b'2020 Associate News2020 State ReportUpgrading its Not so Scarycontinued Idaho InsiderWith semi-integration, the terminal or device used to capture customerIDcard data is connected directly to the payment processor so no certifica- LIVING WITH A PANDEMIC tion is required, as depicted below: National Trade Groups Keep PetroleumMarketers on the Forefront Never beforehave our state, regional and national trade groups played such a vital role to convey critical information to petroleum marketers on the ground. PMAA, NACS, WPMA and IPM&CSA pulled our collective resources together to advocate for the indus-try and to keep members abreast of the many pandemic-related changes. Be it emergency waivers for operations, funding to stay in busi-ness, or deciphering new safety requirements, your advocates worked in emergency mode for weeks to provide members with the most up The challenge for stations is to ensure the attended POS system worksto date information needed to stay in business with their unattended pay-at-the-pump solution and they both work withsafely. Weve moved away from weekly crisis the forecourt controller. This is further complicated with EMV and thecalls, but that doesnt mean were off duty. For primary difference between full integration and semi-integration.better or worse, we are truly in a brave new world, and as you already know, its not over Thinking about the Future yet. Please stay tuned! Watch your email and If you can get the complete solution from one vendor they should workcheck our websites for the latest.together, and you only have one place to go for support. Additionally, with technology that supports the future, a station could benefit from ad-ditional features such as ordering at the pump and a terminal that accepts contactless payment transactions. This, however, does not detract from the costs to upgrade and remain compliant as the industry evolves. With a semi-integrated solution, updates can take place systematically and not force a site to close while underway. This allows the business to continue operating and the customer relationship to continue flourish-ing, all while keeping the solution both compliant and safe from the bad guys. Further, the solution removes the dependency on POS for changes and re-certification by decoupling the payment from the transaction. Your pay-at-the-pump terminal should support existing payment meth-ods, such as PIN-entry for debit, and new payment methods, such as contactless through Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and other digital wallets and loyalty programs.IPM&CSA ROLLS WITH THE PUNCHESThe Bottom Line:Coeur dAlene Convention and PAC Golf You have Cost-effective Options Canceled, Member Events Go VirtualWith todays advice by the CDC and WHO to practice social distancingIt was a sad day,but a concession to the to reduce the amount of human contact, a cloud-based, simplified solu- realities and uncertainty of a pandemic envi-tion allows for much of the process to be completed remotely with onlyronment when the IPM&CSA board made the one to two people needed for an onsite install. Installation takes one hourtough decision to cancel the 2020 Convention or less per dispenser, minimizing down time. and Trade Show in Coeur dAlene as being in the best interest of the safety of our members Stations dont need to be concerned with options for upgrading becauseand participants. Same with our PAC golf they have cost-effective choices. However, there is concern about wait- events. Like most (maybe all?) petroleum ing until the last minute due to lack of installers and also the conse- marketer groups, Idaho canceled face to face quences of not upgrading before the deadline. gatherings and has moved to virtual meetings. For more information about Sound Payments, email us at PSTF has done the same, as have government petrosales@soundpayments.com or visit www.soundpayments.com.entities. We all have a few Zoom disaster stories to tell along the way, but we have made S it work. We have to, so we do. 28 www.wpma.com / Autumn 2020'