Epay integrates with some newsagency software as Afterpay Touch retreats

It has been a busy four months at my newsagency software company, Tower Systems, as the software developers have worked with Epay to deliver a POS software integration with the Epay phone recharge and voucher vending platform.

I met with the folks at Epay in Sydney on March 9 to discuss the opportunity of providing newsagents with a viable alternative to the Afterpay Touch platform which had announced weeks earlier a staged withdrawal from business. What followed the March meeting was more meetings, settling of integration standards and discussions on products that could be brought to the integrated platform.

Through this, too, we worked with Afterpay Touch management to see if there was an alternative from their side as we did not want that door closed without at least trying.

With more than 1,700 newsagents as customers, Tower had much at stake in terms of customer service. It had to maintain the Touch platform while developing the Epay integration and doing this latter work to exacting standards set by Epay headquarters in Europe.

The Touch withdrawal decision and the need to integrate with Epay happened at the same time as Tower was in the final weeks of beta testing a major update to its software technology, database platform and look and feel. That project was four man years in and the release schedule had been set. So, there was much to consider and co-ordinate.

Through April and May the newsagency software integration with Epay was completed, tested and thoroughly. Then, it was handed to Epay for their testing. This was comprehensive and required work in Australia and Europe.

With the Tower Systems Epay integration approved the next step was to load the product data file from Epay. This was finalised yesterday for all newsagency software companies. That product file had to itself be tested. Hence, the announcement from Tower Systems to newsagents today about availability of the Epay integrated newsagency software.

Now the next and most important phase of work begins as the Tower support team helps 1,700+ newsagents make the move. With Afterpay Touch closing June 30 there is much to do. Time is of the essence.

Throughout this project, from March to now, Tower has been sending daily emails to its customers. These have included regularly updated information about the Epay integration. The company has also sent three print newsletters, to reach newsagents who don’t connect with emails. The company has also used its social media platforms and support calls to reach as many newsagents as possible.

The work by Tower to date has cost close to $100,000. Tower Systems is delivering access to Epay at no cost to newsagents.

Note: I own the Tower Systems software company.