Financials

<p style="text-align: justify;"><span data-contrast="none">In my last Expert View, I pointed out that only payment terminals are increasingly substituted into multi-use </span>SmartPOS<span data-contrast="none">&nbsp;terminals. That transition is driven by industries like hospitality (restaurants, bars, and hotels), travel and entertainment, and luxury, which combine a better user experience with faster and less-effort processes. This applies mostly to lean front-end applications such as a register SW running on the (Android) SmartPOS parallel to payment.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;">SoftPOS as a Payment Solution</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span data-contrast="none">Those new Android SmartPOS devices are still proprietary HW payment devices with all functionalities on board (HW security, Chip&amp;PIN, Printer), but a new trend is cannibalizing their market adoption.&nbsp;</span>SoftPOS<span data-contrast="none">&nbsp;is a trend worldwide, but also in Central European countries with high (local) certifications where normal Android mobile phones can accept NFC Payments via a certified App.&nbsp;</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span data-contrast="none">Due to the high adoption of NFC payments globally, the need for (EMV) Chip&amp;PIN is also negligible as the receipt printing. As the average receipt size is rather small, the receipt may not be mandatory, as it comes into higher volumes or tax-relevant receipts. A QR code with the virtual receipt could be provided or sent to the customer&rsquo;s e-mail address.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span data-contrast="none">The SoftPOS adoption may occupy a relevant portion of the SmartPOS potential, but it will certainly expand terminal estates into lower payment segments. Nobody expects SmartPOS or SoftPOS to enter pure fast checkouts at groceries or discounters. Still, all usages in between could be addressed as BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) was also a trend in office organization a while ago.</span><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;134233117&quot;:false,&quot;134233118&quot;:false,&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335551550&quot;:0,&quot;335551620&quot;:0,&quot;335559738&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:0,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span data-ccp-props="{&quot;201341983&quot;:0,&quot;335559739&quot;:160,&quot;335559740&quot;:259}">&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 10pt;"><em>This article was contributed by our expert&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephan-schmidt-ba36381/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Stephan Schmidt</a></em></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><h3 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 18pt;">Frequently Asked Questions Answered by Stephan Schmidt&nbsp;</span></h3><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">1. What are the expected growth trends for SmartPOS adoption in Central Europe over the next few years?</span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Integration with E-commerce</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Many businesses were looking to integrate their SmartPOS systems with e-commerce platforms to create a seamless omnichannel experience. This trend was expected to strengthen as businesses sought to meet the growing demand for online shopping while maintaining a strong physical presence.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Enhanced Data Analytics</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">SmartPOS systems were becoming more advanced in terms of data analytics and reporting capabilities. Businesses were using these systems not only for processing payments but also for gathering valuable insights into customer behavior, inventory management, and sales trends.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Mobile Wallet Integration</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Central Europe was experiencing increased adoption of mobile wallet solutions, and SmartPOS terminals were expected to support a wide range of mobile payment options, such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, and local mobile wallets.</p><p style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Focus on Security and Compliance</strong></p><p style="text-align: justify;">As with any payment technology, security remained a top priority. SmartPOS vendors were expected to invest in robust security features to protect sensitive customer data, including compliance with GDPR and local data protection laws.</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p><p style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</p>