It’s clear that the future of payment and POS platforms is changing. POS systems are being technologically enhanced to receive and track customer information, including loyalty applications, purchasing preferences, payment convenience options, purchase history and more. The future of POS and payment platforms will truly shape the convenience store experience. For example, dispensers will recognize customers and will know that individual’s preferences. Customers will have an improved purchase experience, receive better more targeted offers and benefit from improved security.

Now the big question. How do these new systems find their way into stores? There was a lot of discussion about the challenges of rolling out these new technologies. We had a number of conversations not only about the costs and technical requirements, but also about the security requirements and dependency on network uptime to ensure the delivery of the services, be it through broadband, wireless or satellite (VSAT) connectivity. We took this opportunity to educate both application vendors and store operators about using the cloud as a security and application platform to help overcome some of their apprehensions.

NACStech is great because it allows us to have high quality and focused conversations. We were thrilled to host it here in our backyard in Tennessee this year. For both Cybera and the industry, NACStech proved to be a success. It set the stage for the year by highlighting some very cool trends.  It was great to be part of these conversations, and to talk to attendees about the opportunities and obstacles that are at the forefront of the industry.