – but smart payment devices can.
What Are Smart Payment Devices?
Smart devices give merchants POS and payment functionality in a standalone solution. Like traditional payment devices, smart payment devices accept digital payments, such as EMV chip cards, contactless cards, debit cards, and mobile wallets, but they also do more. Depending on the model, a smart payment device can include cameras for barcode scanning, built-in receipt printers, and a second customer-facing screen. They may also feature 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity, so merchants can use them wherever they need to – at an outdoor pop-up shop, a festival or other remote location, and anywhere inside the brick-and-mortar store.
Smart payment devices can also provide merchants with additional functionality they need, such as inventory management with features that enable building product libraries and using barcode scanning data to keep inventory up to date.
How Mobile Devices Can Be Smart Payment Devices
Merchants also have the option to turn compatible iOS and Android smartphones or tablets into smart payment devices. For example, North American Bancard’s Payanywhere Bluetooth Credit Card Readers enable merchants to connect a mobile device with a 2-in-1 reader for magstripe and EMV cards or a 3-in-1 reader for magstripe, EMV and contactless payments. Additionally, 4G and Wi-Fi connectivity make it easy for the readers to securely share data with the network.
Another choice for merchants is using a virtual terminal solution that turns any device with network connectivity into a payment device. With this technology, a sales associate or cashier can log into the virtual terminal and enter payment card information on the screen on their devices. Additionally, merchants who provide products or services on a subscription basis can use the virtual terminal solution to set up recurring payments to offer consumers greater convenience and build a predictable revenue stream.
Be Smart About Providing Smart Solutions
Different merchants operate in various ways, and one type of POS or payment solution won’t be the right choice for all of your clients or prospects. One option may be a full-featured omnichannel platform that merchants use on traditional stationary POS terminals. However, for others, the best choice will be a virtual terminal or a smart payment device with inventory management capabilities. Furthermore, some organizations may benefit from a combination of solutions that communicate data with a centralized management system.
With all of these options at your disposal, you can provide your sales teams or resellers with a portfolio that includes a range of offerings that enable them to provide users with systems that are right for their businesses. Furthermore, affordable smart payment devices can help your team compete with other all-in-one systems that are gaining a greater share of the SMB market.
Take the Smart Next Step
Offering smart payment device options to your clients begins with a partnership with a payments company with expertise and a successful track record of providing these solutions.
Contact North American Bancard to learn more about Payanywhere, Virtual Terminal, and an ISV/software developer partnership that can increase your competitiveness and business growth.
