CanadianSME had the chance to speak with Jennifer Safruk, VP Sales and Product Management, Samsung Electronics Canada on behalf of Samsung Canada to discuss the Samsung POS in Canada and how it is helping the Canadian small businesses during these unprecedented times. She talks about the difference of what sets Samsung apart from the competition as well as how Samsung can help when it comes to payment solutions.
As Vice President of Mobile Sales and Product Management for Samsung Canada’s mobile division, Jennifer Safruk is a veteran technology and mobile communications executive with extensive experience at some of the world’s largest technology companies.
Jennifer is responsible for overseeing the mobile sales and product management teams for Samsung Canada, including the company’s integral relationships with carriers and retailers.
Prior to joining Samsung, she spent more than three years as Vice President at HTC working in Canada and the U.S., oversaw North American Sales for Symphony Teleca, and was instrumental to launch of Palm’s WebOS. Jennifer began her mobile career with Openwave in Canada in the early days of the industry, where she helped launch the first WAP gateway and location-based services in Canada.
Jennifer earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.
It’s been over six months since Samsung Electronics Canada announced the launch of Samsung POS (Point of Sale). What was the inspiration behind Samsung POS and how do you believe this will impact the small business industry?
Samsung POS was inspired by the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs to provide simple and convenient payment solutions to their customers. In an increasingly digital landscape, consumers are moving away from cash and prefer the simplicity and convenience of debit or credit transactions. That shift has been expedited because of the increased demand for contactless payments as a standard practice of safe physical distancing. Though provinces have begun to reopen some non-essential services, small and micro businesses might not be set up to offer their customers contactless payments. Samsung POS offers an easy solution. Small business owners can begin using the service within minutes — it has a very simple setup process and requires no additional hardware. The service also benefits consumers allowing them to purchase more of what they need with the security, speed, and touch-free experience of contactless payments at more merchants across Canada.
Samsung POS was first launched in Canada. Why do you believe Canada was the ideal marketplace to launch this new initiative?
At Samsung, we recognize the strong appetite in the Canadian and global markets to advance Mobile Payment Solutions for small business owners and entrepreneurs. We had previously established a Samsung Pay Digital wallet for consumers and wanted to deliver the same level of convenience for merchants.
What sets Samsung POS apart from other similar apps? What makes it stand out?
Unlike competitors, Samsung POS there are no monthly or hidden fees associated with service, just a low per-transaction rate. In addition, it integrates seamlessly with users’ existing mobile devices. Merchants and small business owners don’t need to invest in additional hardware and they can use the application after a simple in-app account set up.
In addition to Samsung POS, Samsung offers a wide range of stand out solutions to support small businesses during this time. Samsung DeX, available on all Galaxy Note devices as of Galaxy Note8, and most recently on Galaxy Tab devices with the launch of Galaxy Tab S6, helps ensure important documents are easily accessible. Instead of having to rely on a computer to access files, businesses can store important documents remotely via their mobile device and access them in a desktop-like environment. This is particularly helpful given the current work-from-home landscape. Knowing that keeping sensitive data safe is one of the most important details to keep in mind while working out of the office, Samsung DeX is protected by the Samsung Knox security platform which allows users to isolate, encrypt, and secure data for added peace of mind.
Many businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. How has Samsung been impacted and what steps has the company taken to remain successful during these unprecedented times?
As our daily lives shift to working and learning from home, Samsung continues to provide Canadians with products and services that allow them to keep life moving and stay connected to loved ones. We have also facilitated many timely initiatives in response to our “new normal.” From extending warranties on non-commercial products to instituting additional sanitization procedures and providing door-to-door repair services, Samsung continues to support Canadians’ needs during this time.
In your expert opinion, what is the biggest challenge that small business owners face when it comes to payment solutions and how can Samsung help them?
Finding a convenient mobile payment solution is one of the biggest challenges small businesses face, so convenience was a key consideration in the design and launch of Samsung POS. It requires no additional hardware, and merchants don’t need to worry about set-up costs, high or hidden transaction rates, or waiting an extended period of time for deposits.
Many Canadians now work remotely and we recognize how important it is for them to access trustworthy business tools that optimize workflow. Having immediate access to Microsoft Office for example, can play a big role in a productive work environment which is why we have partnered with Microsoft to bring seamless productivity experiences across our devices.. We’ve also created convenient Home Office Bundles to help people ease into their new home office setup. They feature the latest in Samsung technology and help maintain productivity.
On a final note, what advice can you give to entrepreneurs that can be beneficial to them during these challenging times?
Entrepreneurs have a variety of different challenges right now, and while our unique situation today is unprecedented, it’s always beneficial when businesses are flexible about shifting consumer and employee needs.
Where possible, businesses should empower their employees to find productivity in whatever their new normal looks like — whether it means revising schedules to accommodate having young children at home or incorporating innovative technologies such as Samsung POS and Samsung DeX that allow them to work from anywhere.
From a consumer perspective, it’s important to put processes in place that enable social distancing, such as contactless payment. Additionally, businesses need to be transparent and maintain open lines of communication with their customers.
CanadianSME had the chance to speak with Jennifer Safruk, VP Sales and Product Management, Samsung Electronics Canada on behalf of Samsung Canada to discuss the Samsung POS in Canada and how it is helping the Canadian small businesses during these unprecedented times. She talks about the difference of what sets Samsung apart from the competition as well as how Samsung can help when it comes to payment solutions.
As Vice President of Mobile Sales and Product Management for Samsung Canada’s mobile division, Jennifer Safruk is a veteran technology and mobile communications executive with extensive experience at some of the world’s largest technology companies.
Jennifer is responsible for overseeing the mobile sales and product management teams for Samsung Canada, including the company’s integral relationships with carriers and retailers.
Prior to joining Samsung, she spent more than three years as Vice President at HTC working in Canada and the U.S., oversaw North American Sales for Symphony Teleca, and was instrumental to launch of Palm’s WebOS. Jennifer began her mobile career with Openwave in Canada in the early days of the industry, where she helped launch the first WAP gateway and location-based services in Canada.
Jennifer earned a Master’s degree in Political Science from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, and holds a Bachelor of Arts from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario.
It’s been over six months since Samsung Electronics Canada announced the launch of Samsung POS (Point of Sale). What was the inspiration behind Samsung POS and how do you believe this will impact the small business industry?
Samsung POS was inspired by the needs of small businesses and entrepreneurs to provide simple and convenient payment solutions to their customers. In an increasingly digital landscape, consumers are moving away from cash and prefer the simplicity and convenience of debit or credit transactions. That shift has been expedited because of the increased demand for contactless payments as a standard practice of safe physical distancing. Though provinces have begun to reopen some non-essential services, small and micro businesses might not be set up to offer their customers contactless payments. Samsung POS offers an easy solution. Small business owners can begin using the service within minutes — it has a very simple setup process and requires no additional hardware. The service also benefits consumers allowing them to purchase more of what they need with the security, speed, and touch-free experience of contactless payments at more merchants across Canada.
Samsung POS was first launched in Canada. Why do you believe Canada was the ideal marketplace to launch this new initiative?
At Samsung, we recognize the strong appetite in the Canadian and global markets to advance Mobile Payment Solutions for small business owners and entrepreneurs. We had previously established a Samsung Pay Digital wallet for consumers and wanted to deliver the same level of convenience for merchants.
What sets Samsung POS apart from other similar apps? What makes it stand out?
Unlike competitors, Samsung POS there are no monthly or hidden fees associated with service, just a low per-transaction rate. In addition, it integrates seamlessly with users’ existing mobile devices. Merchants and small business owners don’t need to invest in additional hardware and they can use the application after a simple in-app account set up.
In addition to Samsung POS, Samsung offers a wide range of stand out solutions to support small businesses during this time. Samsung DeX, available on all Galaxy Note devices as of Galaxy Note8, and most recently on Galaxy Tab devices with the launch of Galaxy Tab S6, helps ensure important documents are easily accessible. Instead of having to rely on a computer to access files, businesses can store important documents remotely via their mobile device and access them in a desktop-like environment. This is particularly helpful given the current work-from-home landscape. Knowing that keeping sensitive data safe is one of the most important details to keep in mind while working out of the office, Samsung DeX is protected by the Samsung Knox security platform which allows users to isolate, encrypt, and secure data for added peace of mind.
Many businesses have been impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. How has Samsung been impacted and what steps has the company taken to remain successful during these unprecedented times?
As our daily lives shift to working and learning from home, Samsung continues to provide Canadians with products and services that allow them to keep life moving and stay connected to loved ones. We have also facilitated many timely initiatives in response to our “new normal.” From extending warranties on non-commercial products to instituting additional sanitization procedures and providing door-to-door repair services, Samsung continues to support Canadians’ needs during this time.
In your expert opinion, what is the biggest challenge that small business owners face when it comes to payment solutions and how can Samsung help them?
Finding a convenient mobile payment solution is one of the biggest challenges small businesses face, so convenience was a key consideration in the design and launch of Samsung POS. It requires no additional hardware, and merchants don’t need to worry about set-up costs, high or hidden transaction rates, or waiting an extended period of time for deposits.
Many Canadians now work remotely and we recognize how important it is for them to access trustworthy business tools that optimize workflow. Having immediate access to Microsoft Office for example, can play a big role in a productive work environment which is why we have partnered with Microsoft to bring seamless productivity experiences across our devices.. We’ve also created convenient Home Office Bundles to help people ease into their new home office setup. They feature the latest in Samsung technology and help maintain productivity.
On a final note, what advice can you give to entrepreneurs that can be beneficial to them during these challenging times?
Entrepreneurs have a variety of different challenges right now, and while our unique situation today is unprecedented, it’s always beneficial when businesses are flexible about shifting consumer and employee needs.
Where possible, businesses should empower their employees to find productivity in whatever their new normal looks like — whether it means revising schedules to accommodate having young children at home or incorporating innovative technologies such as Samsung POS and Samsung DeX that allow them to work from anywhere.
From a consumer perspective, it’s important to put processes in place that enable social distancing, such as contactless payment. Additionally, businesses need to be transparent and maintain open lines of communication with their customers.