Our Product Pick

CRS, Inc. (St. Paul, MN) has stocked its newest terminal for POS, Model Forza 1850 from SAM4S. With solid-state drive and true-flat 18.5" projected-capacitive touchscreen (resolution of 1366x768, aspect ratio of 16:9, brightness of 250 cd/m2), Forza 1850 runs Windows 10 O/S. It features Intel Core i5 7200U CPU, 8-GB/16-GB RAM, and 2.5" 128-GB SSD. A full suite of ports is provided, including Serial x 4, USB x 6, Cash Drawer, Ethernet, and HDMI, with easy access in the offset pedestal (which also accommodates the placing of cube-style thermal printers such as the SNBC BTP-S80, offered by CRS). An external power supply and MSR are furnished, as well as optional customer-facing displays for "full-service POS in retail and foodservice environments."

CRS Ships Forza 1850 POS Terminal by SAM4S

COMPANY BUSINESS

An Empower Star

Star Micronics (Somerset, NJ) has enhanced its channel with the launch of its Star Empower Program. Engineered to benefit all resellers by their types of business models, whether VARs or ISVs, according to Star Micronics, the Star Empower Program will focus on growth, increased margins, and today's particular market challenges. A tiered approach has been implemented, with Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum Levels.

As benefits, it offers discounted pricing, deal registration, and access to the Star Partner Portal of marketing and technical resources. It also offers loyalty benefits to eligible resellers and software partners who prioritize the company's solutions in thermal printing and Mobile POS. Such loyalty benefits may include exclusive marketing and business development efforts. The Star Empower Program will officially launch on July 1, 2020 (pre-registration started on June 8, 2020).

"Star is excited to launch our Star Empower Program. After listening to the challenges of our reseller and distribution partners, I am confident this is the right program at the right time," declared Michael Hanson, EVP at Star Micronics. "This program captures our 'Always Leading, Always Innovating' spirit and will increase the synergy with our channel partners by enhancing product value and restoring channel integrity while rewarding our loyal partners' commitment to our success."

Michael Hanson, EVP, Star Micronics

Paying for Care

A significant integration in the healthcare arena for payment processor, Paysafe (Montreal, QC, Canada). A new partnering ISV, Eldermark (Minnetonka, MN) furnishes sales, marketing, and billing functionality as part of its overall point-of-care and business management platform for senior and assisted living communities. With Paysafe, it allows residents of these facilities to make payments via credit card and ACH.

"We are thrilled to partner with Eldermark to bring convenient and easy payments acceptance to their communities," contributed Carla Erlick, SVP of the ISV Channel at Paysafe. "Our payment integration provides communities with the ability to offer multiple payment options to their residents and customers, as well as automated recurring billing and robust reporting. This allows these communities to provide convenience to their customers and to eliminate inefficiencies."

"Using a traditional bank as an ACH partner is untimely and more expensive," noted Craig Patnode, CEO of Eldermark. "[Integration of Eldermark and Paysafe] makes the collection of revenue by senior living communities lightning fast. It means no more paper checks and no more delayed payments. The ROI for this type of integration is instantaneous." Established in 1992, recognized as one of the leaders in its field, Eldermark serves approximately 2500 senior care communities.

Carla Erlick, SVP of the ISV Channel, Paysafe

Worth Your While

RetailNOW
Retail Solutions Providers
Association (RSPA)
August 2-5
Las Vegas, NV

[Editor's Note: RSPA's RetailNOW Show has been cancelled for 2020.]

VARTECH
BlueStar
September 14-15
Orlando, FL

Shoptalk
Shoptalk Commerce, LLC
September 14-17
Las Vegas, NV

Impact 2020 Conference
Electronic Payments
September 22-25
Fort Lauderdale, FL

NACS
National Association
of Convenience Stores
October 11-14
Las Vegas, NV

FS TEC
Foodservice Technology/Winsight
October 25-27
Dallas, TX

Pack Expo
Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies (PMMI)
November 8-11
Chicago, IL

ALL IN THE FAMILY

AML's Striker Call

AML (Euless, TX) has unboxed its new industrial mobile computer, christened Striker. Running Android 8.1 O/S, Striker has Arm Cortex Octa-Core CPU at 1.8 GHz, 2-GB RAM, and 32-GB eMMC. Lighter and smaller than the company's Scepter, it measures 8.5 in. (L) x 3.1 in. (W) x 1.8 in. (D) and weighs 17 oz./482 g (without handle). It furnishes 4" projected-capacitive touchscreen, and 47-key alphanumeric keyboard (with 41-key numeric/function keyboard coming in Q3 2020).

An emphasis on flexibility extends to readers (one-dimensional laser, two-dimensional imager, and extended range imager). As communications, there's full 802.11 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2/BLE. Additional features include an integrated flashlight with secondary trigger, speaker and microphone, long-lasting 24.8 Watt/Hour Li-Ion battery, and optional 13-megapixel camera. Of particular interest in these times: an anti-microbial housing for disinfection purposes.

In terms of ruggedness, Striker has water and dust rating of IP-65, drop resistance of 6 ft./1.8 m, and operating temperature range of -4 to +122 Degrees F/-20 to +50 Degrees C. A suite of software includes preloaded apps and Velocity Terminal Emulation by Wavelink/Ivanti. "Striker is the result of our ongoing effort to produce American-made data collection products," emphasized Mike Kearby, President at AML.

AML's Striker Enterprise Mobile Computer

Gamber-Johnson: Taking A Stand

Gamber-Johnson (Steven's Point, WI) has unveiled its new payment stand for the combination of iPad Mini by Apple and iDynamo 6 Card Reader by MagTek (Seal Beach, CA). It comes in versions of "no swivel" and "swivel" (with 180-degree rotation). In dimensions of 8 in. (H) x 7.4 in. (W) x 1 in. (D), fitting iPad Mini 1-4, the stands weigh 9.7 lbs./4.4 kg.

In textured black powder coating for smudge-free look, both feature 45-degree angle adjustment for additional ease-of-use. In addition, the stands are designed with an open hole base for effective cable management as well as tamper-resistant assembly. Shipped with hardware kit, it mounts on the countertop with 1/4-20 screws.

"We have extensive experience building products that withstand the harshest conditions, while also providing improved user ergonomics, so the move into the point-of-sale/retail environment is a national progression to grow our business," shared Garrett Neta, Product Marketer at Gamber-Johnson. A leading supplier of rugged mounting systems for mobile communication systems, computers, and other electronic equipment in fleet vehicles, public safety vehicles, and for forklifts, Gamber-Johnson sells through the channel of VARs, ISVs, and Distributors. In August 2019, it debuted stands for the Luxe 8500i Payment Terminal from Equinox Payments (Scottsdale, AZ).

New Payment Stand for iPad Mini and MagTek iDynamo 6 by Gamber-Johnson

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ALLIANCES

Datacap Keys Kiosks

A further move into integrated payments--online and with kiosks--by Datacap Systems (Chalfont, PA). It draws together online ordering as well as self-service stations by ISV FOLOS (Denver, CO) with Datacap's Pay API (Application Programming Interface) in conjunction with its processor-agnostic NETePay Hosted Gateway. With its full name of "Food Online Ordering Systems," FOLOS addresses hospitality, and this solution will be offered to Datacap's base of VARs and ISVs in POS.

Under this system, merchants may accept online orders and implement turn-key kiosk solutions through FOLOS utilizing the same payment processing platform they use in-store for POS. It means one payment processing relationship, statement, batching procedure, and card token group--greatly simplifying the process of reconciliation for merchants. In May, Datacap Systems entered into similar partnership for integrated online ordering with another POS ISV, Real Time Ordering (Corona, CA).

"As merchants prepare for the 'new normal' in consumer behavior by engaging with their customers via contactless options like online ordering and kiosk-driven payments, it becomes more important than ever to provide a consistent user experience across all channels," commented Justin Zeigler, Director of Product at Datacap Systems. "Going forward, discerning merchants as well as customers require a seamless payment experience, regardless of whether a customer opts to engage online, in-app, at a kiosk, or at a traditional POS." Of note: all of its company fees for e-commerce "adders" are waived by Datacap Systems until October 2020 due to COVID-19, RRN was told.

Integrated Online and Self-Service Ordering by Datacap Systems and ISV FOLOS

Datalogic Gets Smart

Datalogic (Eugene, OR) has invested in next-generation retail technology developer, AWM Smart Shelf (Aliso Viejo, CA). In its pursuit of "automated inventory intelligence" and "frictionless shopping," AWM supplies the combination of customer-tracking cameras, shelf-edge LED displays/cabinets, and cashier-less mobile checkout, driven by proprietary software such as its Product Mapper, Fascia, and Retail Analytics Engine (RAE). As customers, it has many leading brands, including Albertsons, Giant, Hershey, Pepsi, Stop & Shop, and Walmart.

"At AWM we believe the focus for all business and government organizations should be on automation through the use of computer vision, artificial intelligence, and machine learning," proposed Kevin Howard, CEO at AWM. "We are implementing fully autonomous environments for retail, governments, schooling, healthcare, and manufacturing. We envision a world where access and interaction are truly seamless throughout the globe. Partnering with the likes of Datalogic furthers our vision and reach on a global level."

"We are very excited for this business venture, especially at a time when new challenges from the contingent global scenario are driving radical changes in retail activities," remarked Valentina Volta, CEO of the Datalogic Group (Bologna, Italy). "Since our foundation, we have been at the forefront of breakthrough solutions in retail, in both grocery and non-grocery." Also, Datalogic has debuted its new remote device management platform, cloud-based WebSentinel Predict, for its Memor 1/10/20 and Joya Touch A6 Handheld Computers.

An Investment by Datalogic in AWM Smart Shelf

Code Corner

Maverick Payments (Calabasas, CA) has put forth its suite of new Application Programming Interfaces (APIs). It grants business owners access to industry leading metrics to keep them informed and deft in today's rapidly changing business environment, according to Maverick. In turn, payments players such as VARs, ISVs, ISOs, and Agents will enjoy its easy onboarding capabilities. A 30-year payments processor, Maverick meets certification to the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) Level 1. "Our new API Suite allows business owners to develop and track key growth elements, combining the efficacy of collaboration with the convenience of an all-in-one payments platform," summarized Ben Griefer, COO of Maverick Payments. "Additionally, partners and resellers can integrate things like our Boarding API, and pull data for their portfolio and merchants through our Reporting API, thereby augmenting their offering in the market."

New APIs by Maverick Payments

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, and business models. We look forward to continuing that mission and welcome your suggestions and thoughts on improvements.

Michael Kachmar, Editor

ENVIRONMENTS/PLATFORMS

Zebras in Proximity

A software solution for social distancing in the warehouse has been developed and brought to market by Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL). Encompassing elements of proximity sensing, alerting, and contact tracing, appropriately designated as Zebra MotionWorks Proximity, it supports government guidelines for protecting employees' health while in the work environment. As structure, it has management dashboard and real-time oversight, and ties to an employee's ID.

With data collected via Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and 802.11 Wi-Fi, Zebra MotionWorks Proximity is hosted in the cloud and managed remotely by Zebra. Unlike some public contact tracing solutions, data is "anonymized" to protect the privacy of individual workers. As hardware, it runs on current devices with Android O/S by Zebra.

"In order to protect our front-line workers and those returning to our offices, we have been prioritizing our employees' health and safety," expounded Bill Burns, Chief Product and Solutions Officer, Zebra Technologies Corporation. "Teams across our company rapidly defined, developed, and deployed a proximity tracing, alerting, and contact tracing solution within one of our largest distribution facilities, and now it's available to help protect our customers' employees in manufacturing and warehouse environments. Also, it utilizes the same devices that front-line workers are already using today, minimizing additional capital costs and accelerating employee adoption."

Zebra's MotionWorks Proximity Software Supports Worker Safety and Social Distancing

Speaking of PCI at SecureTrust

A cloud-based platform for compliance with standards of the Payment Card Industry, called SecureTrust PCI Manager, has been presented by SecureTrust (Chicago, IL). It furnishes self-assessment and continuous management of the complex compliance process, with capabilities in anti-virus, unencrypted cardholder data detection, remote access, and mobile security. It supports self-assessing entities from Level 2 through Level 4 of the PCI Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). A data-driven profiling process has auto-population of fields via PCI Wizard.

Another feature, Sponsor View, serves as merchant management portal for acquiring banks and service providers, addressing compliance with requirements of card brands and PCI. A custom report builder, branding capabilities, single sign-on, and web risk monitoring are cited as strengths of Sponsor View. In concert with the launch of SecureTrust PCI Manager, SecureTrust has established its third-party Compliance Concierge Service.

"Organizations throughout the world are under constant assault by cybercriminals determined to reap profits from stolen card data," observed Michael Petitti, President of SecureTrust. "Not only is cybercrime a daunting challenge, but how to achieve and maintain compliance for payment data as regulations mount and heavy fines are levied is a top concern. With SecureTrust PCI Manager, we provide an easy pathway to achieving PCI compliance and delivering security capabilities uniquely designed to protect sensitive data regardless of how global commerce evolves." A division of Trustwave, SecureTrust is recognized by the PCI Security Standards Council (PCI-SSC) as Approved Scanning Vendor (ASV) and Qualified Security Assessor (QSA).

A Cloud-Based SecureTrust PCI Manager

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Aures
CRS, Inc.
Electronic Payments
Harbortouch
HP
Ingenico
Pioneer Solution
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
ShopPOSPortal

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Bixolon America
Brother Mobile
Godex Americas

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Janam Technologies

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

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
Epson America
Star Micronics

Stands, Mounts, Cradles
Gamber-Johnson

INSTALLATIONS

DTiQ "Eyes" Safety

A solution for enforcing social distancing in brick-and-mortar retail has been proposed by loss-prevention player DTiQ (Boston, MA). Entitled SmartAudit for COVID-19, it employs video to monitor customer and employee behavior. Available for one dollar per day for many locations, according to DTiQ, it provides summary reporting on regions, locations, and managers, and shows best-in-class and worst-in-class compliance.

"The primary ways to stop the spread of the virus (COVID-19) are uniquely measurable via video," relayed Mike Coffey, CEO of DTiQ. "Most organizations already have surveillance infrastructure with remote log-in. DTiQ can plug into that infrastructure, deploy our unique algorithms and services, with no hardware or software installation. As a business operator, you can immediately know who is following policies and what your risks are."

An early user, Coen Markets, has 60 locations in PA, OH, and WV. "We're a consumer-focused essential business, and took early steps to ensure our customers', as well as our employees', safety," related Collin Dornish, Senior Director of Operations at Coen Markets. "By utilizing DTiQ's SmartAudits to measure the COVID-19 policy adherence within our facilities, we were able to use our existing technology to give us unique summary data and to let us literally see who was doing what."

SmartAudit for COVID-19 Offered by DTiQ

A (Hunger) Rush to Take-Out

An emphasis on the new foodservice reality has powered restaurant ISV HungerRush (Houston, TX). After introducing Online Ordering in April, HungerRush, the former Revention, has added new features to its Delivery/Take-Out. It includes visibility for restaurant owners to track and manage the progress of drivers for efficiency and cost savings, dubbed HungerRush Drive. Also, message notification to expedite curbside pick-up and integration with third-party order and delivery services such as DoorDash, GrubHub, Postmates, and Uber Eats.

"As we all adapt to the new normal during and after this health crisis, it's exactly this technology that's going to help restaurants compete for orders like never before," enthused Perry Turbes, CEO of HungerRush. "HungerRush is committed to continuous innovation as we have seen digital ordering and delivery become a major slice of a restaurant's business and anticipate that these channels will continue to grow exponentially." (As perspective, estimates had the online food delivery industry reaching $200 billion by 2025--before the start of COVID-19.)

"Our average ticket size is much higher with online orders, averaging $48 while orders placed by phone were typically in the $28 to $30 range. It's a sizeable jump," reported Rick Smith, Owner of Hometown Pizza and Grill (Rockmart, GA). "We thought some of our call-in business would transfer to online but adding online ordering capability actually added more sales. We had to rebuild the layout of our kitchen to avoid bottlenecks and improve the flow just to keep up."

Online Order and Delivery/Take-Out Emphasized by POS ISV HungerRush (the former Revention)

Channel Factoid

-81% of SMBs offer digital payments at checkout

-63% offer PayPal ("established credibility and convenience")

-32% offer Square ("clear and simple UI/UX")

-22% offer Venmo ("social media inspired approach")

-19% offer Google Pay ("smartphone digital wallet compatibility")

-18% offer Apple Pay (similar "smartphone digital wallet compatibility")

-3% offer Cryptocurrency ("market volatility and lack of consumer demand")

-51% of Americans carry cash inconsistently or never

Source: "Going Cashless: Benefits of Digital Payments for Your Small Business," Conducted in 2020 by Visual Objects (Washington, DC)

First Choice of Cashless Digital Payment Options Among SMBs

HELLO GOODBYE

He'll Be Frank

Fiserv (Brookfield, WI) has completed its succession plan, whereby President and COO Frank Bisignano becomes CEO. Jeffrey Yabuki, CEO of Fiserv since 2005, will continue to serve as Executive Chairman for the balance of 2020. As readers will recall, Fiserv purchased First Data, where Bisignano was Chairman and CEO, in July 2019 for $22 billion.

"With the successful integration of First Data well underway, this is the right time for Frank to lead the next phase of the company's evolution," reflected Yabuki. "Frank and I have had the pleasure of working closely over the past 18 months--and I am highly confident he brings the skill and experience to deliver the leadership that is needed today, while building for tomorrow." As one of the world's largest payments and financial services technology providers, Fiserv has 44,000 associates.

"I thank the Board of Directors for placing their trust in me to lead Fiserv as its next CEO, and I thank Jeff for all that he has done for the company and our people--including me--during his tenure," expressed Bisignano. Before joining First Data in 2013 as CEO, Bisignano held executive-suite roles at Citigroup (1994 to 2005) and JPMorgan Chase (2005 to 2013). At First Data, he headed the move into technology, including co-development of Apple Pay and expansion of Clover POS.

Frank Bisignano Becomes CEO at Fiserv

She Rides Herd

Zebra Technologies Corporation (Lincolnshire, IL) has added Linda Connly to its Board of Directors. After serving in corporate executive-level roles at Data General (1998 to 2000), EMC (2000 to 2005), and Dell EMC (2005 to 2018), she founded The Connly Advisory Group LLC. Also, she currently serves as Strategic Advisor to Bain & Company.

"We welcome Linda Connly's extensive experience in revenue strategy and execution, M&A integration, and governance in the technology sector which will be valuable to Zebra's Board as we expand into new markets and solutions," stated Michael Smith, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Zebra Technologies Corporation.

"I am honored to join the Board of Directors," stated Connly. "Zebra has an impressive track record over its 50-year history, and I look forward to contributing to the company's future growth based on my cross-functional experience driving technology innovation and transformation." She replaces Andrew Ludwick, who has retired.

Linda Connly Elected to Zebra's Board of Directors