Every so often, we can be witnesses to disruptive innovation in action. It’s exciting when it happens – for those who see it. Alas, most don’t see it – although they will eventually. Which pair of glasses are you peering through?
For those who can see it, there’s disruptive innovation in action at the moment in the merchant acquiring sector of the card payment system. The pieces on this particular game board are beginning to be moved around.
In one case, it’s the result of the combination of powerful technology (Apple’s iOS platforms) in the the hands of skilled designers and engineers from outside the traditional card payment system. They’re taking a beautiful new and powerful platform and shaping it to accelerate change in a stodgy legacy world. Envisioning a new world that leaves the legacy behind. After all, why not?
In another case, one of the important incumbents is reshaping its approach to an increasingly important corner of the market. It’s adapting to the new conversation that market has been having with stakeholders and beginning to evolve its traditional model into a next generation solution.
I’m reminded once again of the Albert Camus quote: “Great ideas come into the world as gently as doves.” There’s a bit of fluttering going on – all around. Can you see it, feel it? Are you adapting/adjusting or just sailing along?
Scott is a founder of Glenbrook with more than 30 years of experience in information technology. He is a co-author of the book “Payments Systems in the U.S.” and a co-inventor of US Patent 6,332,126 and US Patent 7,840,459. At Glenbrook, Scott focused his work on payments innovation, mobile payments, and social media / Web 2.0 in banking and financial services.
Previously, Scott was group executive vice president at First Data Merchant Services and at Visa International, where he led the development of Visa’s global payment systems strategies. Scott began his career as a systems engineer with IBM, where he held a series of technical management and product planning positions over seventeen years. Scott formally retired from Glenbrook in October 2016, but remains important to the firm as both a friend and advisor.