News from the Wire

SAIL updates: Android, VeriFone integration

Friday, June 29, 2012 — 13:32:42 (EDT)

San Jose, June 27, 2012 -- SAIL is an evolving platform, and as such, we’ll be updating it frequently with new functionality that not only rounds out the existing product but also introduces new features that reflect customer feedback and demand. In the 7 weeks since launch (and for many months prior), our product team has been working tirelessly to bring to market three key features that we believe elevate SAIL to the next level of service. Today, we’re happy to announce the SAIL Android app, multi-user functionality, and VeriFone VX 520 countertop terminal integration.

To mark the announcement, a few members of our product team wanted to weigh in on these three updates and what they mean for small to medium-sized business owners. If you have feedback or a specific request for how SAIL can be a better partner to your business, we’d love to hear it in the comments section!

SAIL ANDROID APP PUBLIC BETA RELEASE from Director of Product Development, Dan Loomis

Today marks the release of our Android public beta, and we couldn’t be more excited. Over the past 6 weeks, many of you shared your frustration at our lack of an Android app, and we heard you loud and clear. The SAIL Android App (beta) is now available in the Google Play store, and after you download it you can begin accepting payments with your Android phone immediately – wherever business takes you.

It will take some time before we can guarantee support for every Android device on the market, but the phones listed below have been tested by our team and deemed ready for public use. In the coming weeks and months we’ll continue to roll out additional manufacturers and series, so if you have a specific device you’re looking for, please let us know in the comments and we’ll move it up in priority.

• HTC EVO 4G LTE
• Samsung Galaxy S II
• Samsung Nexus S
• Samsung Galaxy Blaze S 4G
• Motorola RAZR
• HTC Thunderbolt
• LG Nitro HD
• Sony Xperia Play (with adapter)
• ZTE Wrap
• LG Optimus S
• Samsung Galaxy Tab

SAIL’s Android app is currently a few versions behind iOS, and will have a slightly different feature set in the short term. You’ll find, however, that most of the key features of SAIL are currently available. Since this is a public beta, if you notice something along the way that doesn’t seem right, we’d appreciate you letting us know by emailing us at feedback@sailpay.com. Stay tuned, because in the next handful of weeks we’ll be rapidly releasing new features and functionality for SAIL’s Android app to improve the experience even further.

BETA RELEASE OF MULTI-USER FUNCTIONALITY From our VP of SMB Commerce, Brian Hamilton

SAIL’s new beta multi-user functionality allows small to medium-sized business owners complete control over the access levels their employees can have to their SAIL account. This feature is perfect for sales organizations, restaurants, or fleet owners who want their salespeople or staff on the street to have a fully functioning mobile payments application, while still restricting access to the business’ banking and profile information found in the SAIL dashboard. Whether your business is pay-at-the-table or pay-on-the-go, this new feature adds valuable functionality for business owners of all sizes.

Another key feature of SAIL’s beta multi-user functionality is detailed reporting, by user, across multiple devices. This means you can track the transactions your employees are making regardless of which phone or device they may be using. These metrics can help you measure performance and sales by item across various users, and identify both top performers and areas for improvement. Next week we’ll be expanding upon our multi-user functionality and will keep you posted.

VERIFONE VX 520 COUNTERTOP TERMINAL INTEGRATION From our Product Operations Manager, Samyak Shah

When we first began work on SAIL we knew that one key feature that would differentiate us from the competition was the ability for customers to accept payments on both a mobile device and a traditional VeriFone countertop terminal. Today we’re realizing that vision, as you’re now able to order a VeriFone VX 520 countertop device directly on sailpay.com. The VeriFone VX 520 is one of the fastest, most secure, and reliable countertop devices that VeriFone offers, and connecting it to the SAIL platform means merchants now have even greater flexibility when determining the optimal payments setup for their business needs.

The VX 520 is ideal for merchants who need a physical receipt for their customers, or those looking for a more permanent credit card processing solution to display on their countertops. SAIL enables you to process a payment on your VX 520 device in one location while an employee or co-worker uses the SAIL mobile application in another, and transactions accepted from either device can be viewed and managed through the same SAIL dashboard.

You can rent a VeriFone VX 520 for only $15 per month with a $100 security deposit. The device rental includes 24/7 customer service, expedited repair and exchange support, and the same low transaction rate as your SAIL plan. Currently, Verifone VX 520’s are connected through a dial up or Ethernet connection, but they’ll soon also be able to connect through a GPRS (wireless) connection.

The introduction of the SAIL Android app, multi-user functionality, and integration with the VeriFone VX 520 are all exciting steps for us in the larger product roadmap, but we’ve got even more great features and functionality up our sleeve that are coming soon.

Do you have feedback on today’s announcement, or suggestions for how we can further improve the product in the future? Let us know in the comments – and thanks for stopping by SAIL!

The Green Sheet Inc. is now a proud affiliate of Bankcard Life, a premier community that provides industry-leading training and resources for payment professionals. Click here for more information: bankcardlife.com?orid=33533&opid=1 .

Source: Company press release.