What System Integrators Should Look for in a Long-Term Payments Partner

Summary:

• For system integrators, the right payments partner doesn’t just enable transactions; they reduce implementation risk, support expansion, unlock new revenue opportunities and strengthen client relationships.
• Choosing a payments partner with excellent customer service, support and expertise will drive growth, scale and long-term client success.
• Native integrations with the software you and your clients use reduces development effort, minimizes customization and accelerates go-live timelines.

When helping clients choose a payments provider, system integrators are often tasked with ensuring a smooth, frictionless checkout experience. But who you choose as a payments partner carries far more weight than most businesses – and even some SIs – realize.

Today’s “good enough” payment setup can quickly become tomorrow’s bottleneck as your clients expand into new regions, add business models or introduce new revenue streams. The right payments partner doesn’t just process transactions; they reduce complexity, support scale and protect your reputation as a trusted advisor.

For SIs, that means choosing a payments partner that will invest in your success just as much as your clients’.

6 Characteristics System Integrators Should Look for in a Long-Term Payments Partner

Additional services, ongoing support and payments expertise are important factors SIs should consider as well. To help guide your way, we’ve outlined the top features SIs should look for when choosing a payments partner to drive maximum success for clients.

It is true that every client’s situation is different, but looking for the right general characteristics and features in a customer-focused payments provider will allow you to meet the needs of the majority, if not all, use cases.

The key characteristics of a payments partner are:

1. Customer Service: Payment processing is complex, especially when businesses offer multiple payment types, entities, or regions. For system integrators, that complexity translates directly into implementation risk, project delays and post-go-live escalations.

That’s why hands-on, easily accessible customer service is essential. The best payments providers don’t just resolve tickets. They proactively support go-lives, troubleshoot edge cases and help SIs avoid costly rework.

Gina Archbold, global channel partner manager at BlueSnap, powered by Payroc, stresses that BlueSnap prioritizes direct access and efficient response times in its customer partnerships. “The service and support we offer clients is free of charge,” she says. “We want to work with SIs to meet their go-live strategy and requirements.”

2. Co-Selling Opportunities and Support: Michelle Walls, Director of Channel Sales at BlueSnap, uses the analogy of a three-legged stool to explain how co-selling and support between an SI and payments partner should work: “You have a system integrator of a third-party integration; the third-party integration (such as BigCommerce, NetSuite, Shopware, etc.); and the payments provider: working together, they support the merchant that sits on top of the stool.”

This unique value comes to life in BlueSnap’s Channel Partner Program. “We’re hands-on and do a lot of co-selling,” Walls explains. “We teach the SIs and their clients, and become an extension of their team. We treat their clients as they treat them. They truly have the full BlueSnap team behind them.”

For SIs, this kind of partnership means stronger deal support, faster sales cycles, and the ability to confidently position payments as part of a broader solution, without having to become a payments expert yourself.

3. Native Integrations: Payments should fit cleanly into your clients’ existing technology, not add a layer of complexity. Native, out-of-the-box integrations reduce development effort, minimize customization and accelerate go-live timelines.

For system integrators, this means fewer workarounds, cleaner implementations, and a better overall client experience.

BlueSnap offers native integrations with platforms like Oracle NetSuite, BigCommerce, Zuora, Shopware, Adobe Commerce, Sage Intacct and more, allowing SIs to deliver enterprise-grade payment functionality without relying on connectors or custom builds.

4. Global Optimized Payment Technology: As clients expand globally, payments performance becomes a revenue lever and a potential liability. Software’s built-in payment services often lack the flexibility and optimization needed to support international growth.

Look for a provider that helps your clients:

• Increase authorization rates
• Reduce cart abandonment
• Optimize routing across regions and payment methods

Capabilities like payment optimization, local acquiring, intelligent payment routing and failover don’t just improve transaction performance, but they also protect your credibility as a technology advisor.

5. Security and Compliance: For system integrators, security and compliance aren’t just about protecting your clients – they’re about protecting your reputation. A payments partner with strong PCI compliance, fraud prevention and regional regulatory support reduces downstream risk for everyone involved.

6. Functionality Beyond Payments: Payments shouldn’t stop at acceptance. The right partner can help your clients improve cash flow, automate reconciliation and streamline finance operations.

For example, BlueSnap AR Automation integrates with popular ERP and accounting systems to support invoicing, collections and reconciliation, allowing SIs to deliver broader value without additional vendors or integrations.

BlueSnap & System Integrators: A Trustworthy Partnership

Clients rely on their system integrators to guide them toward technology that will support their end goals, both for today and tomorrow. So, it’s imperative that you choose a payments provider that can partner with you to reach that end. Your clients trust you to recommend technology that will serve them not just today, but as they grow. That’s why choosing the right payments partner matters.

The BlueSnap team equips system integrators with all the tools they need to help their clients meet their goals. Doug Price, manager of Sage Intacct systems consultants at Cargas Systems, says, “BlueSnap is always at the top of my list. They can handle multi-entity. They can do multi-currency. They do AR. They do order entry. They do custom fields. They do user-defined dimensions. They handle every single nuance that comes across with any implementation.”

Additionally, BlueSnap partners with SIs to provides ongoing education, co-sponsored events and much more. “We’re always asking, ‘How can we go to market together?’” explains Walls. “We go to in-person events, do sales enablement and invest in them as a partner. We truly are an extension of their team.”

Learn how BlueSnap supports SIs from implementation to growth. Schedule a conversation with us today!

Frequently Asked Questions

Can BlueSnap be integrated with my existing systems or ERP?

Absolutely. BlueSnap offers pre-built integrations with platforms like BigCommerce, Salesforce, NetSuite, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage Intacct, and more. This enables easy adoption of BlueSnap’s payment optimization without disrupting your existing tech stack.

Can I integrate BlueSnap AR Automation with my existing ERP or accounting software?

Yes. BlueSnap AR Automation integrates with leading ERP and accounting platforms, including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Sage Intacct and others. BlueSnap offers a bi-directional sync with these systems to reduce manual data entry, maintain accurate financial records and allow your ERP to be the single source of truth for your business.

How can integrations improve AR?

Integrations streamline your AR process by connecting systems like accounting, CRM and invoicing tools — reducing manual work and helping you get paid faster.

Can I integrate BlueSnap’s Invoicing & Billing solutions with my existing ERP or accounting software?

Yes. BlueSnap supports integrations with popular accounting and ERP systems like NetSuite, Sage Intacct, QuickBooks, Xero, Microsoft Business Central, and more – allowing seamless synchronization of customer accounts, invoices, payments and templates.

How long does it take to integrate with BlueSnap?

Integration varies depending on the type of integration you choose. For example, hosted pages take little to no development time while APIs depend on the experience of the developer at your company (a couple of hours to a couple of days). Learn more here.

How do I integrate with BlueSnap?

We have flexible integration options that work for web and mobile. If you are building your own custom payment pages or apps, you can use our APIs, hosted payment fields and/or hosted payment pages.  And with integrations to the software platforms and shopping carts you already use, you can start processing payments immediately. Learn more here.

Can I use BlueSnap with my eCommerce platform?

Yes – we are integrated with the major eCommerce platforms. See the Integration Partners page for the full list. We continue to add more on a regular basis, so if your preferred integration is not listed, let us know.

Does BlueSnap provide support during the implementation process?

BlueSnap Implementation Services prepare your platform for success by delivering embedded payments best practices on key integration and operational areas. Many platforms find it helpful to include the BlueSnap integration project in meetings where payments are discussed, including backlog grooming and sprint planning. Our implementation teams work with your product and development teams to ensure the project progresses on schedule.

During implementation, you can expect a series of discussions led by our Embedded Payments experts on key topics, such as:

• Merchant Onboarding
• Payment Method Flows
• Subscriptions
• Payouts
• Fraud Prevention
• Launch Planning

In addition, we provide comprehensive live support throughout the process, including BlueSnap product training and email integration.

Learn More

How does BlueSnap compare to a traditional payment gateway?

Unlike a standard gateway, which simply connects you to an acquirer, BlueSnap’s Global Payment Orchestration Platform controls the entire payments stack: routing, optimization, fraud, compliance, global coverage and flexible services — all within a single integration.

How does BlueSnap help reduce technical debt?

By offering a single integration to our Global Payment Orchestration Platform, BlueSnap reduces complex maintenance burdens and frees development resources to focus on strategic business growth.

How does BlueSnap streamline cross-border and localized payments?

By offering preferred payment types and currencies, local acquiring in 50 countries and support in regions worldwide, BlueSnap helps businesses localize checkout experiences and significantly reduce cross-border fees all with a single integration and a single account. This allows businesses to streamline their operations and reduce technical debt.