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an internet connection, which can what about EMV and other recent payment innovations? Does the ecommerce
help overcome COVID-19 restric- provider offer the most up-to-date terminals that accept chip cards? These are
tions by facilitating work-from-home critical questions that—when answered—will help merchants evaluate the se-
implementations, or empowering curity qualifications for their cloud commerce providers.
merchants to utilize geographically
disparate services like off-shore call Conclusion
centers to maintain operations. The impact of COVID-19 continues to be profound. Workers and customers
Flexibility and innovation remain hesitant to come into a store or restaurant, forcing many establishments
to pivot from brick-and-mortar to virtual establishments. Thanks to the capa-
One of the most attractive attributes bilities of cloud technology, this transition is proving to be faster and more
of the cloud is its profound flexibil- cost-effective than many merchants envisioned. Powerful cloud commerce so-
ity and innovation. Where creating lutions, tailored to satisfy the unique needs of small and midsize merchants,
and managing an online presence are earning high marks for facilitating this efficient transformation. Through
was once complicated and cost pro- these services, businesses and customers can engage over the internet—elimi-
hibitive for many businesses, savvy nating the need for face-to-face interactions.
ecommerce providers have devel-
oped cloud-based applications and Physical menus are repurposed as online ordering systems, stores transition
services that allow smaller merchants from 'purchasing' to 'fulfillment' centers, and managers run their operations
to quickly enter the ecommerce space. from a single web portal that gives them visibility into sales, expenses, market-
ing, workforce management and dozens of other key performance indicators.
These services enable merchants to Even as the pandemic abates, there will be little debate that the benefits of cloud
sell and fulfill orders, process pay- technology will continue to define the merchant services space. Retailers, res-
ments, manage inventories, and even taurants, hotels and other organizations that run their businesses through the
leverage data analytics to help im- cloud, find themselves more efficient, secure, customer-focused and profitable.
prove service and instill brand loyal- The benefits are impossible to ignore.
ty. Managing all these functions can Ronny Yakov is chief executive officer of OLB Group Inc., which offers all-in-one ecommerce solu-
occur on premise, at home or any- tions that promise zero investment, no technology fuss and expert support. For more information,
where in between.
please visit https://olb.com.
Cloud services deliver a ubiquitous
experience that offers a distinct ad-
vantage over organizations still grap-
pling with work-from-home and so-
cial distance regulations. Best of all,
leveraging cloud services requires
no capital investment. Businesses
can select the services they want and
pay monthly subscription fees based
upon the capabilities they consume.
For cash-strapped businesses, this
business model is incredibly compel-
ling.
Security is paramount

Just as the features and capabilities
vary among ecommerce providers,
businesses should not presume that
all data privacy and security features
are created equal. Merchants are
well-advised to take a close look at
the security protocols and processes
each vendor uses and ask some point-
ed questions that will determine the
solution's efficacy and strength. For
instance, it's important to know
where personal data is stored. Does
the merchant or provider keep data at
rest, and how is it protected? Is data
protected when transmitted? Is en-
cryption used, and what kind? And

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