ISVs: How to Get Past Payment Hardware Integration and Start Building Payments Revenues

If your customers demand integrated card-present payments, you need payment hardware integration that’s quick and easy. After all, the faster you can integrate, the faster you can start building revenue from software sales and payment residuals. However, unless you find a partner that understands an ISV’s challenges with integrations and values ISV relationships enough to offer solutions, low-friction integration is easier said than done.

Payment technology companies can simplify payments integration by providing SDKs and demo devices. However, a bigger indicator that you’re working with a payment technology company committed to its ISV partners is how it approaches payments. Instead of requiring you to integrate with a type of terminal, a forward-thinking partner who values your relationship will take a platform approach.

When payment hardware from your partner runs on a platform, you can give your customers multiple payment device options with a single integration. Furthermore, backward compatibility makes it easier to keep your customers’ payment hardware operational and compliant as technology advances.

You’ll also benefit from a partner that stays on the leading edge of payment technology trends, such as leveraging Android for flexible, future-proof options. Android makes it easier for you to build payments and add features to your customers’ technology environment. With an Android-based payment system, you can even allow your customers to run business applications from their payment terminals to create unique customer experiences. You can also give your customers more robust device management options, including remote management and opening service tickets directly from their terminals.

The time you spend researching the support a payment technology provides to an ISV partner – and the technology you’ll integrate with – will help you get to more payment revenue faster and save you time and expense throughout the partnership.

The Journey After Payments Hardware Integration

Once you’ve established a partnership and completed a payment hardware integration, you’ll quickly find that, when it comes to support for an ISV, there’s no substitute for experience. Plans may look good on paper, but years of experience working with ISVs is much more valuable when determining the best support for your business.

As much as you can, make sure you aren’t partnering with a company that will walk you through an integration and then move on. You’ll see more benefits if you find a partner you can lean on, who has mapped out the ISV journey, and has implemented processes to support you every step of the way. If you’re fortunate enough, you’ll also find a partner who listens to you and is flexible enough to adapt to your needs and improve an ISVs’ experience.

Good Payment Hardware Partners Support Your Business Growth

When evaluating payment hardware integration partnerships, smart ISVs maintain a big-picture perspective. If, like most companies, the goal is growing revenues, it helps to have a partner that is willing to be involved with more than technical support. Take advantage of networking opportunities the payment hardware company provides, such as partner events or attending tradeshows with the partner’s team. Also, take your partner up on co-marketing campaigns that help you get your brand in front of their audience, possibly allowing you to introduce your software to new markets.

The goal should always be mutual success. When your business does well, your payment hardware partner also benefits. Make sure you see evidence that your payment hardware integration partner recognizes that fact and is willing to invest in your relationship.

To learn what Ingenico brings to ISV partnerships, including a robust Android platform with backward compatibility, a well-defined ISV relationship journey, and a partner program focused on ISV business growth, contact us.