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Education

Helping merchants A recent survey conducted by Pymnts in conjunction with
AEVI found that about one-third of U.S. merchants have
select the right apps heard of smart POS solutions but aren't yet using them.
Another third have not heard of such solutions but are
interested in the descriptions provided by the surveyors.
Another 14 percent said they already use this type of
solution, while 16 percent indicated they have no interest.
The survey data provides a muddled picture of the
market, but that's not really surprising given that they're
retailers, not technologists, and we're at the front edge of
the adoption curve.
Simplifying decision-making

Acquirers, ISOs and merchant level salespeople (MLS)
need to make the technology decision-making process
simple for merchants, while still providing them flexibility
and adaptability as consumer and business needs evolve.

Lower-cost Android payment devices make it possible
to put sophisticated apps in the hands of more and more
merchants. The challenge is to assemble a core suite of
By Nicky Koopman must-have apps that will work best for your merchants
AEVI in their initial stage of digital transformation within their
particular vertical segments.
echnology is available today to transform the
traditional point of sale (POS) into a vibrant Key requirements you should focus on in building your
point of interaction (POI) that fulfills merchant merchant-facing POI strategy should center on a platform
T needs for integrated payment, consumer-facing that provides, among other things:
digital activities, and automation of key business func- • A high degree of orchestration among apps to ensure
tions and processes. But there is far too much technology seamless, multifunction processes to both consumer
for most merchants to fully explore or make reasoned and merchant.
decisions on what is best for them.
• Ease of use to ensure managers and sales clerks can
When it comes to the POI, the number of apps available get up and running quickly and new personnel can
may not be quite so daunting as the volume of apps step in without a hitch.
created for the smartphone, but the task of investigating
numerous POS and other business apps is nevertheless • Ready to go, out of the box. Minimal intervention
a time-consuming prospect that few merchants have the should be required for the onboarding process and
time or affinity for. Add in the reality that many apps look subsequently reconfiguring app suites.
good at first glance, but fall far short when put into actual
use, and you can envision the wide gap separating the • Ability to mix and match hardware from different
potential from the practical. vendors so that merchants can use the best devices
to fit their needs.
Surveying the merchant base Assembling tailored app bundles

The small to midsize merchant market in the United With the right platform, you can assemble an easier-to-
States is remarkably diverse, spanning numerous vertical manage diverse estate of devices to provide greater choice
segments, from the mom-and-pop corner grocery store, to to your merchants. Then it's incumbent on you to assemble
barber shops and salons, health and wellness businesses, a core bundle of apps that are suited to your particular
fast food and full-service restaurants, and so on. Every clients, and the vertical segments you are targeting.
day, more and more software developers are offering
apps catering to the small merchant segment. Some target As noted, the proliferation of apps even in the merchant
specific vertical markets; others target a more horizontal, space is breathtaking. But we should all be able to agree
general merchant profile. on the top requirements that most merchants will need.
According to the Pymnts survey, these are the leading
customer-facing apps merchants are looking for in smart
POS solutions:

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