While the payments landscape continues to grow more complex, Tidypay sets itself apart by simplifying the process for both partners and merchants. Chief Operating Officer Nikolaj Ricken brings deep expertise in merchant acquiring, POS integration, and compliance — all fueled by a passion for innovation. In this interview, he shares how Tidypay is reshaping operations by streamlining processes, leveraging automation, and scaling support to meet the evolving needs of partners and merchants.
Q: How are you shaping operations to deliver a smoother, faster, and fully compliant merchant onboarding experience?
Nikolaj Ricken: At Tidypay, we’ve flipped the traditional compliance-driven onboarding process on its head. Instead of starting solely from regulatory requirements, we’ve designed our processes from the merchant’s perspective — ensuring the experience is intuitive and effortless, while still capturing all critical information.
We’re committed to identifying and leveraging the best tools to create a seamless, frictionless onboarding journey that meets compliance standards without overwhelming merchants or partners.
Q: Supporting partners through complex payment landscapes can be challenging. How has Tidypay structured its operations to make this process seamless?
Nikolaj Ricken: Our philosophy is built on close collaboration, ensuring each partner is fully equipped and confident to sell our joint solution. We don’t just aim to provide a service; we aim to build a business together. Our operational approach is about empowerment, not dependency, and that principle is embedded in everything we do.
”Every partner we work with is unique — and we customize our strategies to align with their individual goals.”
Q: Tidypay is known for handholding partners through payment integration. How do you ensure this level of support remains scalable as you grow?
Nikolaj Ricken: Our integration philosophy is simple: co-create the best possible product with our partners, tailored to their specific needs. By investing time upfront to align on functionality and fit, we reduce complexity and support needs down the line. This results in better products for merchants and enables us to scale without compromising on quality or the level of support we provide throughout the process.
Q: How does Tidypay’s operations team collaborate with product and tech to continuously improve the partner and merchant experience?
Nikolaj Ricken: Cross-team collaboration is central to how we operate. Our operations team works closely with product and tech from the early development stages, bringing real-world feedback directly into our innovation cycles. This ensures we’re constantly refining our onboarding and integration processes based on what truly delivers better outcomes — not just theoretical improvements.
Q: How has Tidypay’s operational model helped POS vendors expand faster into new markets?
Nikolaj Ricken: Thanks to our deep expertise in pricing structures, compliance, and onboarding, Tidypay is uniquely positioned to support rapid market expansion.
“Our operational framework is adaptable and market-agnostic, allowing us to quickly adjust to local conditions.”
When partners identify opportunities, they know they can rely on Tidypay to move with them — even into markets where we’re not yet active.
Q: How does Tidypay balance operational flexibility with maintaining quality and consistency across partners and markets?
Nikolaj Ricken: Unlike traditional providers that try to control every aspect of the ecosystem, Tidypay empowers partners to own the full merchant experience. We handle the “boring but critical” parts — payments, compliance, onboarding — while our partners remain the face of the solution. This clear division of responsibilities enables us to remain flexible without sacrificing consistency, quality, or compliance.
“Flexibility is built into our DNA.”
Q: As the COO, what operational innovations or future initiatives are you most excited about?
Nikolaj Ricken: The POS and payments space is evolving fast — and it’s the agile, innovative providers who will come out ahead.
“Tidypay’s mission is to empower those players.”
Merchants increasingly want a one-stop shop for their business essentials — POS systems, payment solutions, terminals — and we’re building the operational backbone that enables our partners to offer just that.
Tailored, bundled solutions supported by seamless operations are the future, and we’re proud to be at the forefront of that transformation.
Empowering Growth Through Operational Excellence
Nikolaj Ricken and the Tidypay team are not just keeping up with change — they’re actively driving it. By building operations around partner empowerment, adaptability, and real-world needs, they’re setting a new standard for how payment solutions can scale without losing their human touch. For POS vendors and merchants alike, Tidypay isn’t just a provider — it’s a growth partner built for the future.
