Our Product Pick

Touch Dynamic (South Plainfield, NJ) has unveiled its Quest III Tablet. Notably, for card payments, it features EMV Level 3 Certification (via Datacap and Vantiv). As standard, it carries Intel Atom Cherry Trail CPU at 1.6/2.6 GHz, 4-GB RAM, and 64-GB Storage. Among options, there's two-dimensional barcode scanner and 3G cellular. Keeping the sleek look of the Quest II, the Quest III weighs less than 1.5 lbs. for the 7" model and less than 2.1 lbs. for the 10" model. It has projected-capacitive touchscreen, an IP-54 rating, and 4-ft./1.2-m drop resistance. "Our new Quest III Tablet delivers even more power, speed, and storage," observed Craig Paritz, President of Touch Dynamic.

Quest III by Touch Dynamic

COMPANY BUSINESS

Posera Leaves FingerPrints

ISV Posera (Toronto, ON, Canada), best known in our channel for Maitre'D POS, has completed sale of its FingerPrints POS to SICOM Systems (Doylestown, PA). Released in 2004, FingerPrints focuses on quick-service restaurants (QSR), with approximately 1,100 sites in Canada. Comprised of cash, and subject to post-closing adjustments, sale price was $12.2 million, according to Posera.

"Addition of FingerPrints strengthens our commitment to delivering a complete portfolio for QSR," commented Jim Flynn, CEO of SICOM. "It's a robust product that drives greater efficiency and speed of service and complements our existing solutions. It provides us with physical locations in Canada, helping us to better serve our current customers there." It adds to SICOM's offerings in Digital Menu Boards, POS and Order Confirmation, Drive-Thru Director, Chef Kitchen Management, 360 Degree Data Analytics, and SEMS4 Restaurant Management. FYI: SICOM recently celebrated its 30th Anniversary.

"SICOM is the ideal accelerator to the FingerPrints' brand's continued success," contributed Dan Poirier, CEO of Posera. "This transaction is an exciting strategic evolution for Posera, allowing us to focus on Maitre'D, one of the premier systems for POS, complete the roll out of SecureTablePay, and capture the market for Kitchen Display Systems." In August, as reported in RRN.Com, Posera positioned its Color Video Monitor, formerly exclusive to Maitre'D POS, as an independent KDS.

Jim Flynn, CEO of SICOM, New Owner of FingerPrints POS

Appetize: Hungry for New Verticals

Appetize (Playa Vista, CA) will supply its POS through The CBORD Group (Ithaca, NY). A long-time solution for education, healthcare, and senior living facilities, with four decades of track record, The CBORD Group addresses access, housing, and nutrition management. Founded in 2011, Appetize now competes with Oracle Micros, Agilysys, and NCR.

Appetize will be implemented across fixed and portable terminals, self-service kiosks, and integrated into mobile applications. It handles the range of payments--cards, cash, mobile wallets--with scalability, cloud-based delivery, and real-time inventory management. "We were looking for a reliable platform to offer our customers the usability they expect while maintaining the robust data integrity of CBORD," emphasized Jim Hoefflin, President of CBORD.

"Another major step in the evolution of enterprise POS," according to Kevin Anderson, Chief Strategy Officer at Appetize. "Together, Appetize and CBORD will provide organizations with world-class POS." A number of recent contract wins--convention centers, stadiums, theaters, and racetracks--for Appetize, which has been funded by Shamrock Capital. As hardware, it offers PC-on-a-Cash Drawer and Elo's PayPoint.

Appetize Partners for Education With CBOARD

Worth Your While

RFID in Retail and Apparel
RFID Journal
September 26
New York, NY

Profit Booster Dealer Conference
CRS, Inc.
October 19
Grapevine, TX

Money 20/20
I2i Events Group
October 22-25
Las Vegas, NV

NRF's Big Show
National Retail Federation
January 14-16, 2018
New York, NY

ALL IN THE FAMILY

In the Pipeline at ArmorActive

ArmorActive, a division of Mobile Technologies Inc. (Hillsboro, OR), has debuted its new family of tablet mounts, entitled "Pipeline Kiosk System." A variety of enclosures, heights, and mounting options address applications in point-of-sale, customer service, and wayfinding. Models may be ordered in heights of 8", 12", 24", or 42"; in design of metal, plastic, or rubber; and for table, floor, or wall mounting.

In order to allow optimized viewing angles for customers, models tilt 15 degrees, rotate between portrait or landscape orientation, and fully swivel 360 degrees. A clean, modern look with internal power cords follows current fashion in retail and hospitality. As added benefit, the modular format of Pipeline Kiosk System allows easy upgrades or expansion as business needs change, suggested ArmorActive.

"Pipeline was designed and engineered to meet the dynamic needs of customers and to support a variety of use cases within key vertical markets," elaborated David Everson, Director of Global Marketing for ArmorActive/MTI. "With the new Pipeline Kiosk System, ArmorActive now has a highly configurable mounting solution supporting all the major OEM tablet manufacturers with unique features that enhances engagement for both employees and customers." As its new distribution partner, ArmorActive has signed with BlueStar (Hebron, KY).

An Example of ArmorActive's Pipeline Kiosk System

Microscan Checks Your Work

Microscan (Renton, WA) has unwrapped its new portable, off-line barcode verifier, designated LVS-9585. It ensures control of both printed labels and direct part marks (DPM). In the case of printed barcodes, it validates to ISO/IEC, ANSI, GS1, and the U.S. FDA's Unique Device Identification (UDI). In the case of DPM, it validates to ISO, GS1, and MIL-STD-130 (including surfaces such as metals, plastics, ceramics, and composites). Any combination of symbologies are verified.

In dimensions of 8.5 in. (L) x 4.8 in. (W) x 5.5 in. (D), and weighing 1.5 lbs., the LVS-9585 features five-megapixel camera. Its software automatically selects the best lighting performance from integrated red or white dome and 30-degree angle. A large field of view allows verification of larger marks (standard: 3 in./76 mm horizontal, 2.25 in./57 mm vertical; DPM: 1.75 x 1.75 in./44 x 44 mm).

As O/S, the LVS-9585 runs off the tablet or PC in Windows. Its software enables end-users to see pass/fail data in color-coded graphics, and reports may be exported into Excel or SQL. An optional mounting stand facilitates positioning of items. As part of the package, there's NIST-Traceable Calibrated Conformance Standard Test Card for calibration, and 10-ft. USB 2.0 cable.

Microscan's LVS-9585 Barcode Verifier

[Editor's Note: Microscan has been acquired by Omron (Kyoto, Japan).]

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ALLIANCES

Star Looks Sudzy

An integrated package for dry cleaners has been assembled by ISV Sudzy (New York, New York) and Star Micronics America (Somerset, NJ). It employs Star's mPOP (for Mobile Point-of-Purchase), with iPad. A number of features in its software streamline laundry drop-off and pick-up and improve communication with customers, according to Sudzy. It includes modifiers and detailed instructions for individual garments, printing of garment tags, tracking of orders, processing of cash or credit payments, notification of order completion for customers, and automated coupons. A mobile app empowers customers.

Available in white or black, Star's mPOP measures approximately 12 in. (W) x 12 in. (D) x 4 in. (H)--without iPad--and weighs 7.8 lbs. It has 2" thermal receipt printer with "drop-in and print" paper loading and 4-in./100-mm per second speed. A cash drawer has four-bill and adjustable six or eight-coin slots, with Bluetooth and USB. As options, there's credit-card reader, barcode scanner, and universal device stand. (In dry cleaning, Star also offers its SP700 impact printer for tags, and SM-S220i mobile printer for delivery.)

"We discovered that most dry cleaners still use out-of-date POS software and hardware, many from the 90's, creating a barrier between them and the customers," reported Roy Ganor, Co-Founder and CEO at Sudzy. "Star's mPOP offers a robust and modern design combined with easy integration with our POS software." "A cost-effective solution for dry cleaners looking to upgrade to the next-generation POS," in the words of Christophe Naasz, Director of Business Development at Star Micronics America.

Star's mPOP Outfitted for Dry Cleaners With Sudzy POS Software

[Editor's Note: Star Micronics America also has extended its manufacturer's warranty to four years for all TSP100III printers purchased in 2017 and 2018.]

Lightspeed Sings OPERA

An interesting tie between Lightspeed (Montreal, QC, Canada) and Oracle Hospitality (Redwood Shores, CA). Under Oracle Validated Integration, it links Lightspeed's POS to Oracle Hospitality's OPERA Property Management System (PMS), with two-way communication, simplifying hotel management. Established in 2005, as one of the first Apple-based POS, Lightspeed now serves more than 45,000 retailers and restaurateurs, processing over $15 billion annually. It introduced an omnichannel solution in 2016, and its data analytics solution in 2017.

"[Integration] provides a level of efficiency and mobility for our hotel partners that will ultimately empower them to scale their business without compromising the level of service provided," enthused Dax Dasilva, Founder and CEO of Lightspeed. "Similar to the retail industry, hospitality is consistently evolving with the changing consumer. Having the flexibility and agility to adapt to growth and change is invaluable to both our boutique customers and larger partners."

"Achieving Oracle Validated Integration gives our customers confidence that the integration between Lightspeed Restaurant and Oracle Hospitality OPERA Cloud Services is functionally sound and performs as tested," stressed David Hicks, VP, Worldwide ISV, OEM, and Java Business Development, for Oracle. "For solutions deployed on-premises, in the cloud, or both, Oracle Validated Integration applies a rigorous technical review and test process that helps to reduce deployment risk and improves the user experience of the partner's integrated offering." A Gold Level Member of the Oracle PartnerNetwork, Lightspeed.

Integration Between Lightspeed POS and Oracle PMS

Code Corner

Payroc LLC (Tinley Park, IL) has launched its iTransact Mobile Merchant for iOS and Android. It works with Payroc's iTransact gateway and PayFac platform to bring Mobile POS. Merchants gain access to consolidated account activity and reporting, back-office functionality, and user access controls. Tokenized sensitive data, plus primary account number (PAN) secure vault storage, offer enhanced security and protection, while significantly reducing compliance scope of the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS), according to Payroc. Aimed at omnichannel retail, iTransact Mobile Merchant appears on the Apple App Store and Google Play. "iTransact Mobile Merchant delivers both convenience and security to merchants with mobile payment acceptance needs," related Jared Poulson, Chief Product and Technology Officer at Payroc.

iTransact Mobile Merchant

PARTNER PROGRAMS

A Wider Net at Netsurion

Netsurion (Ft. Lauderdale, FL), which supplies network security services, has enhanced its Netsurion Partner Program. A pair of new benefits include advanced threat protection and 4G cellular-failover capacity. In addition, Netsurion has updated its Partner Portal with deal registration, order processing, and sales and marketing resources. This follows hiring of Guy Cunningham as VP of Alliances in March 2017.

As advanced threat protection, Netsurion offers its SIEM-at-the-Edge, which "ensures safer networks, better endpoint security, earlier detection of intrusion and relevant and specific threat intelligence, 24/7." With automatic switchover to cellular 4G in case of network disruption, Netsurion "ensures merchants continue to process transactions with no downtime." Its partners may now resell both services to their customers.

"The Netsurion Partner Program offers not only the solution, but the support needed to deploy, administer, and tune the services necessary to better secure their customers' systems," declared Cunningham. "The result is that resellers--and their customers--are given a well-managed cybersecurity solution that is both affordable and highly effective at protecting them from constantly changing, malicious digital threats." Before Netsurion, Cunningham served as Director of Global Strategic Alliances for Veritas (2015 to 2017).

Guy Cunningham, VP of Alliances, Netsurion

ACH-Tung, Debit!

NACHA (Herndon, VA), steward of the ACH Network, has opened its Same Day ACH for debit payments. It follows success over the past year of its Same Day ACH for credit payments. As its name denotes, it facilitates urgent bill payment, faster purchase transactions, and timely closing of invoices. (Until now, all ACH debits have been "next-day" payments; that is, transactions are completed one day after they are initiated.)

"With debits accounting for almost 60% of overall ACH volume, we expect that use of Same Day ACH debits will grow and become a faster payments method that benefits all users of the ACH Network, from financial institutions, businesses of all sizes, to governments and consumers," relayed Janet Estep, President and CEO of NACHA. "With Same Day ACH debits, consumers and businesses will start to have an additional option for faster payments, and will be better able to track their finances with a clearer sense of their bank account balances." In 2016, there were 25 billion payments via ACH that moved $43 trillion.

According to the survey conducted by NACHA, 92% of its top originating depository financial institution members are ready to offer Same Day ACH for debit payments. An entirety, 100%, of depository financial institution members are required by the rule to be ready to receive the payments. On March 16, 2018, the third phase of Same Day ACH goes into effect, requiring funds from Same Day ACH credits to be made available by 5:00 PM local time.

NACHA Launches Same Day Payments for Debit

Key Advertiser Links

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

POS & Peripherals
Aures
Bematech
Harbortouch
Hewlett-Packard
Pioneer POS
Poindus America
POSBANK USA
Posiflex
Tailwind Solutions

API & Marketplace
Omnivore

Barcode & Transaction Printers
Brother Mobile
CognitiveTPG
Godex Americas
Honeywell

Cash Drawers
APG Cash Drawer
MMF POS

Data Collection
CipherLab
Code Corporation
Denso ADC
Honeywell
Janam Technologies

Distribution
Ingram Micro

Integrated Payment Solutions
Datacap Systems
iPayment
Monetary LLC
Payment Logistics
Sterling Payment

Keyboards & Mobile POS
Cherry Americas, LLC
TG3 Electronics

Mounts for POS
Innovative
SpacePole

Receipt Printers
Bixolon America
CognitiveTPG
Epson America
Star Micronics

Thermal Printers
Seiko Instruments USA

INSTALLATIONS

Salad Days at Gusto

Gusto POS, brand name of Dovetail Systems (Bethesda, MD), will deploy its omni-channel retail platform for the fresh salad chain, Saladworks. Based in Conshohocken, PA, Saladworks has approximately 100 sites in 13 states in the U.S. A cloud-based solution, supplying "real data," it will encompass every touchpoint: point-of-sale, kiosk, online, mobile, and third-party ordering channels, according to the two parties.

"As we examined every aspect of technology at our locations, we knew that we needed to have a uniform option to benefit both our franchisees and guests," indicated Patrick Sugrue, CEO of Saladworks. "We reviewed many potential solutions, but we selected Dovetail's Gusto system because we felt that it was the best option to meet our needs." It will be installed at each location, corporate or franchisee, of Saladworks.

"We are excited to partner with Saladworks to deliver this next-generation POS solution to help them better serve their customers," remarked Peter Rogers, Jr., CEO of Dovetail. To date, Dovetail, and Gusto POS, has been selected by more than two dozen restaurant chains as their next-generation POS. Rogers previously served as EVP of Business Development at Micros Systems (1987 to 2014). Similarly, Bill Draper, Founder and CTO of Gusto, served as Director of Development at Micros Systems (2001 to 2010). A pretty pedigree.

Chain Saladworks Deploys Gusto POS

Raising Repair's iQ

A module for service and repair in the wireless market has been added to POS by iQmetrix (Vancouver, BC, Canada). With new features "service providers will be able to establish solid-core business practices, professionalize customer interactions, and enhance opportunities to add new revenue streams through tools like suggestive selling and drop-ship," according to the ISV. Functionality includes custom checklists, matching of invoices and SKUs, serialization of products for inventory, reporting and analytics, and business forecasting.

"The repair industry is growing rapidly, but unfortunately, for many repair shops and their customers, the industry has been lacking standards as well as the necessary software tools to deliver a great repair experience," observed Stacy Hamer, Director of Professional Services at iQmetrix. "iQmetrix specializes in designing solutions for complex industries, and with our expertise in wireless retail, developing specific POS features that are essential to repair shops was a natural fit."

iQmetrix claims to be the wireless industry's leading provider of POS, with 19,000 sites. Its technology extends to endless aisle, digital signage, and e-commerce. As expected, it delivers via Software-as-a-Service (SaaS). As partners, it lists POSDATA Group (Gig Harbor, WA).

iQMetrix Releases Service and Repair Module

Channel Factoid

With more people celebrating, Americans will spend a record $9.1 billion on Halloween, according to the NRF and Prosper Insights & Analytics. This figure is up 8.3% from last year's previous record of $8.4 billion. Consumers are expected to spend an average of $86.13, up from last year's $82.93, with 179 million Americans planning to partake in festivities for Halloween, up from 171 million in 2016. Only 12.9% percent of consumers say their spending will be impacted by the economy, down from 14.1% in 2016, and the peak of 32.1% in 2011. According to this survey, consumers plan to spend $3.4 billion on costumes (purchased by 69%), $2.7 billion on candy (95%), another $2.7 billion on decorations (72%), and $410 million on greeting cards (37%). When it comes to their shopping, 47% of consumers will visit discount stores and 38% will visit specialty holiday or costume stores. In addition, 25% will patronize supermarkets, 24% will buy at department stores, and 22% will shop online. "Expect consumers to be on the lookout for early-bird promotions both online and in-store," noted Pam Goodfellow, Principal Analyst for Prosper Insights & Analytics (Worthington, OH).

HELLO GOODBYE

Vicki, The Transformer

Major ISV Aptos (Atlanta, GA) has engaged retail and technology rock star Vicki Cantrell for its new position as Retail Transformation Officer. Prior to Aptos, Cantrell served as the NRF's SVP of Communities and Executive Director of Shop.org (2011 to 2016). She has extensive experience as COO for Tory Burch (2008 to 2011), CIO for Giorgio Armani (2003 to 2008), VP of IT for Gucci Group (1998 to 2003), and Director of Franchise Relations and IT for Party City (1996 to 1998).

"Vicki is going to be a tremendous asset to our client base and to engaging customers differently, as she understands retailers' unique challenges, constraints, and opportunities--she has been in their shoes," commented Noel Goggin, CEO of Aptos. "Throughout her career, Vicki has found ways to leverage disruption to accelerate business results, competitive advantage, and customer-centricity. Vicki is a change agent who has achieved remarkable success for many global retail brands; we're honored to welcome her to Aptos."

"I am thrilled to join Aptos at a critical 'act-now or regret-it' moment in retail," shared Cantrell. "Everybody's talking about transformation, and the reality is, there is no one blueprint to achieve it, and there are different recipes for success. What works for one retailer might not work for another. In my role, I will partner with retailers on their transformative journey, and change the way we work together."

"Retailers today are tired of playing catch-up to consumers, constantly in a reactionary state that leaves them vulnerable to fast-moving trends, nimble competitors, and shifting consumer expectations," added Goggin. "With Vicki on-board, Aptos reinforces its commitment to 'The Aptos Way' and to supporting retailers' omnichannel transformations, while helping our customers establish enterprises built for rapid change." Over 500 retail brands, and 130,000 stores, currently employ "Singular Commerce" from Aptos.

Vicki Cantrell, Retail Transformation Officer, Aptos

Swimming in the Fishbowl

Fishbowl (Alexandria, VA), a pioneer in marketing and analytics for the restaurant industry, has enlisted industry veteran Daniel Dreymann as its Chief Product Officer. Previously, Dreymann served as Co-Founder and CEO of mobile commerce player, Mowingo, Inc. (2011 to 2017). At present, Fishbowl serves approximately 70,000 restaurant locations.

"As we look to serve and delight our restaurant brand partners, investment in our platform suite remains a top priority," expounded Jim Soss, CEO of Fishbowl. "Daniel is a proven product and technology leader, and his experience in digital marketing technology, mobile commerce, and customer loyalty solutions will be extremely valuable as we accelerate our innovation efforts." As readers may recall, Symphony Technology Group purchased Fishbowl in January 2017.

"I'm so pleased to join the Fishbowl team," volunteered Dreymann. "The strategies Jim and I have begun to discuss will help Fishbowl's clients take their business to the next level through data driven marketing, guest engagement, and optimized menu management. Strengthening guest relationships and gaining new ones requires listening to customers, as well as utilizing the strength of data driven models to enhance that conversation, and turning it into real results."

Daniel Dreymann, Chief Product Officer, Fishbowl