Factors For A Successful EMV Implementation

By Kimberly Berneck, senior vice president, delivery management, BTM Global

Retailers have been rolling out EMV, the technical standard for smart payment cards and terminals, but it hasn’t been a fast process. Adoption has lagged in part because U.S. retailers’ implementations have been anything but smooth and consistent. Authorizers are building and adding to EMV even as retailers are getting certified, and there are many players that need to get involved: The point-of-sale software provider, signature capture provider, authorizer and others are all specialized and focused on their niche, and all come from different organizations.

How do you manage what you don’t know?

With all of this uncertainty, you need to have some measure of control over the project and its effect on your organization. An experienced system integrator (SI) can collaborate closely with you and manage all of the players and pieces. They know the requirements and can advise you on whether you have the infrastructure to meet them; lead you on the most efficient and effective way through the transition; communicate an end-to-end view of your project; and guide the other players through it.

Knowing what to look for in the right SI is critical, and just as important is having a good understanding of how your own organization will navigate the transition to EMV.