Gone are the days when cash was king. Many of us don’t even carry cash on us anymore. Credit cards, however, are super easy and convenient to use. In fact, these days, credit card use is easier than ever! We are long passed the days of signing slips. In most cases, you don’t even need to punch in PIN codes. Today’s payment technology allows us to make quick and easy tap payments.
Contactless payments grew in popularity during the pandemic. They were seen as a safe way to make purchases as no one had to touch any terminals to complete their purchases. In 2024, contactless payments continue to be all the rage.
Contactless payments are super convenient.
This isn’t something we should gloss over. When your shop enables its customers to tap their cards, it makes their lives 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 or 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 of Forbes, “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 speed up 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 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 if 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 payment terminals to enable them to accept credit cards and debit cards. They include the Poynt Newland 910, the Ingenico Desk/5000, the Ingenico Move/5000 and the Poynt C Smart Terminal. 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.
