The Do’s and Don’ts of the EMV Delay…As petroleum retailers you can benefit from the delay as long as you have a full understanding of the associated risks. Take advantage of this brief reprieve to make the most of the EMV compliance delay for automated fuel dispensers.
DO proceed with EMV completion at your Point-of-Sale (POS)
The latest postponement only affects your dispensers. The liability shift at the POS took effect on October 1, 2015. Completing the transition inside will simplify the conversion at the forecourt, as well as improve customer acceptance at the dispenser. If you have not updated your POS, please reach out to a vendor and schedule your upgrade NOW!
DO consider additional POS and technology changes
A site’s POS system may require a software upgrade, new payment terminals and devices, or even total replacement. Although EMV is a costly venture, it can also be seen as an opportunity to make other improvements. If a tech visit must be scheduled, maximize the trip with an improved application update. If you are receiving an upgrade, you may want to consider taking advantage of additional features in the release that will benefit your business.
DO budget well and ensure that finances are available
Everyone realizes that these upgrades will be a major expense. So, take this additional time to allocate or add to an existing budget. Financing companies, like Patriot Capital, are offering special financing to assist you with your EMV equipment upgrades (www.patriotcapitalcorp.com). Reach out to them.
DO set a completion date and create a good project plan with scheduled tasks
It is a good idea to set a target completion date well before the 2020 liability shift. Do not underestimate the power of a good plan!
DO review your upgrade plan thoroughly! Make sure you are including the POS, forecourt, electronic payment server and network providers
Planning is essential to any project. The difficulty with EMV conversions is the number of third parties that are also involved. These include your network, POS vendors and service companies, forecourt vendors and service companies, and site prep contractors. All third parties will have a different set of priorities that may or may not align with your schedule and could result in delays.
DO get commitments from vendors and make them accountable
Work with your vendors and get commitments for completing your upgrades.
DO educate your staff
Your personnel are your primary contacts with your customer. It is important that they understand the changes that are taking place. Most customers are now familiar with how the EMV chip reader works, but there are nuances to each payment device and your staff will need to understand how to help customers should questions arise.
DO seek advice from others
Take the opportunity to open the dialogue with other dealers in the area and your vendors. Nothing beats a brainstorming session with your peers and valuable lessons can be learned from the experience of others.
DO stay informed on any updates and technical advances on payment systems
Payment systems will continue to emerge. Near Field Communication (NFC) and payments made from your car are just some of the new technologies that are gaining acceptance. Make sure to check the Ewing Oil website at www.ewingoil.com for these technical advances and other valuable information as new information becomes available.
DO expect future technology advancements
You may find that you are required to make several physical changes to your store infrastructure. If you must make the investment, make sure you allow for more power, more data, and more physical security. These steps can help you stay ahead of the curve. All it takes is a little foresight and planning.
DON’T procrastinate
The delay of the EMV liability shift at the forecourt should not be an excuse to pause, delay, or IGNORE the start of your EMV conversion. If you have not done so already, start the process now!
DON’T plan on getting another extension
The delay at the forecourt occurred because of the lack of a well-established, certified solution. This is an opportunity to catch up.
DON’T pass up any incentives
Make sure to take advantage of all discounts, rebates, or special financing.
DON’T anticipate your service providers to have significantly more resources in 2020 than they do now
A service company that can perform a specific number of conversions per week cannot magically double or triple that number. Please keep in mind that your site is not their only concern. Schedule your installs early and lock in a commitment time. The earlier you convert, the less you will find scheduling issues.
DON’T ignore PCI Compliance
EMV Compliance does not equal PCI Compliance (http://www.ewingoil.com/news/what-difference-between-emv-and-pci-compliance ). PCI is just as important as ever and it is critical that you verify that any modifications made for EMV reasons are also PA-DSS certified.
As always, Ewing Oil is here to help. Please reach out to us if we may be of further assistance.