The payment industry is complex, and a single transaction requires input from multiple parts of it. Sometimes, the various sides of the industry don’t play well together – for instance, your dream POS system that meets all your needs may only be supported by one or two processors, significantly limiting your choices for with whom you can partner. That’s where middleware comes in. A middleware is a software solution that connect POS systems to processors, giving merchants access to a wide range of options. Let’s explore some of the major benefits of middleware.
Pick Your Processor
One of the greatest advantages of middleware is its ability to connect and work with a wide variety of payment processing companies. Gone are the days of being forced to work with one particular processor because of a certain feature they provide. Middleware opens the doors to all the big names with just one integration.
Pick Your POS System
Choice is everything in today’s world, and the payments industry is no exception. As you research the types of point of sale solutions out there, you’ll likely find one or two that meet your needs perfectly. In the days before middleware, that POS system was tied to a specific processor – to get the device, you had to work with them. Middleware means choosing your processor and POS system independently, so you get the right fit for your needs on both sides. You can even mix and match POS devices throughout your business!
Flexibility and Customization
Businesses constantly grow and evolve, and your perfect payment solution today might look different tomorrow. Working with middleware makes changing your processing setup much easier than with a traditional gateway. Instead of building a whole new integration that takes a considerable amount of time and money, a middleware solution allows for quick and relatively simple changes. In addition, since middleware is not built into the POS terminal, you can often keep the customizations and branding changes you’ve made to your interface when you make a change – no more starting from scratch!
So Many Options, So Little Time
Is a middleware solution right for your business? If so, which partner is the best fit? We’re partial to eConduit’s Blackline solution (it’s what powers many of our Velox integrations), but there are plenty of other options. Give us a call at 1-855-360-0360 or drop us a line on our website and we’ll walk you through everything. We can’t wait to help you find the middleware solution that’s right for you.
PS – Check out our top ten tips to making online payments simple and easy for your customers.
PPS – PCI compliance giving you grief? Read these five reasons your scan might have failed.