In the last couple of months, you might have come across few blog posts from my colleagues that discussed a range of topics related to SMBs. From preparing for 2021 with technology solutions to looking at other factors that can help SMBs boost business. Both articles discussed a very vital aspect of the SMB ecosystem – their access to new and innovative technology. Typically, large merchants have the means and budget to implement new and cutting-edge solutions as soon as they hit the market. It takes more time for SMBs to fully adopt these technology solutions. By then, new solutions and use cases are already being talked about at higher levels. But Android can change everything for ISVs and their SMB customers.
The next generation of Android payment solutions are bringing innovation and familiarity to a market that has often been dominated by closed systems. These solutions can level the playing field for merchants of all sizes and give SMBs a chance to provide the same high-quality customer experience the large merchants are often known to offer. This is where ISVs can take the lead and provide SMB customers with Android solutions that offer many benefits.
1. Access to Developers and Apps
While most payment acceptance devices that run on proprietary operating systems have their benefits, Android brings access to a larger group of developers and innovative applications. With this access, both ISVs and their SMB customers have more flexibility when it comes to solution development and fosters rich collaboration opportunities. It also helps ISVs save time on developing the entire solution and can get to market quickly.
2. Familiarity
Android has been around in the consumer electronics market for a long time and presents a familiar user interface (UI) to both merchants and shoppers with these solutions. For merchants, the learning curve to understand the payment acceptance system becomes smaller. Shoppers on the other hand encounter a payment system that they find familiar from their usage of smart phones and tablets. This existing familiarity helps create positive experiences for both the merchant and their customers.
3. Cloud Connectivity
One of the key benefits of the Android platform its strong foundation in consumer electronics and cloud connectivity. This allows for existing business intelligence and IoT applications to be easily tailored for businesses to use and enhance the customer experience.
4. Single Point of Integration
While the ISVs may start small, many have the potential to expand their business beyond their current geographical boundaries. Many Android solutions are equipped with a single point of integration that is global. This means that ISVs can expand into global markets without having to go through an entirely new integration process. This saves time and money as ISVs can focus on other areas of the business that may need attention during expansion.
5. Solution Security
Similar to legacy payment solutions in the market, Android-based devices are also compatible with PCI validated security solutions such as point-to-point encryption (P2PE) and tokenization. While P2PE ensures the sensitive payment data is secure in transit, tokenization protects it while it is at rest. These validated solutions are a common industry practice and provide peace of mind to business owners that their customer data is safe.
The Future of Payments is in Android
With Android, ISVs can not only take advantage of all the benefits mentioned and improve the in-store experience for their SMB customers, but they can also maintain competitiveness in the market. From access to a large pool of developers and innovative apps to providing a familiar technology to use for both the SMB and the shopper, Android can be the game-changer the industry needs.
If you are looking to understand more about the Android ecosystem and how you can help your SMB customers enhance customer experience and grow their business, get in touch with us.
Irfan Nasir is the Head of Solutions Development & Deployment at Ingenico
