In our last blog, we revisited the topic of contactless payments. We went over just how convenient they are for consumers everywhere. Gone are the days when cash was king. Many of us don’t even carry cash on us anymore.
There is, however, also the safety concern brought about by the pandemic. It’s not only very convenient, but it is safe to simply tap a credit card on a POS terminal instead of touching it to punch in a PIN code. Our last blog highlighted the fact that a merchant’s attention to safety concerns is a top reason people still prefer contactless payments. When you offer the option at your place of business, it helps to grow your customer relationships.
Contactless payments are super convenient.
This isn’t something we should gloss over. When your shop enables a customer to tap his/her card, you make his/her life very easy. Remember that, these days, much shopping is done online. Just a few taps of a smartphone screen is all it takes for the average consumer to make a purchase and have it delivered to his/her front door. This makes it imperative for brick and mortar businesses to make the purchase process a very easy one.
“Whether you evaluate convenience by speed-of-checkout or by the total hassle that checking out requires, contactless payments are an upgrade over the old ways of checking out,” writes Bobby Marhamat on Forbes.com, “Customers associate inconvenience with wasting their time — understandably so. Consider what this says about stores that do not offer contactless checkout, which we know shoppers believe is a more convenient way to buy.”
Contactless payments quicken the checkout process.
We live in a world where most people are busy and in rushes. This is especially true during the holiday season. In a few months, malls will be filled again as shoppers search for holiday gifts. For many of them, getting in and out of stores quickly will be highly desired. When you offer a contactless payment option, you speak to the needs of the customer-in-a-hurry. This, of course, helps to grow your brand’s reputation and strengthen its customer relationships.
“Contactless payments are today’s response to the age-old problem of fast, convenient customer service,” says says Everyware Founder and CEO, Larry Talley on BizJournals.com, “New forms of communication and an ever-increasing checkout experience for the customer mean more opportunity for success and high customer service ratings.”
Contactless payments are what customers expect.
What’s the bottom line? Well, in order to grow your bottom line, you NEED to offer contactless payment options. It’s become an expectation for the majority of consumers. If you still run a “cash only” business, you shouldn’t be surprised to see your sales plummet.
“Getting the customer in your stores is a prerequisite to providing a memorable in-location experience,” writes Marhamat, “For many customers, offering contactless payment is a prerequisite to even giving your stores a try. 57% of respondents said that other factors being equal, they’ll choose a store with contactless checkout over one without contactless checkout.”
Do you offer contactless payment options in your store?
At Unity Payments, we proudly offer Canadian merchants a variety of high-quality POS terminals to choose from. You can easily and securely accept credit card and debit card payments with the Newland 910, the Ingenico Desk 5000 or the Ingenico Move 5000. To learn all about your options, please don’t hesitate to call us at 1-800-661-3761. You may also email us at info@unitypayments.ca.
