Swiff Cites Security As mPOS Differentiator

How do Swiff’s solutions stand out in an increasingly competitive mobile point of sale industry? According to Jerome Cle, CEO of Swiff – provider The SCCP Group, flexibility and security are the keys. PYMNTS.com spoke with Cle to discuss his company’s global presence, Swiff’s unique features and the biggest hurdles that mPOS competitors face today.

PYMNTS.com: Can you briefly explain your products and what makes them special?

Jerome Cle: Swiff is the world’s first white label end-to-end mobile commerce (mCommerce) platform to offer patented bank-standard security.  Our mCommerce solutions can be seamlessly integrated as a whole, or as individual plug-ins to existing technology infrastructure.  Our products facilitate secure and instantaneous cashless payments between consumers, merchants and banks.  Unlike many of our competitors, we act as a pure-play technology partner to banks and financial institutions

The mobile payment market is huge right now! Why do you think Swiff has been successful?

Swiff is at the forefront of the mCommerce revolution; a vector in the move towards a cashless world.  Merchants and consumers everywhere are beginning to embrace the power of mobile devices as a means to pay and get paid.  Because there are so many mCommerce vendors, Swiff offers a unique combination of flexibility, innovation and security in its platform, while maintaining a low-cost.

Swiff represents a giant leap forward in fraud detection and prevention.  We reduce the need for Card Not Present (CNP) transactions, which reduces fraud and chargebacks.

We use a plug-in device and a Multi-Factor Authentication application that has the ability to track mobile devices; the employee who initiated the transaction; and the precise location of the transaction.

Additionally, Swiff is EMV Level 2 Certified – the highest possible payment industry standard for secure and compliant transactions.

Unlike our competitors like Square, PayPal and iZettle, Swiff is not a payment aggregator; we integrate into any acquiring bank and allow the bank to instantly deploy mPOS to new and existing merchants.

What are the challenges for mCommerce in today’s market?

Safety is definitely the primary deterrent of mCommerce adoption. Security is not sufficiently integrated into the heart of the mWallet. The flaws of Google Wallet in the United States are a good example.  For the majority of consumers, the decisive factor for confidently adopting a new innovative product is security, especially when it comes to their money! This is why SCCP Group has developed a process that has a patented technology based on a strong authentication system. Our offer is designed to provide security for the complete process of security dematerialization on prepaid mobiles.

As a global company, how do you tailor to your various markets?

In Asia, mobile payment is more enterprise-focused, with a solid foundation based on increased trust, security and quality.  SMEs are most ready to adopt payment technologies on a wider scale, and they want to work directly with the banks.  Due to more cultural ease of mobile acceptance, the rollouts will focus on whole enterprises at the “top of the pyramid,” beginning with larger industries like insurance, as opposed to the consumer focus in Europe.

Europe is a pro consumer-focused landscape for mobile payment vendors.  With models like Square and iZettle, the focus has been to increase payments processed, which translates into a sales strategy that focuses on small-scale B2C merchants.

Because we’re a global company with strong roots in various markets, we are able to develop a strong product suite that can appeal to any market, whether that be in Asia, Europe, North America or Africa.  And that applies for any kind of client within those markets: banks, SMEs and large-scale merchants.

How are banks affected by this new technology?

Banks are becoming more integrated with the decision-making of their clients.  With the increasing use of mobile Point of Sale, merchants can begin to track more than their cash flow.  With mPOS, mobile payments goes beyond payment and enters another set of analytics that can track inventory, help CRM and act as the most helpful accessory for financial planning.  With more information than ever, banks are finding that mPOS is more than just an opportunity to expand payment tracking; it can also be used to evaluate business and management performance to add more support and closer relationships to their users.

Now banks are receiving more information about their clients like what is being bought, when and by whom.  This could change the relationship of small and medium-size merchants and their banks.  What was previously just numbers coming in and out now has added-value for managers and their banks to help make better informed decisions and install more efficient business planning.

In 2013, mPOS will be a must-have for small and medium businesses for payment solutions, but also to help manage their enterprise. Check out the mPos in action.

How can mCommerce help SMEs?

Across the globe, the capabilities of mobile payment technology have gone beyond replacing cash or a credit card.  Devices can now track client purchases and trends, creating the opportunity for loyalty rewards and a better understanding of the consumer.  Information is a powerful thing!  This data will create a new use and need for mobile payment that will lie at the core of business planning and strategy.

Through data capture and analytic platforms that efficiently process the information that mobile payment devices are able to collect, loyalty offerings will become more customized than ever in 2013 – and will be necessary to attract customers and maintain their loyalty.

What do you think are the biggest trends to look out for in 2013?

As reader sales in Asia increased in the latter part of 2012, the increased interest of mobile Point of Sale continues into 2013.  As these dongle payment readers are rolled out and put into use, the growth and prevalence of mPOS in Asia will skyrocket.

As the trend toward mobile payment begins to accelerate, mPOS payment methods will be necessary to compete in the cash-heavy Asian markets.  Banks will be quick to adopt a technology that allows them to track and process cash payments, which will result in little or no pilot phase, minimizing time to market and any hesitation to the mPOS trend.

2013 will bring a shopping revolution with the increasing sophistication of the mWallet.  Geo-location capabilities allow merchants to send push notifications to customers to specifically target needs, as well as present special offers based on loyalty, location and timing. 

Dramatic technological changes in payments, loyalty and promotions will occur this year as the adoption of the mWallet becomes more prevalent.  As all physical constraints are removed, managing loyalty rewards or offering gift cards will become a commonplace application, making Loyalty mobile options a must-have for merchants.  The ease of discounts and offers will be irresistible to consumers, determining their lunch venue, evening activities and gifts.  For merchants, this pattern provides promotional opportunities for cross-selling and advertising additional incentives.

The increasing trend of the mWallet comes as a second wave to the popularity of the Smartphone and will continue to increase purchasing power for customers as they receive rewards for their shopping habits.  As merchants can better track purchases and patterns, they will gain more information about their customers, allowing them to better target and market products or services.  2013 will certainly bring more of the mWallet in everyday use, which will bring benefits to both customers and merchants.

Payment solutions will transcend payment processing and transform into a key tool that targets customization of products based on collected data, ensuring customer satisfaction.  As customers receive more tailored offerings delivered right to their phone, sales will inevitably increase for business adapting and properly utilizing the analytic technology.  2013 will widen the spectrum of use for mobile payment technology and become a must-have for competitive businesses.

For more information, please visit www.goswiff.com and www.sccpgroup.com.


Jerome Cle

Founder and CEO, Swiff

As Founder and CEO of the SCCP Group, Jerome provides strategic direction of payment solutions across SCCP’s business units, which includes payment processing and technology, mobile payment, security and authentication.

Equipped with an entrepreneurial spirit, Jerome has been the driving force behind many successful start-ups in both Singapore and Switzerland. He played an instrumental role in delivering tailor-made solutions to offer better payment solutions for customers globally.

Prior to his ventures in the payment solutions industry, Jerome spent over 15 years in the private banking sector with several prestigious firms in Geneva.

Outside of work, Jerome is passionate about the arts and spends his free time managing the French Stage in Singapore. He also participates in a number of staged theatrical productions.

Jerome currently resides in Singapore and travels between Singapore and Geneva.