The Covid-19 pandemic delivered unprecedented challenges around the world in 2020. Economic markets and consumer patterns have created a "new normal", reshaping the traditional payment market landscape. As countries implemented strict control measures, people have been using less cash, with contactless quickly becoming the preferred consumer method of payment. The payment terminal industry moved into the fast lane.
The change in technology and habits brought about by the pandemic has resulted in many attractions and operators realising that their ticketing and payment solutions were insufficient and whilst the Ticknovate platform is delivering on the newly defined needs of these businesses, such as timed entry and inventory management, it was critical that the selected point of sale hardware provider was equally best in class. By partnering with PAX Technology, the world’s leading provider of innovative payment terminal solutions, Ticknovate is able to combine with the latest generation in SmartPOS technology, providing customers with a complete solution meeting the new spending habits and new business needs.
As PAX SmartPOS is powered by the fastest of processors to simultaneously run multiple applications under the highest levels of inbuilt payment security, these units are ideal for showcasing the Ticknovate software application. The units include a 5MP rear camera with auto focus flash for perfect image capture, a professional barcode scanner, a 5.5" capacitive touchscreen, a contactless + chip & PIN + magstripe and 4G, WiFi and Bluetooth capabilities. Importantly these units fit snugly in the palm of your hand and weigh just 390g, all within just one unit.
Says Yiannis Maglaras, Managing Director of Ticknovate, “Using Ticknovate SmartPOS on the PAX A920, staff can sell tickets using real-time availability and pricing - whether at your ticket booth or virtually any mobile location transactions can take place for queuing customers or onboard vessels. Even without connectivity the device will still operate off-line resulting in zero interference. Using this single lightweight, portable and affordable device, staff are able to take card payments (and register cash payments), scan tickets, offer upgrades and more.”
Ticknovate is built based on a modern software architecture using microservices where the platform is arranged as a collection of loosely coupled services (products, inventory, orders, tickets, payments, etc.) that are developed and released independently. Breaking up the problem domain into smaller chunks makes it easier to extend those services to add new features and remain at the forefront of technological advances. The same is necessary from hardware partners and PAX is totally focused on promoting the deployment of Android SmartPOS devices as the standard for all merchants, so that POS network providers can prepare for the provision of new services in future. This strategy continues to be a successful worldwide one, because no merchant ever wants go back to using a traditional terminal after they have experienced using an Android SmartPOS device.
Says General Manager of PAX Italy, Andrea Zucchiatti,
"Traditional terminals, especially countertop devices, have always faced challenges in being integrated with the average merchant's checkout setup, requiring significant levels of onsite maintenance and presenting complications around cabling," continues Zucchiatti, "and now the abandonment of 3G networks makes it necessary to update legacy POS terminal technology, all of which means increased costs for key stakeholders. Thanks to PAX, the price point of Android terminals is gradually approaching that of traditional terminals, especially legacy desktop devices which are increasingly less popular due to the need to adopt more costly communication technologies such as 4G and WiFi. These conditions therefore make the replacement of traditional portable devices to newer generation Android SmartPOS solutions sustainable"