Harnessing advanced technology
A representative at Hypercom gave us the following information: “Optimum terminals with printers (Optimum T4205, T4210, T4220 and T4230 countertops, M4240 Bluetooth, and M4230 GPRS mobile terminals) can print eight lines of merchant-specific information, including logos and graphics, and can print between 10 to 15 lines per second.”
Tobi North, who oversees channel marketing for VeriFone, said, “Using our devices and SoftPay, merchants can program messages and coupons into their payment devices. Up to six lines of print are available in the header and up to four lines in the footer. Using basic settings, a merchant is able to set up static messages. Using the automation tools in VeriCentre allows merchants to change or rotate special messaging or coupons. You can also program the device to print logos or images.”
Gregory Boardman, Senior Vice President Product and Development at Ingenico, stated, “We have worked with millions of retailers worldwide, and in our experience, we have seen the receipt play a vital role in the POS transaction – from the very smallest mom-and-pop merchant to the largest retailer.”
Ingenico software allows the user to print as many lines as needed on their receipts. While a receipt header is typically three to four lines, there is no set limitation with Ingenico terminals. Their solutions enjoy a variety of innovations to help customers manage and maintain their terminal estates. These include content delivery and updates.
Features such as dual communications, automated post call scheduling and thin client technology provide new and unobtrusive ways to update content to the POS. Many choices simplify the way content is delivered so that advertising campaigns can be updated more frequently.
Getting the word out
Ingenico has long recognized the connection between the inherent potential of utilizing transaction receipts for advertisement or message conveyance to provide value to both cardholders and merchants. The receipt is one of the few opportunities that merchants have to present meaningful information to the cardholder.
“The process of adding content to the receipt is not a new one but has become easier over time,” Boardman said. “I can recall that even back in the early ’90s, certain manufacturers used receipt logos as a way to differentiate their products. As time passed, some manufacturers invested quite heavily in the systems required to pass advertisement and coupon data to a POS terminal in a managed fashion, but most failed due to performance limitations.
“The biggest impediment to this evolution has always been the technology. Most of the POS devices during these early periods used dial connections, and terminal estates employed disparate applications, making the prospect of seamless content management a troubled one.”
The near ubiquity of Ethernet connectivity combined with the introduction of more robust POS devices has paved the way for a more manageable, practical system of managing content delivery to the POS.
We also spoke with First Data Corp. representatives about the company’s FD line of terminals. They explained that their terminals can print up to six customizable lines in the header and four in the footer.
Putting receipts to work