What are SaaS Payment Entities?

SaaS payment entities are specific organizations that specialize in managing the entire recurring payment process for SaaS companies.

They serve as intermediaries between the SaaS provider and the customer, managing every aspect of the payment process, which includes:

• • Payment gateway integration: Integrating the SaaS platform with various payment gateways through which the customers can make their payments using the mode of their preference, be it credit card, debit card, or any other form of digital wallet.
  • Subscription management: Processing of recurrent billing, subscription change, and cancellations, as well as processing refunds.
  • Invoice Creation: Generate invoices automatically and send them electronically to customers.
  • Security and compliance: Maintaining secure payment processing to prevent card fraud and comply with regulatory standards, such as PCI DSS.
  • Data management: Gather and analyze data to provide insights on payment behaviors and customer actions.

SaaS businesses often encounter specific challenges in managing payment processing. Traditional payment systems may not offer the functionality required for managing recurring subscriptions effectively, contributing to manual processes, increased administrative work, and the risk of errors. SaaS payment entities solve these challenges by:

• Automating payment processes: Employing automation to minimize manual tasks and potentially reduce administrative workload.
• Managing cash flow: Addressing payment delays and minimizing revenue loss.
• Enhancing security: Implement measures to protect sensitive customer data and mitigate the potential for fraudulent activity.
• Customer satisfaction: Analyze the payment process and identify areas for improvement that could potentially enhance customer satisfaction.
•  Scaling with growth: Adapting infrastructure and processes to accommodate increased transaction volumes due to business expansion.

The different types of SaaS payment entities include:

• Seller of Record: The organization that is legally responsible for selling goods or services. They are the ones who issue an invoice and are involved in tax matters.
• Merchant of Record: This is similar to the Seller of Record but with more relevance to card transactions. They are the organization that appears on the customer’s credit card statement as the charge for the purchase. Note that sometimes Seller and Merchant of Record are the same, and sometimes they are distinct (e.g., when working in a marketplace context).
• Compte marchand : A specific type of banking facility that enables merchants to receive payment through credit and debit cards.
• Passerelles de paiement: Basically it is the online version of a point-of-sale terminal. Their role includes securely gathering and transmitting payment information from customers to the designated payment gateway provider. Some of the popular payment gateways are Authorize.net, Stripe, and PayPal.
• Payment Processors: Companies that manage the transaction details between the merchant, the bank that issued the customer’s card, and the bank that processes the merchant’s payments. Some examples include the likes of Worldpay, Fiserv and Global Payments.
• Payment Service Providers (PSPs): Provide a much broader solution beyond payment processing; this comprises merchant services, payment solutions like payment gateway, and many others solutions such as fraud protection and analysis.
• Acquiring Banks: It’s the bank that accepts and clears a payment between the buyer and the merchant. They get hold of the money from the issuing bank and transfer it into the merchant’s account.
• Issuing Banks: The bank that offers the credit or debit card to the customer. They approve the transaction and transfer the funds to the acquiring bank.
• Card Networks: The companies that mediate and enable the conversion as well as transfer of cash from the issuing and acquiring company. Some of the examples of these companies are; Visa, Master cards, American Express, Discover among others.
• Payment Aggregators: Let the merchants be able to take payments from the customers without having their own merchant accounts. They work with several merchants and handle their transactions under one merchant account. Some of the examples of such startups include square, stripe and PayPal among others.
• Independent Sales Organizations (ISOs): Companies that offer merchant services like payment solutions, equipment and software for resale.
• Payment facilitators (PayFacs): Acting in a capacity similar to payment aggregators, although with more accountability and control. They are directly involved in risk underwriting and merchant acquisition, and they take more risks.

Selecting the right SaaS payment provider depends on several factors, such as:

• Business size and complexity: New entrepreneurial firms may find rudimentary solutions as beneficial compared to large firms that may require more complex solutions.
• Transaction volume: The chosen entity should be capable of processing the existing and future volume of transactions.
• Integration with existing systems: Make sure that the chosen software can integrate with the SaaS platform and other business applications.
• Structure tarifaire : Analyze various Stratégies de tarification and select the least costly for implementation (transaction-based, monthly charges, etc.).
• Features and functionality: Take into account certain requirements of the business like multiple currency capabilities, cross-border payments, and reporting.

The SaaS payment landscape is regularly changing, and trends are constantly emerging to meet the evolving requirements of businesses. Here are some notable trends:

• Increased focus on security: As cyber security threats continue to emerge, the payment entities in the SaaS industry have focused on the security of customer information.
• AI-powered automation: AI technology is being applied in various forms as automation tools in payments, including the detection of fraudulent activities and client réactif.
• Embedded finance: SaaS platforms are expanding their scope by integrating financial services, potentially impacting the customer experience.
• Mobile-first payments: As the popularity of using mobile devices is continuously increasing, SaaS payment entities are adapting to accept mobile payments.