The Benefits Of Payment Gateways

By Brian Albright, Business Solutions magazine.

As payment processing and related Payment Card Industry (PCI) security requirements continue to befuddle merchants and software providers, many are migrating from direct interfaces with payment processors to payment gateways. These gateway solutions provide a greater degree of control and automation to merchants, allowing them to interface with multiple processors and also help secure cardholder data while reducing PCI compliance scope. "Integrated systems through a payment gateway offer an improved daily work flow for end users, allowing merchants to minimize manual tasks and the redundant work load associated with standalone POS systems," says Christy Corey, president of TransFirst's VAR Division. That's why many merchants are adopting gateways, even though they add a new layer of integration and cost to their payment infrastructure.