Vision

Change is the only Constant

I worked for Nexus Payment Services. The MD, Rob Farbrother, used to say this all the time. We were an ATM transaction switching company, and one of the founder members of Link. Here, in the midst of ATM network integrations, PayPoint was conceived. Rob could see the path and I was handed the challenge of designing, planning and delivering. 18 months later, we had 8000 Cardmate ll magstripe terminals operating nationally.

Chip cards appear and I jump in. My first EMV role was helping the Halifax upgrade the current account platform, the card issuing systems and ATM networks from magstripe to Chip and PIN. 18 months later, we began issuing 12.5 million Chip and PIN debit cards.

I have a background in innovation and change – I know how this stuff works. Come with me and I’ll show you where we could have been, then I’ll explain how we might still get there. It’s not too late!

vision

Look to the Future

A payment is the transfer of money, goods, or services from one party to another in exchange for goods, services, or to fulfill a legal obligation. A card payment is the same thing, but with a card – which then needs a card payment ecosystem.

For the most part, we’re going to be talking about consumers buying goods and services, merchants selling goods and services, and the value-added services that might reasonably benefit both parties. 

So let’s go back to first principles and consider the nature of a payment ecosystem designed with the future in mind. We can also consider the transfer of value between people, or Person to Person payments.

Click the link below to learn more. I’ll give you an insight into my vision for the Future of Card Payments. 

About

Recognising the Challenges

How did we get here?

The Card Payment ecosystem is consumed by bloatware. It would seem that whenever a fraud vector is identified, there is a tendency for individuals, organisations and investors to look upon it as an opportunity rather than as a problem.

Problems need to be fixed, but fixing would remove the opportunity!

Opportunity lies in prioritising services that are designed to reduce the impact of a given fraud vector over removing its ability to be a fraud vector.

But Opportunities make Money!

Mission

My Design for Life

Watch this space for a plan …

Question Time

How many times have you heard: “It’s only a payment, how hard can it be?” And how many times has this turned out not been the case?

Questions about payment cards and card payments sound like they should be simple and straightforward; the reality is that they’re NOT! This stuff is far from simple, and it’s definitely not straightforward!

Einstein said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough”. Einstein was no monkey, but he certainly knew his bananas.

So beware of card payment experts – most of them don’t know how this stuff works.

We have Answers to Interesting Questions here, but you will need to ask the questions first.