Choosing a payment integration partner is an important decision. They are called partners for a reason – whoever you choose needs to be invested in your shared clients’ success and satisfaction. When it comes to selecting the right payment integration partner, keep the following points in mind.
API
Not all APIs are created equal. It’s important to have an API that not only meets the needs of your business and your clients but that is easy for your developers to work with. An API that has a standardized code structure, error messaging, and flexible integration capabilities makes for an easy integration.
Revenue share
Among the 51% of ISVs that receive some form of compensation, 57% receive revenue share on each transaction rather than a one-time referral fee. A fair, profitable revenue share program gives you a percentage of the net revenue generated from your referred clients, which increases as their total processing volume grows. If your clients need traditional terminals for in-store transactions in addition to processing payments through the integration, ask if the integration partner offers revenue share on terminals as well (not all integration partners do this). Some integration partners also offer incentives, rewards, and uncapped revenue share.
PCI compliance
Your clients have enough on their plates without worrying about PCI compliance. While compliance is not legally mandated, non-compliance involves penalties, fees, and in severe cases, account termination. Look for an integration partner that reduces your clients’ responsibility for PCI compliance, ensures every transaction is encrypted, and securely stores sensitive credit card information.
Pricing
Generally, a merchant account provider can offer you lower, more competitive pricing than the fixed rates offered by aggregators – and lower rates attract more clients. Additionally, through the partnership, most integration partners will offer preferred pricing for your referred clients.
Support
Does the integration partner provide support for you, your developers, and your clients? Most integration partners also offer product training for your sales staff to help increase your market penetration, conversions, and revenue. Do they provide co-marketing content, campaigns, and initiatives to help increase account penetration, conversions, and revenue? What type of support does the partner offer your developer(s) before, during, and after integration? Are there guides and resources for your developer team to refer to? Is there a sandbox environment for them to use? Technical difficulties or billing inquiries disrupt your clients’ business; an integration partner that provides prompt 24/7 customer support is invaluable.
Smooth onboarding process
If you partner with a merchant account provider, they’ll need to first set your clients up with their own merchant account to be able to accept payments within your software. Look for a partner that provides a smooth merchant account application and onboarding process. A great integration partner enables your clients to start processing payments as quickly and seamlessly as possible.
Reporting
Your clients can either process payments through the mobile app or insert a card reader into the audio jack of the mobile device to accept credit card payments anywhere, anytime.
Product scope
Make sure the capabilities offered by the API aligns with the business needs of your clients. Every software vendors’ customers have unique needs which require different technology sets and payment solutions.
This is an adapted excerpt from our latest eBook, Payment Integration 101: A Software Vendor’s Guide to Payment Partnerships. To read more, download the free eBook on the right.
