May 21, 2019

Mastercard has entered an agreement with mobile phone giant Samsung to explore ways to secure digital identity that do not rely heavily on passwords and personal information.

"Our digital and physical lives are merging and we need a digital identity solution that reflects this reality," Ajay Bhalla, Mastercard president of cyber and intelligence, said in a press release. "Without control over how their data is used, people rely on outdated systems that can compromise their security."

The company said that consumers soon will be able to use a digital identity method for their devices that works for both the physical and digital interactions. This method would be used for everything from accessing email to opening a bank account, shopping online or watching streaming video.

"At Samsung, we believe consumers should be in complete control of the privacy and security of their personal identity and we're excited to work with Mastercard to bring the first digital identity solution to Samsung smartphones," said Yongje Kim, executive vice president and head of service business office at Samsung Electronics mobile division.

Topics: Card Brands, Handsets / Devices, Mobile Banking, Mobile Payments, Security

Companies: Samsung, MasterCard

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May 20, 2019

Toast Inc. has announced that several companies will join its partner ecosystem, including Appfront, Como, Envysion, Homebase, PourMyBeer, Say2Eat and UT&I Solutions. This will bring to 70 the total number of partners whom Toast is now helping to enhance the restaurant guest experience and streamline in-house operations for restaurant customers of all sizes.

"At Toast we're passionate about providing our restaurant community with access to an open ecosystem of leading technology applications that are certified to work with Toast point of sale," Toast co-founder and president Aman Narang said in a company release.

Among the new partner firms, three specialize in enhancing the guest experience:

The remaining companies focus on helping restaurants streamline operations:

Topics: POS, Restaurants, Technology Providers

Companies: Toast, Inc.

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May 20, 2019

Press Coffee Roasters, a Phoenix-based cafe chain, has implemented a mobile ordering system with SpeedETab Inc. and Epson America Inc. printers at its seven area locations, Epson officials said in a company release.

Press Coffee Roasters selected SpeedETab for its enterprise-class ordering, analytics and engagement tools, according to officials, in the release. Epson America is providing its TM-m30 mPOS printers to the coffee chain to provide receipts to customers.

"Until very recently, having your own mobile ordering application was reserved for enterprise brands that had the resources and capital to build a quality mobile experience," Adam Garfield, chief executive of SpeedETab, said in the announcement. "We make it easy for SMB's and mid-market brands to compete by giving them an out-of-the-box digital ordering solution that lets customers skip the line while personalizing the ordering and pickup experience."

Press Coffee customers can reorder drinks by tapping a button. The ordering system automatically flashes and alerts staff with a beep. Approved orders are sent to the Epson printers for receipts and alert customers that an order is in process. Customer names and photos are sent to baristas to make sure they have the correct customer.

The app uses the Press Coffee brand and customers can add credit or debit cards as their method of payment, Garfield said via email. 

SpeedETab now provides mobile ordering at about 1,500 cafes and other locations around the U.S., including Barnes & Noble, Panther Coffee, Gregory's Coffee and Toby's Estate.

Officials at Press Coffee Roasters, which originally opened in 2008, said that many of their  technology decisions are driven by the customer experience. In the six months since implementation, thousands of customers are using the mobile ordering system and adoption rates are continuing to increase.

"Our goal with a mobile app was to give our customers another way to order and know they were still getting the same great Press drinks and food," co-owner Jason Kyle said in the release. "We needed a reliable way to funnel mobile orders into our existing workflow so that baristas could streamline order-ahead tickets without interrupting service to in-store customers."

Topics: In-App Payments, Mobile Apps, Mobile Payments, POS, Restaurants

Companies: Epson America Inc.

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May 20, 2019

Postmates, the on-demand delivery firm, has announced that its first national television ad campaign will feature celebrity home improvement expert Martha Stewart, who will describe how the company can help improve life in the kitchen.

The campaign was developed by Mother Los Angeles, the recently announced creative agency of record for Postmates. The spots were directed by Andreas Nilsson.

"We are delighted to unveil the second phase of our new campaign we call 'Postmate It,' featuring Martha Stewart," Eric Edge, Postmates senior vice president of marketing and communications, said in a press release. "This campaign is meant to show how Postmates fit into our customers' everyday lives — in a humorous and memorable way."

The campaign shows Stewart on television demonstrating various recipes in the kitchen while a viewer tries to keep up with the on-camera instructions. Stewart finally suggests that the struggling fan just "Postmate It."

The campaign will launch during the summer, and and will feature out-of-home placements, social video and a number of radio spots in Postmates markets across the country.

San Francisco-based Postmates works with more than 500,000 restaurants, groceries and convenience stores in more than 3,500 cities in the U.S. and Mexico, the release said.

Topics: Mobile Apps, Mobile Marketing, Restaurants

Companies: Postmates

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May 20, 2019

Modulr, a payments-as-a-service platform for digital businesses, said it raised $17.8 million in funding led by Frog Capital.

Existing investor Blenheim Chalcot participated in the round and the new investment brings the total amount that Modulr has raised to date to $31.2 million (24.5 million pounds).

The company said the funding will be used to grow its existing teams of employees in London and Edinburgh, Scotland, which are two of the leading fintech hubs in the region. The company will use its recently opened Dublin office as a hub for additional expansion of its European business.

"We’re extremely pleased to have completed our latest funding round, led by Frog Capital, and to have found a like-minded investor to work closely with the leadership team and our existing lead investor, Blenheim Chalcot, to pursue the significant global opportunity for our business," Miles Stephenson, chief executive at Modulr, said in a company release.

He said the company has processed more than $12.7 billion during the first two years of existence, since early 2017. The new investment will allow it to take the next step to become the leading digital alternative for payments in the wholesale and commercial payments arena.

The company in February reached an agreement with travel technology firm Paxport, to provide payments solutions for tour operators and online travel agencies. Modulr also entered an agreement with Sage to automate salary and supplier payments.

Topics: Mobile Payments, Region: EMEA, Technology Providers

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May 17, 2019

By Chris Kronenthal, president and CTO at FreedomPay

Retailers are used to having to change or update their payment systems over time, but a major change is coming up which means many of the current point-of-sale (POS) systems they are using will not just become obsolete, but could leave them at risk of liability for fraudulent transactions.

PCI compliant terminals are an important part of a retailer’s business and once the new V4 terminals come in to use in April next year, the V3 ones that are currently used by retailers will no longer be supported. It is a process the industry calls ‘sunsetting’, and retailers need to start looking at the alternative payment systems they can use now so their transition from one system to another can be seamless.

Doing nothing is a very dangerous option, as continuing to use an unsupported POS systems – i.e. without software updates to ensure compliance with legislation and the latest security protocols – they would end up footing the bill for any fraudulent transactions made through their terminals.

So, now is a very good time to look at the wide variety of payment system alternatives that are currently in the market. There are around 900 different payment terminals globally, and the one that was right for your business previously may no longer be appropriate. It really depends on how your business works.

Most retailers now have an online presence, which is essential to garner market share for their business as the buying habits of consumers change. Worldwide, 2.8 billion people are buying online, up 3.1% from last year according to data from We Are Social and the trend is set to continue.

Failing to access this market effectively means putting your company’s future at risk. There are many retailers that have failed because they didn’t follow the move online quickly enough —ToysRUs, Blockbuster, Eastman Kodak and the U.S. bookstore chain Borders to name but a few.

So, it is vital for retailers to consider their online presence, and also look at the various ways that people are able to pay for goods and services both online and offline. Customers are using everything from credit cards, debit cards and mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and are always keen to adopt new, easier and faster – but still ultra-secure – ways to pay.

While it may be tempting to think of upgrading your new POS system in isolation, you should also consider how your customers are interacting with you. Is your online presence strong enough, or could be made stronger? Also, would a more integrated payment system for both online and offline payments make more sense for your business?

Even in store, the number of ways customers look to pay is proliferating. For example, contactless seemed like an amazing innovation when it arrived back in 2007 and while it took some time for people to feel comfortable with it, contactless payments finally outstripped chip and PIN payments in the U.K. in June last year. But that is the tip of the iceberg. People are now using their smartphones, watches and facial recognition to pay for good and services, and these advances in technology show no sign of abating. If retailers want to keep their customers happy, and coming back, they need to consider these options going forward. They need to use a system that is future proof because it develops as the technology develops.

Cover photo: iStock

Topics: Mobile Payments, POS, Security, Trends / Statistics

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