MARKHAM, ON and LAS VEGAS, NV--(Marketwired - Jun 19, 2014) - NORTHWIND , a leading provider of resort hotel software, saved months of development time and more than $100,000 in costs by leveraging the technologies of payment gateway provider Shift4 Corporation to integrate EMV payments with their Maestro PMS.
"NORTHWIND partnered on our EMV initiative with Shift4, as they are uniquely positioned to satisfy the needs of our Canadian clientele. Shift4 has proven to be an excellent, forward-thinking partner and our clients consistently recognize the value of our combined offering," said Warren Dehan, President of NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS.
Historically, with most Canadian processors not supporting incremental authorizations, Canadian hotels were forced to incur liability for all charges their guests may accrue beyond what was initially authorized at check-in. The recent mandate that all Canadian processors support incremental authorizations fixed that problem, but created two more.
First, most Canadian hoteliers have been using standalone terminals rather than a solution integrated with their PMS. Processing incremental authorizations on a standalone terminal requires manually looking up the authorization and keying in each additional charge for room service, dining, spa, etc. Secondly, adding an integrated solution that supports EMV requires extensive development work.
"The problem PMS vendors are running into is the cost and complexity involved with certifying an integrated EMV payment solution," said Shift4 VP of Business Development Bob Lowe. "NORTHWIND was looking at several months -- and costs well into the 6-figure range -- to develop a solution with other providers."
Fortunately, Shift4's solution is much simpler.
"Thanks to the unique infrastructure at Shift4 and the patented technology within our Universal Transaction Gateway ® ( UTG ® ), we're able to extend our existing EMV certifications to any merchant who completes a debit certification with us," said Shift4 CEO Dave Oder. "Since Maestro already had that certification, very little time or development was required to get them up and running with an integrated EMV solution."
Not only will this integrated solution save time for staff, but thanks to Shift4's DOLLARS ON THE NET ® payment gateway, it will also provide improved auditing tools, fraud prevention technologies, enhanced security, increased reliability, and a host of other benefits.
This certification will also carry over to the U.S. and will leave Maestro users ready for U.S. EMV long before the October 2015 liability shift. Shift4 is committed to completing U.S. EMV certification as soon as a full spec is made available by the processors.
For more information on this integrated solution, or on how Shift4 can help simplify your business' payments pain points, contact info@shift4.com .
About Shift4 Corporation
Shift4 Corporation makes it simple for merchants across all industries to securely process credit, debit, and gift card transactions. With connections to nearly every bank and processor in North America and integrations to hundreds of PMS/POS systems, Shift4's DOLLARS ON THE NET ® is the world's largest independent payment gateway. Shift4 provides pre- and post-settlement auditing capabilities, fraud prevention tools, support for emerging technologies like EMV and mobile payments , and security solutions such as TrueTokenization ® and P2PE , which drastically simplify PCI compliance -- all for just pennies per transaction. Shift4 is a proud merchant advocate, maintaining complete bank and processor neutrality to ensure that their customers have the freedom to switch banks and processors as needed. For more information, visit www.shift4.com .
Maestro Property Management Solution
Enhance guest service, improve efficiency, and maximize online and offline revenue with Maestro PMS, the industry's most robust and flexible resort software and boutique hotel software solution empowering leading full-service hotels, luxury resorts, multi-property groups, conference centers, condominiums, and timeshare properties. Solutions include Front Office (PMS), Accounts Receivable, Analytics and Business Intelligence, Sales and Catering, Multi-Property Management, Condo & Timeshare Owner Management with Web Functionality, Spa and Activities, Web Booking Engine, Real-Time Yield Management, Dynamic Packaging Golf, CRM, Guest Experience Measurement, CRO, GDS Two-Way XML Connectivity or Integration, Membership, Work Orders, Fine Dining and Retail POS, Online Table Reservations with Web Booking, Concierge, and Guest Experience Measurement. The Maestro PMS is database independent (ODBC Compliant) and may be deployed via Windows, UNIX, Linux, Terminal Services, hosted, and Web platforms.
About NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS
NORTHWIND is recognized in the hospitality industry for its standard-setting Diamond Plus Service and robust integrated Maestro resort hotel software technology. With more than 30 years' experience dedicated to developing technology solutions for the hospitality industry, NORTHWIND is a partner who understands you need a scalable, flexible PMS that works the way you do. Maestro applications are engineered for operators who need to manage their enterprise in a real-time environment for the utmost operational efficiency, productivity, control, and profitability.
Media Contact s Nathan Casper Shift4 Corporation 702.597.2480 ext. 43307 ncasper@shift4.com Macarena Lorenzini NORTHWIND-Maestro PMS 905.940.1923 info@maestropms.com
