In the fast-paced world of payments, staying ahead doesn’t just mean having the best hardware—it means being the best at bringing different worlds together. In this episode of the Paycast Network, host Chase sits down with industry veterans Dave Humphrey (Bryte Payments) and Kevin O’Connell (Dejavoo) to discuss the shifting landscape of integrated payments, the massive potential of unattended solutions, and why “building your own solution” might be the quickest way to create 100 new problems.
A Quick Trip Down Memory Lane
Before diving into the technical weeds, the group kicked things off with some tech trivia that reminds us how far we’ve come:
- The Chrome Dino: That T-Rex that appears when your Wi-Fi dies? He’s officially part of “Dino Run” (often called the Lonely T-Rex), a nod to the “prehistoric” ages before Wi-Fi.
- The Father of the Web: Sir Tim Berners-Lee famously refused to patent his invention so the World Wide Web could remain free and open.
- The First Message: In 1969, the first message sent over ARPANET was supposed to be “LOGIN,” but the system crashed after the first two letters. The first message ever sent was simply: “LO.”
Dejavoo’s Evolution: From Terminals to Omnichannel
Dejavoo has been a staple in the card-present space for 17 years, but as Kevin points out, they’ve evolved into a full-fledged omnichannel powerhouse. While they are known for their hardware, their current focus is being the “middleware” facilitator.
Whether it’s e-commerce, virtual terminals, or their proprietary gateway, the goal is to help ISOs (Independent Sales Organizations) navigate a world where software is king.
The Rise of the ISV
Dave Humphrey didn’t mince words when he stated that “the ISV is the new ISO.” In the past, ISOs focused solely on selling merchant accounts. Today, the most successful ISOs are gravitating toward applications and integrated payments.
“The unique thing about the ISV is you just don’t catch up… catch up with software, even with vibe coding, is not that easy.” — Dave Humphrey
The market is moving toward a model where the payment processing is baked directly into the software the merchant uses to run their business—whether that’s for a golf course, a restaurant, or a retail shop.
The “Build vs. Partner” Trap
A major takeaway from the discussion was the danger of trying to build a custom POS or payment solution from scratch. Dave shared a story of an ISO that spent a year and a half trying to build a POS only to realize the sheer scale of the support and development required.
The Dejavoo Advantage: Instead of building from the ground up, Dejavoo allows developers to “deep link” their software with Dejavoo’s hardware (like the P18 and P8 terminals). This allows an agent to provide a professional, synchronized system—like a golf course where the pro shop and the beverage carts all talk to the same back office—without the developer having to reinvent the wheel.
The Next Frontier: Unattended Payments
One of the most exciting segments of the episode focused on Dejavoo’s massive expansion into unattended solutions. This isn’t just about vending machines; it covers a vast array of verticals:
- Kiosks and self-checkouts.
- Laundry mats and car washes.
- Entertainment: Pool tables, dartboards, and rental spaces.
- VMS (Vending Management Systems): Providing deep data, inventory tracking, and forecasting.
The projected numbers for the unattended market are staggering, and Dejavoo is positioning itself as the primary agnostic solution provider for this billion-dollar sector.
Future-Proofing with DV Store and Tap on Phone
Dejavoo isn’t stopping at kiosks. They are leaning heavily into Tap on Phone technology for Apple and Android, as well as their DV Store. Much like an app store for your payment terminal, the DV Store allows third-party ISVs to load their apps directly onto Dejavoo devices, creating a custom, scalable ecosystem for any merchant.
How to Connect with Dejavoo
If you’re an ISV or an ISO looking to scale your integrated solutions, Kevin provided several points of contact:
- General Support: support@dejavoo.io
- Sales Inquiry: sales@dejavoo.io
- Developer Support: devsupport@dejavoo.io
- ISV Channel Director: Serena Smith (ssmith@dejavoo.io)
Final Thought: As the industry moves away from “dumb” terminals and toward integrated software experiences, the partners you choose will define your success. Whether it’s through “LO” or a high-speed API, communication and integration remain the heartbeat of payments.
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