credit card terminal

Sep 04 2018

REVONU POS and Holy Cross Monastery: a Match Made in Heaven!

Advice, Blog, Business, business owners, EMV, Industry, merchant services, New Product, Point of Sale, POS, small business, Tech

Brother Will working in the shop with REVONU POS

While COCARD’s REVONU POS is already well known for powering payments at restaurants, salons, and retail establishments, it also helps Holy Cross Monastery manage their gift shop inventory, payments and book sales.

Read what Holy Cross Monastery’s Brother Scott has to say about REVONU POS and COCARD.

COCARD: First, what is your primary use for REVONU POS?

Brother Scott: Our system is in the gift shop where we sell a mixture of books, religious gifts, candy bars and snacks.

COCARD: What made your monastery choose REVONU POS for your payment processing?

Brother Scott: We have been working with COCARD for a while, primarily because the previous POS system we were using had recommended COCARD as a merchant services provider. Also, when EMV came about we were looking at how to accommodate that. We had the option to stay with a previous system or change to what COCARD was recommending. COCARD’s support had always been quite good so we felt confident in going with their recommendation, which was REVONU POS.

COCARD: How has REVONU POS improved the operation of your business?

Brother Scott: The previous software we used had been minimally updated since the 90’s. So, now that we have been able to use the newer technology, particularly the cloud based software to access the back office from anywhere, our store has been running a lot smoother.

COCARD: So you would say that REVONU POS has made your business run easier and more efficiently?

Brother Scott: Yes! Especially because COCARD’s customer service has been so reliable and has made converting to REVONU POS a smooth process.

COCARD: What is your favorite aspect of REVONU POS?

Brother Scott: Again, the newer technology and back office cloud integration is great! Also the staff in the store really like the ease of the touch- screen functions on the terminal.

If you think that your business could benefit from adopting a REVONU point of sale terminal, like Holy Cross Monastery does, call COCARD today at 1(800)317- 1819!

What You Need to Know About Mobile Payments

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Advice, Blog, Blog, Business, business owners, EMV, Industry, merchant services, mobile payments, New Product, Point of Sale, POS, small business, Tech

Cartoon anthropomorphic EMV enabled terminal smiling

Terminal talks about mobile payments!

Like any new technology, mobile payments might seem a bit complicated. Don’t worry, we’re covering what you need to know about the latest mobile payment technologies— without all the technical jargon.

How do mobile payments work?

Apple Pay and Android Pay

Apple and Android Pay rely on NFC technology. NFC stands for “Near Field Communication,” as in the phone and terminal must be near each other to work. Both the phone and the terminal must have NFC chips.

Samsung Pay

Samsung Pay is different than Apple and Android pay because it involves MST technology. MST stands for “Magnetic Secure Transmission” and interacts with a terminal just like the magnetic strip on your card.

Both of these technologies allow your phone to internally store your payment info and to communicate with a terminal in order to authorize the transaction.

Are mobile payment technologies safe?

Yes. In general, today’s mobile payments are secure. Your card information is encrypted in your phone to combat fraudsters. Essentially, your phone holds a virtual card—a decoy that you use to make payments. Unlike a physical card, your financial information (i.e. your name and card number) is not directly used.

Here’s a few tips to make your mobile wallet even more secure:

Make sure you have a passcode on your phone. If your phone gets lost or stolen, it will be more difficult for someone to use your phone to make payments with your card.
Set your phone up to be able to be turned off from anywhere in the event your phone has been lost or stolen.
Monitor your card statements for any fraudulent charges. If you see anything suspicious, call your bank.

Apple and Samsung Pay also utilize fingerprint verification (biometrics) in order to access your chosen payment.

Comparing Mobile Payment Apps

Apple Pay
Introduced 2014
One of the first mobile payment options to utilize NFC technology in phones
Works with iPhone models 6 and newer
Works with wearables (Apple Watch)
Accepts most Visa, MasterCard and most large organizations
Larger banks (like Bank of America) support Apple Pay, but support varies across smaller regional banks

Android Pay
- Phone must be supported by NFC, which is available in newer Android models
- Utilizes a downloadable app
- Works on any compatible smartphone
- Currently supported by fewer banks than Apple Pay

Apple and Android Pay are not yet widely accepted in stores due to the fact that this technology is relatively unknown to consumers.

Samsung Pay:
Works with newest Samsung phones like the Galaxy S7
Uses MST technology to mimic the magnetic strip on a card
Works by hovering your phone over any terminal
Use is not restricted to NFC enabled terminals
Does not work (due to weak signal strength) if your card has to be inserted into the terminal, like at a gas station

Have more questions about mobile payments, or wireless terminals, our customer services representatives will be happy to help- just call us at 1(800)317- 1819!