Our Product Pick

Bematech (Bethpage, NY) has shipped its new All-in-One Android POS, the SB1015AW. With true-flat, bezel-free, fanless design, the SB1015AW has 15.6" 16:9 widescreen LCD (1366x768), with projected-capacitive touch. Overall, it measures 15.9 in. (W) x 12.1 in. (H) x 9 in. (D) and weighs 13 lbs. As technology, it has Quad-Core ARM Cortex A9 CPU at 1.6 GHz, 1-GB RAM, 8-GB eMMC, and Android 4.4 (KitKat). A full family of I/O ports includes USB 2.0 x 6, Micro USB x 1, Serial RS-232 x 3, Ethernet RJ-45 x 1, Audio x 1, and Micro SD Slot x 1, with built-in Bluetooth 4.0 and 802.11a/b/g/n Wi-Fi. A heavy base with extra wide hinge ensures stability, according to Bematech, with easy mounting for magnetic-stripe reader (MSR) and customer displays (VFD/LCD).

Bematech's SB1015AW Android POS Terminal

COMPANY BUSINESS

A Spa Day for Harbortouch

A new vertical market for Harbortouch (Allentown, PA): Salon & Spa. Addressing this vertical, with an estimated 82,000 locations in the U.S., the point-of-sale vendor/payment processor has debuted its software suite with necessary industry-specific features, including appointment calendar, walk-in management, multi-station support, and e-mail/text reminders. As expected, it will be offered under the company's "POS-as-a-Service" model, which carries no up-front costs and pricing of $69 per month for software, hardware, installation, and training. Also offered, of course, separate merchant transaction processing.

In concert with this new software, Harbortouch has debuted its next-generation terminal, entitled Elite III. It features sleek brushed aluminum design as well as an improved touchscreen (capacitive 15") and more power (ARM CPU). In addition to its Salon & Spa, Harbortouch offers bundles for Retail, Hospitality, QSR & Delivery, C-Store, and Spirits. All support remote reporting and management capabilities through the company's cloud-based platform, cleverly dubbed Lighthouse. Only Salon & Spa, as well as future software on Android, will employ Elite III, RRN.Com was told.

"Our free POS program has transformed the entire point-of-sale industry by making high-value POS solutions more affordable and accessible to small and mid-sized businesses," declared Jared Isaacman, CEO of Harbortouch. "While many startups have been hailed as disruptive in the payments industry, Harbortouch has been a proven disruptor, delivering game-changing programs time after time during our 17 years in business. Our innovative 'POS-as-a-Service' sales model represents true disruption by offering cutting-edge products at an unheard-of price point. Our new software package bolsters this revolutionary offering by expanding this program into the underserved salon and spa markets."

Enhanced Elite III POS From Harbortouch

A Stride for One Step Retail

As the first consolidation of 2017, as regards retail IT, One Step Retail Solutions (Phoenix, AZ) has snapped up "substantially all the assets" of J.D. Associates (Leominster, MA). In addition to increasing its geographical reach, and adding "industry expertise and key personnel," this acquisition will extend One Step's footprint in the SMB. It includes an assignment agreement, making One Step the authorized software and hardware provider for former customers of J.D. Associates. Terms of the transaction were not announced.

"With an ever-increasing client base on the east coast, we see this as a tremendous opportunity to expand and better meet our clients' IT needs," shared Scott Kreisberg, Founder and CEO of One Step Retail Solutions. "With this acquisition, we are well positioned to accelerate our vision for a technology platform that brings together both retail software solutions and managed services--empowering retailers like never before. Deep collective roots in the retail technology space, combined with innovation, makes for an exciting future for both us and our clients."

Founded in 1985, One Step Retail Solutions has grown into one of the most powerful players in retail IT, encompassing point-of-sale, store systems, companion products, and managed IT services. It handles Retail Pro, NCR CounterPoint, Teamwork Retail, and most recently, Springboard Retail. In their remarks, Don Capman, President of J.D. Associates and John Deery, Founder of J.D. Associates, stated: "Since our founding in 1989, the mission of J.D. Associates has been to provide retailers with the very best retail technology solutions and services. By joining forces with One Step Retail Solutions, we know we have made great strides in advancing that mission forward."

Scott Kreisberg, Founder and CEO, One Step Retail Solutions

Worth Your While

NRF's Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 15-17
New York, NY

Inspire
Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA)
Jan. 29-Feb. 1
St. Kitts, West Indies

Transact
Electronic Transactions Association
May 10-12
Las Vegas, NV

NRA
National Restaurant Association
May 20-23
Chicago, IL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Datalogic Projects Power(Scan)

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has extended its portfolio with the PowerScan 9300 Series. With laser barcode reading, the PowerScan 9300 addresses extra-long-range needs in industrial environments, according to the vendor: as standard range, from contact to 3.3 ft./1 m; in auto range, 8 in./20 cm up to 41 ft./12.5 m. A trio of models are offered: the corded PowerScan PD9300; Bluetooth 3.0 PowerScan PBT9300; and PowerScan PM9300 with Datalogic's STAR Cordless System. Display and keypads are options on the PowerScan PM9300.

In black and yellow, and gun format, the PowerScan 9300 Series measures 8.4 in. (L) x 2.9 in. (W) x 4.3 in. (D) and weighs between 11.0 oz. and 16.4 oz. Ergonomically designed for operator comfort, according to the vendor, it carries an IP-65 rating for water and dust, 6.5-ft./2-m drop resistance, and temperature range of -4 to +158 degrees F. It includes the vendor's "Green Spot" aiming technology, along with beeper and dual LEDs for good read feedback. All models feature Serial RS-232, Keyboard Wedge, and USB.

"Datalogic's PowerScan Series is recognized as the world's top-selling rugged barcode reader," emphasized Giulio Berzuini, Datalogic's GM of Handheld Scanners and VP of EMEA Sales. "We feel the addition of the PowerScan 9300 laser scanners offers our customers versatility, accuracy, and a strong return on investment (ROI)." Datalogic also extends its PowerScan 9500 Series, with one- and two-dimensional reading, similarly configured in Models PD9500, PBT9500, and PM9500.

Datalogic's PowerScan 9300 Series

Cherry Grows (Noiselessly)

Cherry Americas LLC (Pleasant Prairie, WI) has unwrapped its new pair of MX keyswitches: Cherry Silent and Cherry Silent RGB. Available in red and black stem versions, they furnish patent-pending noise reduction and multiple fastening configurations. In all, four models are offered: Cherry MX3A-L1NN (Silent Red), MX3A-11NN (Silent Black), MX3A-L1NA (Silent RGB Red), and MX3A-11NA (Silent RGB Black).

Both Silent Red and Silent Black carry the company's light linear feel and "Gold Crosspoint" technology, which ensures self-cleaning, resistance to dust and dirt, and extended durability. In addition, the Silent RGBs employ transparent casing with light scattering lens, optimized for even illumination. Overall the Silent MX keyswitches offer less than 5-millisecond bounce, 12-V AC/DC maximum switching voltage, IP-40 rating for water and dust, and two-year warranty.

"With Cherry's Silent and Silent RGB keyswitches, there are never any compromises made in design or manufacture--over 50 million actuations per keyswitch are guaranteed," stated Cherry Americas. "Cherry keyboard users enjoy long-lasting and safe performance with renowned Cherry quality, demonstrated by many years of market leadership in the industry." Of particular interest to its channel for POS, Cherry also recently shipped its keyboards with encryptable MSR.

New Cherry MX Keyswitches

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ALLIANCES

A Firm Handshake by QuickBooks

A supply-chain e-commerce solution from Handshake (New York, New York) has been approved for use with Intuit QuickBooks Online (which has 1.5 million users in the SMB). It allows salespeople at manufacturers and distributors to write orders electronically, and through the cloud, have them instantly sync to QuickBooks. Integration also furnishes salespeople in the field with access to real-time data about their customers, product catalog, and financial reporting.

"Prior to Handshake, our customers would call or e-mail us for information and to submit orders. We would have to write the order down and then manually enter it into QuickBooks Online," explained Jeremy Potvin, Co-Founder of World of Angus, a pet clothing and accessory product company in Toronto, Canada. "It took a lot of time and manpower and there were always delays and errors."

As part of this certification, Handshake's mobile order writing and business-to-business e-commerce platform have been listed in the Intuit QuickBooks App Store. Founded in 2010, Handshake also partners with Epicor, Oracle, NetSuite, Sage, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics, and Xero. "Our self-service buying experience is tailored specifically for business-to-business commerce, but offers an experience on par with the most popular e-commerce websites and mobile apps," stated Handshake.

E-Commerce Platform Addressing Business-to-Business Functionality by Handshake

Chow Down With POS Partners

POS Partners, Inc. (Oakbrook Terrace, IL) has embraced third-party online ordering for restaurants from Chowly, Inc. (Chicago, IL). Under this seven-year agreement, POS Partners will include Chowly's solution in its own platform, POSCloudSync. As many readers may know, Chowly enables integration with third-party solutions such as GrubHub, Chownow, Door Dash, and Eat24. As VAR, POS Partners offers software by Future POS, as well as its senior living solution, "Serving Intel POS."

"At Chowly, we believe that our business is only as strong as the companies we partner with," remarked Brian Duncan, Partner at Chowly. "POS Partners has been a model of stability, professionalism, and integrity within the point-of-sale industry for quite some time and we are honored to work with them." Added POS Partners' President and CEO, Lance Bell, "Our partners are going to be able to increase sales, reduce labor costs, and streamline the online ordering process with this new integrated solution."

POS Partners also has opened its new office in Los Angeles at the Gas Company Tower, 31st Floor, 555 West Fifth Street. It will be headed by Lori Kinlaw, Business Development Manager. She previously served as Aloha Support Specialist at Kinlaw Consulting from December 2011 to November 2016. Previous employers in POS have included PPS Merchant Services, DEL Consulting, Jadeon, Inc., and Appel Company. This marks the 12th field office for POS Partners, Inc.

Lance Bell, President and CEO, POS Partners

Code Corner

Future POS (Butler, PA), one of the long-running restaurant ISVs, has released its Version 6. Over two years in development, it carries three key enhancements: cloud-based maintenance and reporting, drag-and-drop report writer, and choice of graphical themes at the point-of-sale. "With Version 6, we have an ability to do a 'tablet to cloud' solution with our Mobile POS for Apple/Android that has no requirement for a Windows server at the store," relayed John Giles, President of Future POS. "We can also do a traditional Windows configuration at the store, with a local server and data replicated to the cloud. Either configuration will allow for maintenance and reporting to be done from anywhere that you have an internet connection, and on virtually any device. Essentially, we have expanded our product's capabilities to handle any size customer from cradle to grave. If it's a single tablet in a food truck or a 77-terminal stadium, Future POS has the right product to fit, and it can grow with the customer as their business prospers."

Future POS Version 6 With Thanksgiving Screen

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Cayan: And Elavon Makes Three

Cayan (Boston, MA) has gained certification for EMV with payments processor Elavon (Atlanta, GA). It allows merchants to now process both credit and debit chip-card transactions through Cayan's Genius Customer Engagement Platform. Previously, Cayan received certification for EMV from Vantiv (Cincinnati, OH) and First Data (Atlanta, GA). It unveiled its Genius Platform, in combo with Verifone's MX 915, in 2012 to encompass the variety of payment methods--whether card, NFC, QR Codes, or Mobile Wallets.

"We are thrilled to partner with Elavon," indicated Ken Paull, Chief Revenue Officer of Cayan. "We believe it is critical to offer our merchants flexibility in determining which EMV processing solution works best for their business--and by adding Elavon to our EMV gateway, we've significantly expanded the options available to our rapidly growing base through the Genius Platform." At the Retail Solutions Providers Association (RSPA) Show in August in Grapevine, Texas, in anticipation of another industry shift of enormous consequences, Cayan displayed its Unified Commerce Solution Suite. It seeks to bridge mobility, e-commerce, and POS. Also, its Genius Handheld was displayed.

"Elavon's EMV progress since the liability shift [in October 2015] has been industry-leading--63% of our clients were EMV-enabled at the end of Q3, compared with Visa's data showing 37% of merchants EMV-enabled nationally," noted Justin Levitte, VP of Strategic Customer Solutions for Elavon. "Our relationship with Cayan strengthens our ability to equip more businesses with the latest in payments technology." At the end of 2016, in October, Elavon embraced the Poynt Smart Terminal. It assembles 7" touchscreen, 2" thermal receipt printer, 4.3" customer facing PIN Pad, Quad-Core CPU, and Li-Ion battery--all in swoopy, molded, white casing. Established in 2013, Poynt (Palo Alto, CA) is led by CEO Osmama Bedier, former VP of Wallets and Payments for Google and VP of Product Development for PayPal.

Cayan Genius Customer Engagement Platform on Verifone MX 915

MMF POS, Master of Steel

At the forthcoming National Retail Federation (NRF) Show in New York on January 15-17, MMF POS (Wheeling, IL) will exhibit its SteelMaster Key Cabinets, touting their suitability for restaurants, hotels, car dealerships, and retail stores. A quartet of products are offered: Uni-Tag Cabinet, Dupli-Key Cabinet, Fob-Friendly Key Cabinet, and Maximum Security Key Cabinet. All these models are constructed of heavy gauge steel with scratch- and chip-resistant finish. Something different for the channel, for sure.

"These are not ordinary lockable cabinets, our unique offering sets us apart from the competition. Our designs incorporate a piano hinge door as one solid precisely-cut piece running down the entire length of the door," delineated John Holycross, Channel Sales Manager at MMF POS. "Because of the strong and lightly woven steel design, this continuous hinge design makes it difficult to pry open the cabinets. Furthermore, this feature prevents sagging, provides consistent and smooth performance, and offers the best longevity."

Uni-Tag and Dupli-Key Cabinets offer slotted key racks and control tags, while Fob-Friendly Cabinets provide wider spacing between hook rows for applications such as valet parking services. For elevated protection, the Maximum Security Key Cabinet Series has three lock options: Advanced Self-Powered Lock, Dual-Control Electronic Combination Lock, and Dual-Control with Keyed Dead Bolt. A variety of key capacities apply for each in the SteelMaster Series. At NRF, MMF POS will also be showing its most recent new products, the PayVue Illuminated Cash Drawer and the Wheelchair Accessible Payment Terminal Mount.

MMF Maximum Security Key Cabinet, Part of SteelMaster Series

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Bematech
CRS, Inc.
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Pioneer POS
Poindus America
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Tailwind Solutions

POS Software
Action Systems Inc.

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas
Honeywell

Cash Drawers
MMF POS

Data Collection
AML
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Honeywell
Janam Technologies
Unitech America

Distributors
Ingram Micro

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
Moneris
Sterling Payment
Vantiv IP

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Mounts for POS
SpacePole

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

ParTech Serves Lunch, Eats Tablets

ParTech (New Hartford, NY), a wholly owned subsidiary of PAR Technology Corporation, will deploy its Brink POS software and EverServ 500 POS terminals for Erik's DeliCafe. Founded in 1973, Erik's DeliCafe has 32 locations throughout Santa Cruz County, the San Francisco Bay Area, Monterey Peninsula, and Roseville, California. As part of its move into Software-as-a-Service, or SaaS, readers will recall, PAR acquired ISV Brink Software in September 2014. In Windows, with Intel Celeron Bay Trail J1900 CPU at 2.4 GHz, EverServ 500 has 15" resistive touchscreen and base footprint of 13.4 in. (H) x 9.5 in. (W) x 8.2 in. (D). As ports, there's 4 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 3 x RJ-45 COM, 1 x RJ-12 Cash Drawer, 1 x RJ-45 LAN (10/100/1000), and 1 x VGA.

"We evaluated some lower-cost, tablet-based solutions, but realized as a 32-store chain we needed a more reliable, enterprise-grade technology platform that could support our business," reported Brian Johnson, VP and General Counsel for Erik's DeliCafe. "PAR's reputation and long-term presence in the industry made this an easy choice." He also cited the strength of support services in making his decision.

"The focus that Erik's DeliCafe has regarding their guests and the quality of their food aligns with PAR's commitment to our customers and products," observed Paul Rubin, SVP of POS Products and Engineering for ParTech (and former CEO of Brink Software). "We are proud that Erik's DeliCafe chose PAR based on our commitment to customer success and the ability of Brink POS software and EverServ hardware to support their business growth." Earlier, PAR announced that its Brink POS has been selected by another sandwich/soup/salad chain, MAD Greens, with 28 sites in Colorado, Arizona, Texas, and Utah.

EverServ 500 Terminal With Brink POS By ParTech

Revel Charts Its Course

One of the primary purveyors of tablet POS, Revel Systems (San Francisco, CA), has launched its newest app, an "aptly" named "Insights by Revel." It furnishes details on key elements such as sales, payments, product mix, and management of labor, filtered by key factors such as role or time period, and displayed in visual formats such as line graph, bar graph, or pie chart. It is offered as part of the Revel Marketplace, which collects third-party enhancements in mobile payments, online ordering, gift or rewards cards, and financial software.

"Insights by Revel delivers key, real-time data on business performance for our clients no matter where they are, at any time," enthused Chris Ciabarra, Co-Founder and CTO of Revel Systems. "Owners and managers can oversee labor remotely, and even detect who worked overtime, who missed his or her shift, and solve the problem immediately, managing overall cost. We are taking our clients' businesses to the next level by providing them with information and data that will improve their go-to-market and operational strategies."

"Any smart businessperson needs access to their numbers and trends," postulated Dan DeFossey, Owner of Pinche Gringo BBQ, located in Mexico City, Mexico. "Insights by Revel allows us to see our numbers as they happen, employees currently on the clock, and what products are selling best at specific times. Most importantly, we can compare these numbers to the week, month, or year before to see how we're trending." Founded in 2010, Revel Systems has deployed more than 30,000 terminals and has raised over $130 million in funding. It recently announced 158% year-over-year growth from January 2016 through November 2016.

Real-Time Data With "Insights by Revel"

Channel Factoid

Among the 600 companies surveyed for CompTIA's "The Business Relevance of IT in the SMB Market," the large majority cite technology as a primary or secondary factor in reaching business objectives and priorities. A technology wish-list for SMBs includes all of the following--improving IT security, effectively managing and employing data, and modernizing aging equipment and software. While 60% of SMBs believe their return on investment (ROI) has been "excellent" or "good," 40% categorize it as "just okay" or "disappointing." Among the reasons: ongoing maintenance costs and fees, required upgrades and built-in obsolescence, staff time needed to operate and maintain, upfront costs, and unnecessary complexity. Such concern on ROI is accompanied by this caveat: only one in five SMBs report using dedicated ROI calculators to evaluate the impact of their technology spend. Others rely on more general or informal tools, even on ballpark estimates. Despite mixed signals on ROI, four in 10 SMBs feel their current level of spending on technology is too low. "Technology solution providers can play a bigger role in the ROI discussion with customers by setting realistic expectations, identifying indirect benefits of technology spending, and providing big-picture strategic guidance and focused, tactical expertise," counseled Tim Herbert, SVP of Research and Market Intelligence for CompTIA.

HELLO GOODBYE

Mr. Big Time at Agilysys

Agilysys (Alpharetta, GA) has named Ramesh Srinivasan as its new President and CEO, replacing Jim Dennedy, who served from June 2011 to December 2016. Srinivasan, who most recently served as CEO of Ooyala, an online video pioneer, will also join the Agilysys Board of Directors. Prior to joining Ooyala, Srinivasan was President and CEO of Innotrac Corporation, where he oversaw the e-commerce fulfillment firm's merger with eBay Enterprise. Before that, Srinivasan was President and CEO of Bally Technologies. Significantly, he was with Manhattan Associates from April 1998 to January 2015, where he rose from Director of Technical Services to Executive Vice President.

"Ramesh's experience and expertise in driving performance at high-growth technology companies and helping them scale their business will be invaluable for Agilysys," suggested Michael Kaufman, Chairman of the Agilysys Board of Directors. "Throughout his career, he has demonstrated tremendous success in formulating clearly defined strategies for growth and profitability, in developing and implementing initiatives that have driven outstanding performance in day-to-day operations, increasing customer satisfaction levels, and achieving a high level of execution on global growth opportunities. Ramesh's leadership will help accelerate our growth as we bring the promise of our products and customer service excellence to fruition."

"This is an exciting time to join Agilysys," expressed Srinivasan. "The opportunities to grow the business have expanded dramatically thanks to the continued development of the rGuest product portfolio, a well-earned reputation for leading customer service, and a clear understanding of hospitality operators' needs for new technology solutions that can help them grow their business by keeping them more closely connected to their guests throughout the visit lifecycle." In October, Agilysys, one of the historic POS VARs, now focused solely on hospitality, projected Fiscal 2017 revenue of $132 to $136 million.

Ramesh Srinivasan, President and CEO, Agilysys

A Pivot to Garcia

Pivotal Payments (Montreal, Canada) has elevated Edward Garcia to Chief Operating Officer (COO). A 25-year veteran of the payments industry, Garcia joined Pivotal Payments in August 2015 as SVP of Operations. Before Pivotal Payments, he served as SVP of Operations and Reengineering at Vantiv from October 2012 to August 2015. Additional employers have included TSYS, Citibank, American Express, and Visa.

"I am hugely proud to be taking on this new role, and excited to continue collaborating with our incredibly talented teams," volunteered Garcia. "The pace of innovation at Pivotal, as well as the passion we've seen from our employees, has me more energized than ever. My mission is to effectively solve the complex challenges that will help us take the next leap forward as an organization."

"I couldn't be more pleased to appoint Ed as COO of Pivotal. As a proven financial technology executive, he has provided the strategic vision and leadership to help us create a frictionless, easy, and immediate customer experience," exclaimed Philip Fayer, President and CEO of Pivotal Payments. "The ability to take complex processes and simplify them into meaningful, actionable results is a key reason for our recent successes. I look forward to Ed continuing to drive growth, scale, and operational excellence."

Ed Garcia, COO, Pivotal Payments