Introducing Groovv | Part Point of Sale | Part Business Growing Tool

Woodland Hills, CA (PRWEB) April 09, 2014

Total Merchant Services, a leader in payment processing services, announced today the launch of Groovv, a new, powerfully simple suite of products and marketing solutions that helps retail and restaurant businesses grow, become more efficient and more profitable. With the introduction of Groovv, Total Merchant Services emerges with an unrivaled technology platform that integrates key business management solutions with point of sale, payment processing, data, and marketing. Backed by Totals unparalleled merchant and sales partner support programs, Groovv is being unveiled at the Electronic Transaction Association (ETA) Show in Las Vegas, running April 8-10 at the Mandalay Bay.

Just as Total revolutionized the credit card processing industry 18 years ago by being the first company to offer a free placement program, we are reinventing ourselves now with Groovv. With an unyielding focus on support, we are transforming ourselves from a credit card processor to a small business solutions provider with innovative, scalable and secure products and services that help small businesses succeed, states CEO Joe Kaplan.

Shelley Plomske, VP of Product at Total Merchant Services, adds, with the introduction of Groovv, Total is supporting businesses in ways they never have seen before. We understand the needs of small business owners and the sales partners who work with them to deliver the tools that make running their business easier, more efficient and more profitable. Most importantly, we’ve designed Groovv to be very easy to set up and simple to use.

In addition, not only does this innovative suite of products make it easy for sales partners to sell, but Total builds on its history of introducing free placement by giving them a suite of free options for merchants, which should open more doors so they can close more deals.

Groovv’s suite of offerings includes:

        Groovv Register: powered by the technology formerly known as Registroid (acquired by Total in September 2013), provides a point of sale solution for small to medium retail merchants. Operating on Android-based devices, Groovv Register empowers merchants to grow and manage their business with software options and multiple hardware bundles that can be customized to merchants specific needs.

        Groovv Offers: formerly Fanminder Offers (acquired by Total in January 2013), allows merchants to create and manage promotions by using customized templates via a web interface to send discounts through mobile devices, social media, email lists and websites. Groovv Offers also helps merchants build a database of customer contact information, with simple online forms and import tools.

        Groovv API: is a powerful, reliable and secure integration platform that provides third party developers with a way to integrate payments, customer data, and online marketing services (i.e. Groovv Offers). Merchants will have real-time access to their data presented in a way that is easily consumable and aids in managing their business more effectively. 

Customers choose Total and stay with us because our products are so compelling and easy to use that they can’t imagine running their business without us, adds Plomske. We believe that Groovv will provide a new way for merchants to operate, and an exciting opportunity for our partners to sell small business solutions like never before.

For more information on how the Groovv suite of  products can improve your business contact Chris Judy of Total Merchant Services at 800.51.TOTAL / 800.518.6825 today!

Does my business need an EMV smart card terminal?

 

EMV smart cards are a hot topic in the US right now due to the data breaches that we have been seeing here. This blog is going to cover the history of EMV, what EMV stands for, and where it is going in the United States.

What is EMV?

The term EMV stands for Europay, MasterCard and Visa, who are the three pioneers in the chip based smart card also known as integrated circuit cards (IC Card) or chip cards. The concept of smart cards is not new to the world as it has been around since the EMV version 2.0 was released in 1995. Since its initial release there have been many updates and currently is at EMV version 4.3. EMV smart cards are already in vast use in many countries including Europe, China, Brazil as well as others. 

EMV smart cards carry two main benefits over standard credit cards. The two benefits are the improved security that has a direct correlation with reduced fraud and the ability to have a finer control of “offline” credit card transactions. There are more cardholder verification methods (CVMs) supported by the EMV smart card over the standard magnetic strip card increasing overall security and making offline transactions more accessible. The CVM features for EMV smart cards are signature, offline plaintext PIN, offline enciphered PIN, offline plaintext PIN and signature, offline enciphered PIN and signature, offline PIN, no CVM required, and fail CVM processing. By default the cards are “chip and PIN” requiring when possible to have the chip read and the PIN entered by the customer. This of course is the most secure way that a smart card transaction can be handled. 

When will you be required to have an EMV smart card ready terminal?

Due to the increase in security that the EMV smart card provides the United States is moving toward converting cards and terminals over to be EMV enabled. The card companies (Visa, MasterCard, Discover and so on) implement the smart cards and greatly encourage their use by setting a ‘liability shift’ date. What does a liability shift mean when it comes to EMV smart cards? It means as of the date that is set, for each card brand of the liability shift, the merchant becomes liable for any fraud that stems from transaction systems that are not EMV capable. 

This date has come and gone in the European Union as of January of 2005. Here in the US the liability shift dates for merchants have been set.  American Express, Discover, Maestro, MasterCard, and Visa have announced that liability shift for point of sale terminals as of October 2015. The pay at the pump liability shift has been extended two additional years to October of 2017 with the exception of MasterCard where pay at the pump liability shift is set for October 2016.

To ensure that your business is ready for the EMV smart cards you may want to consider getting an EMV smart card ready terminal in your business. We offer both the Hypercom T4220 & Hypercom M4230 EMV smart card capable terminals free along with our month to month agreement. 

If you have any questions or would like information on getting an EMV smart card terminal contact me, Chris Judy, at 800.51.TOTAL / 800.518.6825 or complete an inquiry form on my website www.totalmerchantservices.pro.