The ISV and Software Provider’s Guide to Unattended Payments

Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) are poised to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of unattended payments with innovative kiosk solutions that enable a seamless self-service checkout experience.

It’s now commonplace: consumers, in a variety of merchant establishments, are paying for goods and services at the point of sale with assistance from no one. It's part of a growing trend that's changing consumer attitudes and practices.

Unattended payments, also known as self-service payments, are transactions that occur between a customer and merchant without the presence of a cashier or attendant. The customer makes payment through a self-service payment terminal or kiosk.

Such payments are becoming essential for many industries, and ISVs and software companies who provide point-of-sale solutions should take note as they plan for future growth. At some point, a capable partner will be needed, and a payments solution like CardPointe Unattended from Fiserv can drive value for these ISVs.

Behind the trend

The unattended payments market is projected to reach $129 billion worldwide by 2030. What’s driving the growth? Consumers’ behavior has shifted. In their busy, complicated lives, they want more convenience, speed, efficiency, independence and autonomy, as well as contactless payment options. While attitudes shaped during the pandemic certainly play a part, a broader acceptance of technology generally also appears to be at work.

According to a PYMNTS.com report, an impressive 84% of U.S. consumers – from Generation Z to baby boomers – have adopted self-service kiosks, with 66% even preferring them over traditional staffed checkouts. Furthermore, 36% of consumers are actively seeking more advanced unattended payment solutions, underscoring a shift toward smarter, more convenient experiences.

Merchants are responding. They see the trend as an opportunity to improve the customer experience with user-friendly, self-service, unattended payments capabilities, while also recognizing the potential advantages to their own businesses in reducing overhead costs and gaining operational efficiency.

If all that seems pretty straightforward, officials at Bank of America predict some more interesting possibilities are on the way. These include healthcare applications like automated prescription pickups, and in the travel space, unattended minibars in hotels. In fact, the applications may only be limited by human imagination. If consumers can pay for something, there might be a way for them to pay for it unattended.

ISVs are finding more and more sophisticated ways to seamlessly embed payment processing capabilities into their unattended kiosk solutions. In doing so, they can create a smoother checkout process that differentiates their software from competitors, and helps them capture new revenue as they meet customer demand for convenience and self-service.

The value of integrating with a trusted payments partner

ISVs have a golden opportunity for new business and future growth by helping merchants implement unattended payment solutions in an expanding market. But this means selecting the most suitable payment processing provider – one that can help meet current demand and then scale as business ramps up.

What ISVs should look for in choosing the right partner for unattended payments:

• Device durability – Reliable devices that can withstand harsh outdoor conditions and maintain peak performance 
• Security – Compliance with the latest PCI PTS standards and PCI P2PE requirements, as well as the use of EMV and NFC technology, to ensure secure transactions 
• Ease of integration – Seamless integration into existing software and payment ecosystems, enabling ISVs to include unattended payments in their solutions without significant development effort
• Support and revenue opportunities – Ongoing partner support, from integration to sales support, that enables growth opportunities through the expansion of service offerings into the future

The Fiserv solution

As a global leader in the payments industry, Fiserv offers a complete hardware/software solution for unattended payments that meets these criteria. CardPointe Unattended extends our CardPointe Integrated Payments solution to kiosks and self-service applications, combining CardSecure's PCI-validated P2PE security with a robust unattended card reader device (the ID TECH VP5300 with the NFC antenna) and simple API integrations powered by the CardPointe Gateway.

Tran said CardPointe Unattended works in several verticals, with some of the most successful being in the car wash, parking and utilities spaces.

“It’s been developed to support heavy traffic, with expedited transaction speeds that minimize wait times and allow for both merchants and software partners to capture more revenue,” she said. “One of our largest adopters runs ~$23M in volume monthly, accounting for 22% of their overall volume with Fiserv.”

One particular provider of car wash POS software and technology solutions uses CardPointe Unattended with car wash businesses to enable their patrons to make one-time purchases, sign up for a subscription or update card information, right at the kiosk.

The form factor of the card reader, with its ability to flush-mount to a kiosk, is a game changer from a look, feel and reliability standpoint. And PCI-validated P2PE makes it easier for car wash businesses using this solution to remain compliant, with more certainty that this solution will work for many years into the future.

“We’ve enabled our software partners to expand their market opportunity with a secure, reliable and weather-rated unattended solution,” said Crystal Tran, Vice President of Product Strategy, Cross-Sales and Retention at Fiserv. “The biggest misconception in the marketplace is that every unattended payment device should function the same. There are so many different environments and use cases, software partners need to be solutioned for the right one that meets their needs.”

 

New future, next steps

The widespread acceptance of unattended payment solutions marks a transformative step in the way consumers engage with businesses. As convenience, efficiency and contactless transactions become increasingly important, software providers and ISVs should act aggressively to integrate these solutions into their offerings. Doing so not only enhances customer experiences, but also optimizes operations and opens doors to new revenue streams.

Selecting the right payment partner is essential. At Fiserv, we offer a full-service ISV Partner Program that helps ISVs leverage unattended payment systems, such as Fiserv’s CardPointe Unattended solution to generate revenue and achieve growth. 

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