For small businesses, competition has never been more fierce. New technologies like artificial intelligence and identity-based payment systems offer your small business the edge it needs to thrive.
About 1 in 5 small businesses fail in their first year. To build a smarter, more sustainable business that will stand the test of time, entrepreneurs are partnering with companies that are investing in the technologies of the future, like thoughtful Agentic artificial intelligence (AI), modern point-of-sale (POS) systems, and identity-based payments.
AI and productivity tools
Robert Clarkson, chief revenue officer at point-of-sale platform Clover, says AI offers crucial tools to small businesses. “I think AI is a great neutralizer of size and capacity,” he noted. “You can have a CRO, CMO, CEO, and analytics business within AI itself. It brings enterprise-grade predictive intelligence and automation to small businesses without needing an IT department”
Traditional AI answers questions when asked; Agentic AI takes autonomous, goal-directed actions within guardrails to execute complex workflows. Agentic AI can help businesses understand everything from the impact of weather on their sales to the best ways to interact with online comments and reviews. These tools can generate content, serve as front-line customer service agents, and handle both accounting and project management.
Clarkson warns AI is only as effective as the data fed into it. “The real differentiators for small businesses will be their ability to know their customers, their region, their needs,” he said.
José Torres, owner of My NY Pizza and Clover customer, agrees. “It’s not technology for technology’s sake,” he said. “It’s about how we’re able to do things more efficiently and do better at what we do. Having the information at your fingertips allows you to run the operations correctly.”
Modern POS systems
Time-starved business owners don’t need another standalone app — they need intelligence embedded directly into their core operational system. Old-school point-of-sale platforms, hardwired and rigidly limited, generate a lot of friction for customers. To be sustainable, small businesses need modern POS solutions that offer:
- both physical and virtual terminals that allow you to accept payments without a device (Clover Go, for example, allows you to accept payments anywhere)
- the ability to accept payments in any form
- the ability to manage appointments, and track inventory and employees
Linette Watson, who owns Heads First Salon in San Francisco, relies on tools like these to run her business. “Clover has been my right hand, my secretary, my payroll, and my schedule for the stylists,” she said. “At the end of the day, I just push a button and it gives me all the sales.”
Identity-based payments
Shopping is always evolving. The past is physical payments using cash, cards, or smartphones. The future is identity-based payments that use biometrics and behavioral signals to recognize and verify the individual.
As part of an early-stage collaboration with the Wink biometric identity and payments platform, Clover is testing biometric payment technology with a select set of users. Though not yet generally available, the technology is intended to simplify transactions by:
- making payments automatic (no cards to fetch from wallets, or passwords to remember)
- shortening checkout times
- reducing risks of fraud and identity theft
- enhancing security
This increases customer satisfaction and the odds of repeat visits.
Clarkson sees Clover’s mission as investing in the future of technology to support small businesses. “The future of AI isn’t just answering questions, it’s taking action. By embedding intelligent agents into everyday workflows, we’re helping small business owners reclaim their time and focus on what matters most: serving customers and growing their business.”
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