Breakthrough technologies are exactly that: disruptive inventions that break through invisible barriers and change the game forever, whether it’s aviation, computing or payments.
On Oct. 14, 1947, Capt. Charles E. Yeager broke the sound barrier in a Bell X-1, the first aircraft to fly faster than the speed of sound. The proof of concept gave U.S. Air Force engineers the confidence they needed to design faster, more efficient planes. By 1959, X-15s were flying at five times the speed of their X1 predecessors.
In 1950, Prof. Alan Turing broke the knowledge barrier with his paper, “Computing Machinery and Intelligence,” by suggesting computers are more than dumb machines. By 1956, three experts unveiled Logic Theorist, an artificial intelligence (AI) that could solve complex mathematical equations. And just a few decades later, a single microprocessor chip held more computing power than a room full of mainframes.
Breaking the virtual barrier
Breakthrough technologies transform new concepts into everyday reality. Sixty years ago, technology leaders found a way for machines to coexist in the physical and virtual worlds, modeling the way for a new generation of hybrid payment solutions.
In the 1960’s, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), General Electric (GE) and Bell Labs unveiled Multics (Multiplexed Information and Computing Service), the first operating system to support multiple users and the beginning of a platform that would become Unix. Energized by this breakthrough, scientists boldly created the first virtual machines, the predecessors of thin client and cloud-based solutions.
In 2014, Equinox introduced Remote Key Injection (RKI), a secure PIN pad injection method powered by a remote key injection server. With the solution, device estate managers could issue a simple command and remotely inject keys into PIN pads on multiple countertop terminal and ATM machines in a single session.
In 2018, engineers at MYPINPAD debuted virtual PIN pads, forever changing hardware-based approaches to security. The solution brought commercial-grade security to the digital world, making cloud-based payment transactions safe, secure and personalized.
Breaking the time barrier
Breakthrough technologies in artificial intelligence can analyze data faster and more efficiently than humans. With each progressive improvement, these self-learning AIs challenge traditional assumptions of time and space.
In 2022, Adrian Talapan and Ion Craciun broke the time barrier in payments when they launched Fee Navigator, a technology platform designed to help payments professionals decipher complex reporting mechanisms and create instant proposals. The cofounders noted that time is a finite resource that can be optimized when machines and humans work together.
Adrian Talapan, cofounder and CEO at Fee Navigator, pointed out that agility informs every aspect of our economy, from manufacturing and supply chain distribution to digital products and services. “In this climate, when your competitors move faster than you, you lose,” he said.
Ion Craciun, Fee Navigator cofounder, agreed, stating that humans tend to measure time by the density of each experience. “Paperwork can eat up a lot of your time,” he said. “Delegating manual labor to Fee Navigator’s AI creates more room for high-value, high-density experiences and fun.”
Powered by AI and crowd intelligence, Fee Navigator accelerates sales cycles by automating manual tasks, such as merchant statement analysis, Talapan noted. The platform analyzes merchant statements (including IC optimization and IC padding extraction) and calculates profit and residual income streams in real time to deliver instant, customized, branded proposals, he added, helping payments pros close more deals by staying focused on their sales pipelines.
Breaking the future barrier
Breakthrough technologies pierce the shield between the present and future, using advanced analytics and crowd intelligence. By highlighting probable outcomes and likely scenarios, our smart machine partners help us optimize our talent, resources and capabilities.
Merchant statement analysis and instant proposals are useful tools that help salespeople close deals faster and consistently improve their profit margins. With Fee Navigator, instead of wasting time looking for hidden fees, sales pros can fast forward to the next deal, knowing their current partners and prospects will be getting transparent analysis and personalized attention.
Merchant statement analysis and instant proposals are just the beginning of what humans, machines and organizations can achieve together. In the Internet of Everything, predictive analytics extends organizations’ reach, transcending the boundaries of traditional data science.
Move fast and break things
The famous quote by Steve Jobs, “move fast and break things,” has never been more relevant. In the current payments ecosystem, no organization can afford to imitate competitors or wait for a solution to become mainstream before adopting. Today’s business leaders break the time barrier every day by bringing a future-forward mindset to sales, marketing and operations.
Today’s leaders leverage machine and human insights to coexist in present and future realms. My new blog series, Time Breakers, hosted by Fee Navigator, will explore the future of payments, highlighting how agile technologies drive profitable, enduring partnerships.
How are your organization’s Time Breakers advancing technology to shape future commerce? Join Fee Navigator’s discussion and the Consortium of Modern Payments AI Solution Seekers (COMPASS). For more information, contact AIVA@feenavigator.com.
About Fee Navigator
Fee Navigator is a self-serve, enterprise-grade AI-powered service that allows acquirers, banks, and technology providers to instantly analyze merchant statements and accelerate merchant acquisition & retention. For more information, visit https://feenavigator.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.
About Dale S. Laszig
Dale S. Laszig, managing director at DSL Direct LLC and VP content strategy at MPC Digital Commerce, is a freelance journalist whose articles have appeared in leading industry trade publications. Previous to her writing career, she held leadership positions at payments acquirers and POS manufacturers. She earned a B.A. at SUNY Excelsior University and M.S. at Argosy University. Connect with her at dale@dsldirectllc.com and on LinkedIn and Twitter.
