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Tap into omnichannel

opportunities beyond retail

example, five different online and offline ways – using a
single omnichannel payment solution to drive commerce.
There are, of course, other markets exploring omnichannel
payments. Healthcare organizations and dental offices are
big on protecting private information, so having tokenized
payment methods allows patients to remain anonymous
while still making payments easy.

Another market is the vending machine industry where
companies are rolling out tap-to-pay and even loyalty
programs. Imagine having a phone app that allows you
to pay for vending machine items from your phone as
By Nick Starai opposed to the machine. Also, proximity readers in the
vending machines can sense when customers are nearby
NMI and push out notifications to increase engagement.
mnichannel is the business-model nirvana Omnichannel benefits
nearly every retailer is trying to reach, and for
good reason. The idea of making purchasing In all cases, markets outside of retail are taking note
O easy for consumers, whether in-store across because the omnichannel model has the potential to
multiple locations or online from anywhere, not only deliver the same benefits that we see in retail. Thanks to the
increases sales, but it also improves the customer experi- underlying omnichannel payment backbone, tokenization
ence. With such amazing results, it should be no surprise of the customer can be used for all purchases, allowing
that other verticals have taken note and are now seeking companies to track and understand customer engagement.
payment solutions that will make omnichannel a reality
for them. In addition, it's easier for the company to manage one
payment vendor for all electronic transactions. Of course,
Expanded opportunities giving customers multiple options for payments can only
increase their overall satisfaction.
For ISOs seeking lush new market opportunities,
promising options definitely exist outside of retail. In fact, Contactless payments play a
while NMI has seen a 20 percent growth in merchants vital role in omnichannel
processing omnichannel payments, much of that growth
is happening outside of retail. Finally, it should be noted that in all the above examples, the
omnichannel commerce user experience can be elevated
Consider the transportation industry and niches such as with the inclusion of contactless payment capabilities.
light rail and buses. Historically, customers were required While the United States has lagged behind other countries
to pre-purchase a pass or closed-loop payment card via when it comes to contactless, it's catching up quickly and
a kiosk or ticketing agent. Of course, some tickets could will soon be a payment option consumers expect at the
be purchased when the traveler boarded. Today, thanks POS. With every card brand planning to issue contactless
to the implementation of omnichannel payment solutions, cards in the near term, contactless will quickly become the
transportation operators can adopt an omnichannel rule, as opposed to the exception.
strategy and reap the rewards.
Thanks to proven results experienced in retail, ISOs and
For example, open-loop payment solutions in merchant level salespeople seeking sales in omnichannel
transportation allow for a contactless credit card or mobile and contactless payments have more opportunities than
device to be used in place of a ticket to "tap on" and "tap ever. Are you ready to seize the opportunity?
off" when getting on or leaving a bus or train. Physical Nick Starai is chief strategy officer and one of the co-founders of NMI
tickets can also be purchased via an unattended kiosk,
from a ticketing agent at a POS terminal, or on the train who played an integral role in the formation and launch of the NMI
("tap on/tap off"). Virtual tickets can also be purchased via payments platform in 2001. He drives the strategic direction of the com-
a mobile app. pany and supports NMI's enterprise clients and overall partner success.
He also brings 17 years of experience in the payments and technology
The result is that the transportation company can sell industry. Contact him by email at hello@nmi.com, phone at 844-378-
tickets on a variety of different channels – in the above 2146 and via Twitter @NMIpayments.

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