THE CLIENT
A Fueling POS Leader That Needed to Accept Every Payment, Everywhere
The client is a major provider of fueling dispensers and point-of-sale systems supporting fuel stations and retail environments across the United States.
Its electronic payment application processes high-volume, time-sensitive transactions across both indoor retail and outdoor fueling locations.
To expand merchant acceptance and support a broader range of payment methods, the client needed seamless integration with multiple acquirers while maintaining compliance, reliability, and operational efficiency.
Opus partnered as the strategic payments engineering advisor to design and deliver the solution.
THE CONTEXT
Three Acquirers. Three Different Protocols. One Payment Application That Had to Handle All of Them.
Three technical challenges made building a unified payment solution genuinely complex:
- Multi-acquirer connectivity: The payment application needed to integrate simultaneously with First Data using ATL105 format, Heartland using byte-length format, and Chevron using ISO 8583, each requiring distinct protocol handling and message formatting
- Advanced payment method support: The solution had to certify and support magnetic stripe, EMV, contactless cards, and mobile payments across both indoor POS terminals and outdoor fueling dispensers
- Manual batch close and out-of-balance handling: Reconciliation and settlement processes were manual and error-prone, creating operational inefficiencies and risk every time host and local transaction batches fell out of balance
WHAT OPUS ENGINEERED
A Secure, Multi-Acquirer Payment Integration Platform Built for Fuel and Retail
Opus designed and delivered an end-to-end payment integration solution covering acquirer connectivity, payment method certification, host-driven capabilities, and compliance:
- Multi-acquirer EPS integration: Connected the client’s Electronic Payment System with First Data (ATL105), Heartland (byte-length), and Chevron (ISO 8583), enabling unified routing and processing across all three acquirers from a single platform
- Certification for advanced payment methods: Full certification of MSR, EMV, and contactless payment capabilities for both indoor retail and outdoor fuel sales environments
- Host-enabled business rules: Implemented host-driven features including mailers and notifications, additional data prompting, and text merchandising to enhance transaction flexibility and customer engagement at the point of sale
- Automated batch close and settlement: Streamlined reconciliation processes with automated handling of out-of-balance scenarios, removing manual effort and reducing settlement errors
- Compliance and deployment support: End-to-end PCI certification support and on-site deployment assistance to ensure smooth rollout across merchant locations
THE SHIFT
Better Authorization Rates, New Oil Brand Contracts, Lower Transaction Costs
The multi-acquirer integration delivered measurable improvements across transaction performance, business development, and merchant economics:
- Authorization rates improved for both fuel and in-store retail transactions, reducing the friction and revenue loss that came with transaction rejections
- The platform directly supported securing new contracts with major US oil brands, converting technical capability into commercial growth
- Preferential acquirer pricing models enabled broader merchant adoption, giving the client a commercial advantage in competitive merchant acquisition conversations
- Automated settlement eliminated the manual reconciliation burden that had created operational risk every time batches fell out of balance