Our Product Pick

Advantech (Irvine, CA) has unveiled its One-to-One Visitor Thermal Screening Kiosk. A zero-contact solution, it supports infection safety by screening individuals for abnormal body temperature. As technical elements, there's 11.6" projected-capacitive touchscreen, Rockchip Quad-Core CPU at 1.8 GHz, and Android 8.1 O/S. A thermal-screening software and thermal sensors are included in the set-up. As benefits, it features plug-and-play installation, multiple alarm settings, and face capture with mask detection. "Our original Visitor Thermal Screening System can support screening of 30+ people at one time," stated Sarah Yang, Advantech's Product Engineer. "Listening to our clients' feedback, we developed this cost-effective version for smaller businesses."

Advantech's Visitor Screening Kiosk

COMPANY BUSINESS

PAR Packs Punchh

"A unified commerce cloud platform for restaurants" being cited as its mission, PAR Technology Corporation (New Hartford, NY) has purchased loyalty and guest engagement leader, Punchh (San Mateo, CA). A cost of approximately $500 million will be paid in cash and shares of common stock of PAR. (A sale of $160 million of stock of PAR to PAR "Act III, LLC" has added two new members to PAR's Board of Directors, Keith Pascal, Act III Partner, and Ron Shaich, Act III Managing Partner and Founder of Panera Bread.) Established in 2010, Punchh has eight of the world's top 20 restaurant chains as users of its technology.

"Today there is a conflict between restaurants and technology," proposed Savneet Singh, President and CEO of PAR. "The quantity of new software applications is making it difficult for restaurants to navigate complex integration networks and taking away focusing on their guests. Meanwhile, online marketplaces are becoming intermediaries between restaurants and their guests. With the Punchh acquisition, we are building a platform that enables restaurants to scale quickly, own their path to innovation, and take back their guest relationship."

"With its Brink POS, PAR [and its subsidiary, ParTech] has been a Punchh partner for many years," reported Shyam Rao, Co-Founder and President of Punchh. "We've gotten to know them while jointly serving customers and have always been impressed with their focus on the customer's success." Also, this spring, PAR has reached 200 integration partners, spanning 30 business categories, for its Brink POS. An average customer of Brink POS utilizes at least three integration partners.

PAR Acquires Loyalty Leader Punchh

On the Sole Train

An industrial-focused private equity firm, Sole Source Capital (Santa Monica, CA), has acquired two more leading practitioners in Auto ID: Peak-Ryzex (Columbia, MD) and Optical Phusion Inc. (Littleton, MA). A merged entity will be led by Peak-Ryzex CEO Juliann Larimer, CFO Michele Adams, and OPI President Tony Rivers. It follows Sole Source's earlier purchase of Auto ID firms Supply Chain Services (Oakdale, MN), Dasco Label (Blaine, MN), Miles Data (Waukesha, WI), and Coridian (Oakdale, MN). Terms were not disclosed.

"These two acquisitions are a natural fit with our investment thesis, as we are a thematically-driven firm and automation is a strong area of focus," commented David Fredston, Founder and Managing Partner of Sole Source Capital. "The Auto ID market is both highly fragmented and has strong industry tailwinds. We are confident in the cultural fit between Peak-Ryzex and OPI, and we are excited to pool our collective resources in the pursuit of building a larger forward-thinking business to grow with the increased digitalization of the supply chain."

"This investment is a testament to the hard work of the Peak-Ryzex team and demonstrates the high growth potential of our product offering," reflected Larimer. "We look forward to partnering with Sole Source and OPI to continue growing, both organically and through strategic acquisitions, by delivering best-in-class, digital supply chain and mobile workforce solutions to our customers." A familiar figure in our industry, before Peak-Ryzex, Larimer served as VP and GM of North American Sales at Zebra Technologies, VP of Americas Marketing at Motorola Solutions, and VP of North American Channel Sales at NCR.

Juliann Larimer, CEO, Peak-Ryzex

Worth Your While

NRA Show
National Restaurant Association
May 22-25
Chicago, IL
[Ed. Note: Cancelled for 2021]

SEAA Conference
Southeast Acquirers Association
May 24-26
Bonita Springs, FL

NRF Show
National Retail Federation
June 6-8
New York, NY
[Ed. Note: Virtual for 2021]

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
July 25-28
Nashville, TN

Western Foodservice & Hospitality Expo
Clarion Events
August 22-24
Anaheim, CA

The NGA Show
National Grocers Association
September 19-21
Las Vegas, NV

Money 20/20
Ascential
October 24-27
Las Vegas, NV

ALL IN THE FAMILY

At Ease With Star

Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ) has introduced antimicrobial covers for reducing the transfer of germs on high-touch surfaces. With specialized coating, opaque or clear appearance, and easy application, they actively kill microbes on contact. Available in rolls, sheets, and pre-cut formats, they are designed to complement regular cleaning in retail stores, restaurants, and other public spaces.

As recommended coverage areas, Star Micronics identifies checkout counters, door handles, push plates, and elevator buttons. An effective protection period of six months is estimated (depending on the amount of traffic), and they will remain active even if scratched or nicked. In addition, the antimicrobial coverings are latex-free and registered as compliant with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

"With the pandemic having such a major effect on retailers and restaurants, Star wanted to provide a solution that will help the reopening of these businesses be successful," relayed Christophe Naasz, Star's Director of Business Development. "These antimicrobial covers will help shoppers and diners feel more at ease when going out in a post-pandemic world." As other products addressing safety in the marketplace, Star Micronics has introduced its tamper-proof labels for take-out and delivery and its sneeze guard, dubbed POSShield.

Star Introduces Antimicrobial Covers, Shown Here on Elevator Buttons

Datalogic Finds Snappiness

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has unwrapped its newest scanner for checkout at the POS, designated as QuickScan QD2500. As prime benefit, the company emphasizes its read performance, with "best-in-class depth of field and snappiness." A 2D Imager, the QuickScan QD2500 has 1 MP optics, illumination via 617 nm RED LED, and aiming via two 470 nm blue LEDs. Carrying "entry-level pricing," according to Datalogic, QuickScan QD2500 "instantly scans mobile device screens and through plexiglass barriers."

Measuring 5.8 in. (L) x 2.7 in. (W) x 5 in. (D), weighing 5.1 oz./145 g, the QuickScan QD2500 provides visual, tactile, and audible reading feedback (including the company's familiar "Green Spot"). When an operator needs to switch from presentation mode to manual reading/trigger mode, or vice versa, the QuickScan QD2500 employs Datalogic's automatic motion-sensing technology, called Motionix. Interfacing includes RS-232/USB/Keyboard Wedge (including USB-C).

As ruggedness, the QuickScan QD2500 features an IP-52 rating for water and dust ingress, 5 ft./1.5 m drop resistance, and five-year factory warranty. A configuration program, Datalogic's Aladdin 3.0, may be downloaded at no charge. A variety of stands and accessories are offered, with the QuickScan QD2500 available in black or white casing.

Datalogic's QuickScan QD2500 Scanner for POS

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A Message From the Editor

As we enter another year, our mission stays constant: to fill the need for timely, focused, non-biased news in the channel for POS & Auto ID. If anything, that need grows more pressing in the face of changes in technology, go-to-market strategies, business models, and consumer preferences. We look forward to continuing that mission and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvement.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

ALLIANCES

OlaPay Entices TSYS

Another certification for the OlaPay family of payment terminals by TeamSable POS (San Jose, CA): in this case, end-to-end EMV Level 3 for TSYS (Columbus, GA). With distribution through POSDATA (Gig Harbor, WA), POS Portal/ScanSource (Sacramento, CA), and Synnex StoreSolv (Greenville, SC), TeamSable's OlaPay provides the channel of VARs, ISVs, and ISOs with transaction solutions for MSR, EMV, and NFC. It joins certification with other processors, most recently, Worldnet (John's Creek, GA) and North American Bancard (Troy, MI).

An app for OlaPay--which, as O/S, runs Android 8.1--allows merchants to quickly start accepting card transactions "out of the box," according to TeamSable. It furnishes functionalities such as PIN-on-Glass, tip allocation, e-mailing of receipts, and transaction records. In addition to EMV Level 3, OlaPay fills security of Payment Card Industry (PCI) 4.X.

Intended for use as stand-alone payment terminals, or semi-integrated with traditional POS, OlaPay has three forms. A desktop Model APT-120 has 12" swiveling, removable touchscreen. A handheld Model APT-50 has 5.5" touchscreen and built-in receipt printer. A pocket-sized Model APT-40-MINI has 4.5" touchscreen and Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and WAN. All employ projected-capacitive technology and 1.2 GHz Quad-Core CPU.

OlaPay Family of Payment Terminals by TeamSable

Getting Jolted (Are North Country and Postec)

A new reseller program has been launched by ISV Jolt Software (Lehi, UT). It extends the company's existing referral partner program. A pair of prominent resellers in retail IT have climbed onboard: North Country Business Products (Bemidji, MN) and Postec (Atlanta, GA). As its solution for "restaurant operations execution," not POS, Jolt focuses on task management, food safety, costing, and employee performance.

As so-called "digital assistant manager," Jolt is cloud-based and displayed on smartphone or tablet. It was founded in 2012 by CEO Josh Bird. A number of well-known brands are customers, including Burger King, Culver's, Five Guys, Jersey Mike's, Krispy Kreme, Pizza Hut, Popeyes, and Zaxby's. "The Jolt Platform offers our clients and prospects an in-demand solution that is top of mind, especially in today's business climate," indicated Jim Freed, President and CEO at North Country Business Products (or NCBP).

"Our go-to-market strategy includes growing domestically and internationally through the partner channel to complement our existing sales and delivery capabilities," remarked Tim Pincelli, Global VP of Partner Channel at Jolt. "Adding two world-class organizations that share Jolt's values of excellence, customer success, and constant innovation--in the form of NCBP and Postec--is an excellent way to launch our channel." In his substantial career, Pincelli has served as Director of Global Food and Beverage for Oracle; Senior Director, U.S. and Canada, for Micros; and Program Manager for Boston ECR.

A New Partner Program Launched by Jolt Software

Code Corner

Agilysys (Alpharetta, GA) has presented an interesting new product: Agilysys Digital Marketing. A cloud-based platform, it enables hospitality operators to deliver personalized, brand-crafted messaging and promotional offers to their guests. It utilizes e-mail and text-message-based marketing (SMS). Operators can segment guests by category or other criteria and send context-related communications at time of reservation, check-in, checkout, or to support defined marketing campaigns and orders. It offers an API (Application Programming Interface) for third-parties as well as for other solutions by Agilysys. "As a result of our investment in R&D and exclusive focus on enterprise hospitality software, we continue to expand our solution set," declared Dr. Prabuddha Biswas, CTO at Agilysys. "Agilysys Digital Marketing is already live at multiple customer properties and leveraging its robust integration to solutions in Agilysys Hospitality."

Agilysys Digital Marketing Platform

Channel Chatter

A major step forward into our channel for MicroTouch, the reborn manufacturer of capacitive touchscreens for self-service and POS. Acquired by TES America (Holland, MI) in January, MicroTouch will now be distributed by Metropolitan Sales (Lynbrook, NY) and BlueStar (Hebron, KY) in North America. At the helm: Bill Nulf, VP of Channel Sales and Barbara VanGennep, Channel Program Director. (Both veterans of Elo Touch Systems). In our next edition, we discuss their plans .

MicroTouch Signs Metropolitan Sales and BlueStar

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

PayJunction Woos Oliver POS

An integrated package for omnichannel retail--including the e-commerce platform WooCommerce--has been fashioned by ISV Oliver POS (St. John's, NL, Canada) and payment processor PayJunction (Santa Barbara, CA). As an in-store front-end, PayJunction will supply its "ZeroTouch" payment terminal at no cost for qualified clients of Oliver POS. (This is the non-contact, customer-facing, LUXE 8500i by Equinox Payments.) Both in-store and online payments (via WooCommerce) are processed by PayJunction and managed through the Oliver POS Hub.

"We are thrilled to team with Oliver POS to improve the payment experience for their retail clients and the customers they serve," expressed Randy Modos, President at PayJunction. "Users of WooCommerce with a physical location can now speed up processing and streamline operations through one unified cloud-based interface." As benefits, he enumerates elimination of double-entry keying errors, reduction in use of paper-based systems, and faster end-of-day close.

"PayJunction offers a great solution that not only helps us accelerate our growth, but helps our merchants and their customers as well," enthused Mathias Nielsen, Founder and CEO at Oliver POS. "Right now, safe and efficient checkouts for in-store businesses are essential, and we're looking forward to providing our merchants with this option." On its website, Oliver POS solicits "Developers, Resellers, and Referrers."

"ZeroTouch" Terminal Offered by PayJunction

Oracle Feeling Hospitable

As travel and hospitality emerge from the darkness of COVID-19, Oracle has offered third-party developers its API (Application Programming Interface) for Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud. As announced at its recent Virtual Innovation Week, specifically, its REST ("Representational State Transfer") API specifications in the Oracle Hospitality Integration Platform (OHIP) are now freely accessible through GitHub under Universal Permissive License (URL). A platform that centralizes, consolidates, and streamlines data and processes across hotel operations, Oracle's OHIP is offered free to customers of OPERA Cloud.

"We have heard over and over from customers and partners that they would like to reuse or take inspiration from our REST API specs," reported Laura Calin, VP of Strategy at Oracle Hospitality (Columbia, MD). "They want our APIs to become the industry reference and are asking us to make it possible. With this update, we are making this vision of an open architecture the new reality and taking APIs in hospitality to completely new levels."

With this integration platform, according to Oracle, customers and partners will benefit from: secure access to more than 3,000 REST APIs; an end-to-end self-service process for use of the APIs; reduced partner fees with elimination of mandatory certification for the APIs; and accelerated delivery through real-time feedback for the APIs. "By leveraging the OPERA REST API specs and OHIP, we will be able to include virtually every hospitality capability into our solution. This, in turn, will enable hospitality developers to tap into any of these capabilities in a matter of seconds rather than weeks or months of tedious work," projected Zdenek Nemec, Founder and CTO of developer and partner of Oracle, Superface.ai (Saldova, Czechia).

Oracle Opens Access to Hotel APIs

Key Advertiser Links

Be sure to visit these vendors for the latest in channel products and offers for resellers.

POS & Peripherals
Electronic Payments
Epson America
Harbortouch
HP
Ingenico
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Revel Systems

Barcode Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Godex Americas

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer

Customer Journey and Engagement Management System
FastSensor

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Janam Technologies
Unitech America

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Electronic Payments
Ingenico
International Bancard
North American Bancard
PAX Technology

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Epson America
Star Micronics
Woosim Systems

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Gamber-Johnson

INSTALLATIONS

NCR Stirs the Sauce

A tale of COVID-19, with Chicago's Roots Pizza leveraging the NCR Engage Mobile app for take-out and delivery. With four locations in Chicago, Roots Pizza, part of the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group, runs, as its major platform, NCR Aloha POS. It added the NCR Engage Mobile app for online ordering by customers, contactless payments, customer loyalty and engagement, and push messaging for promotions. It was forced to shift to take-out and delivery exclusively with COVID-19.

"NCR Engage Mobile app delivered even more ROI during a really uncertain time for our community and our business," testified Scott Weiner, Multi-Site Operator and Co-Owner of the Fifty/50 Restaurant Group. "With the technology in place, we were able to quickly pivot Roots Pizza to take-out and delivery only. This kept us open, serving customers and paying employees." As its sit-down business returns, Roots Pizza plans to replace its physical menus with the QR Code on NCR Engage Mobile.

"When I think about bold restaurant owners persevering through this new normal, I immediately think of Scott and Roots Pizza," shared Dirk Izzo, President and GM of NCR Hospitality (Atlanta, GA). "They have met every curveball thrown their way with innovation and grit. It's restaurants like Roots Pizza that inspire us to create new solutions to run the restaurant so our customers can succeed in today's digital-first economy." Across its customer base, NCR says it handles 6 million digital orders per week.

NCR's Engage Mobile App at Roots Pizza

QuickCollect: Locker Talk

A new, "smart," pick-up locker for retailers, grocers, and pharmacies has been rolled out by QuickCollect Solutions (Durham, NC). Addressing indoor/outdoor, 24/7 use, the QuickCollect EL has double-column locker modules and customizable compartment size options (ranging from small 4.8" tall to extra-large 32" tall). It features corrosion-resistant steel construction with powder coat finish and foundation mounting with hidden hardware. A 13" touchscreen is rugged.

Upon arriving to collect their order, the customer scans his or her barcode at the customer portal. Once the order is confirmed, one of the locker doors will automatically open, revealing their package. A QuickCollect EL can also be configured to accept returns or for pick-up by delivery drivers. Additional features include security camera, Ethernet/Wi-Fi/WAN, and awning with LEDs for nighttime illumination.

"QuickCollect EL is American-made, incredibly durable, and can be implemented anywhere at an unbeatable price point," expounded Christopher Hill, VP and GM of QuickCollect Solutions (supported by Bell and Howell). "This smart locker system enables retailers, grocers, and pharmacies of all sizes to deliver a contactless order pick-up experience that customers will love." A series of specialized products for customer pickup from this company also includes QuickCollect GL Refrigerated Grocery Lockers, QuickCollect XL Curbside Grocery and Retail Smart Locker, and QuickCollect RX Automated Pharmacy Locker.

QuickCollect EL Indoor/Outdoor Smart Locker

Channel Factoid

Grabbing the Rebound

(Year-Over-Year Sales Growth: March 2021 vs. March 2020)

-Total Retail Sales: +26.3%
(Except Auto & Gas)

-Total Retail Sales: +21.0%
(Except Auto)

-E-Commerce Sales: +56.8%

By Sector:

-Apparel: +60.6%

-Dept. Stores: +114.3%

-Electronics/Appl.: +2.7%

-Furniture/Home: +64.8%

-Grocery: -20.4%

-Hardware: +20.2%

-Jewelry: +106.1%

Source: "Mastercard Spending Pulse," by Mastercard, which includes sales across all payment types, including credit, cash, and checks.

Retail Sales Jump in March 2021

HELLO GOODBYE

A Line of Code

A pair of new executive hires at Code Corporation (Salt Lake City, UT): Lorraine Dieterle as Director of Software Sales and Jana Buchanan as Senior Product Manager of Hardware. In her career in software sales, Dieterle has served as Senior Sales Manager, Commercial Print and Managed Solutions, Southwest, at FedEX, and as Director of Enterprise Sales, SaaS, at supply chain management entity Browz. Before joining Code, Buchanan served as Senior Global Product Manager at die-cut machine manufacturer Cricut, Inc., with customers Disney and Marvel.

"As a result of our growth, Code Corporation is able to draw in unique talent with world-class skill sets and expertise," observed Kent Hansen, CEO of Code Corporation. "The expansion of our sales and product management teams is a reflection of Code's commitment to delivering innovation and excellence to our customers and partners around the world. We welcome Lorraine and Jana to the teams and look forward to working with them as we continue to grow."

Also, Code Corporation has promoted Jessica Johnson to Director of Manufacturing. A Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering holder from the University of Utah, Johnson joined Code in 2011 as Manufacturing and Reliability Engineering Manager. "Customers confidently rely on us for barcode scanning hardware and software solutions that meet the highest standards of quality and performance," noted Hansen at Code. "This is only possible because of great leaders like Jessica."

In Code's Team: Lorraine Dieterle, Director of Software Sales; Jana Buchanan, Senior Product Manager of Hardware; Jessica Johnson, Director of Manufacturing

Macy's Day at the NRF

The National Retail Federation (Washington, DC) has signed Martine Reardon, former Chief Marketing Officer at Macy's Inc., as its Chief Marketing Officer and EVP of Content and Membership. Capping her career at Macy's, she served as Macy's CMO from 2012 to 2016. Since that time, she has advised the NRF on retail and marketing strategies.

"Martine Reardon is one of the most well-respected, innovative, and successful marketing leaders with over three decades of experience in retail," related Matthew Shay, President and CEO of NRF. "Whether contributing to the extraordinary growth of Macy's Inc. or the planning and execution of the iconic Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Fourth of July Fireworks in New York City, her success speaks for itself. We are privileged she is officially joining our executive team."

"Throughout the pandemic of COVID-19, Martine has helped NRF successfully pivot and create new content and events to support our members' evolving challenges," continued Shay. "Martine is the ideal executive to help NRF continue to gain market share by delivering thought leadership through compelling and relevant content for and on behalf of the industry." As the world's largest retail trade association, the NRF has 18,000 members across retail and hospitality.

Martine Reardon, CMO and EVP of Content and Membership, National Retail Federation