Responsibilities of the terminal provider

1. Delivery and installation

• Providing physical card terminals (stationary, mobile or wireless).

• Ensuring that the terminals are delivered correctly configured according to customer needs.

• They can assists with integration to POS systems or other third-party solutions.

2. Software and integration

• Installs and maintains the software required for the terminal to work with different acquirers and POS systems.

• Updates the software regularly to meet security requirements and new features.

• Provides SDKs or APIs as needed for integration with external systems (e.g. POS, ERP or e-commerce).

3. Support and troubleshooting

• Provides technical support in case of problems, such as error codes, network issues or checkout integration.

• Performs remote troubleshooting or replaces the terminal if necessary.

• Manages operational status and incidents via cloud service if available (e.g. Westpay Cloud).

4. Security and certification

• Ensures that terminals comply with industry security standards (e.g. PCI PTS certification).

• Ensures that sensitive card data is handled correctly (e.g. via encryption and tokenisation).

• Implements support for contactless, chip & pin and mobile payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay etc.).

5. Compatibility with acquirers

• Ensures that terminals can be used with different acquirers (in some cases it is locked to specific acquirers, in others it is open - as with Westpay).

• Validates integrations with each acquirer to ensure that transactions flow correctly.

6. Range of functions

• Responsible for terminal functions such as tipping, instalment, repurchase, receipt management, language selection, etc.

• Often offers additional services such as:

  • Digital receipts

  • Shared billing

  • Automatic day-end closing

  • Mobile integration

Summary: