ith the pandemic no longer in full swing, memories of businesses suffering dearly for trying to keep the virus at bay are still fresh. The die has been cast in the minds of Americans - touch as little as possible in public settings. Customers touch doorknobs and products and then spread germs to the cashier by handing them a credit card. While masks and gloves can mitigate this, it still subjects employees and customers alike to the virus. How can a business survive when this physical contact is necessary to conduct affairs?
Over 150 million Americans have used a digital wallet in the past year. Think of how much it would affect your bottom line to accept NFC payments--and how much damage it would cause not to implement them.
It gets even worse when you consider that everyone in the building has to touch the same machine: the credit card reader. Pushing a contaminated card into the chip reader and typing in a PIN is an excellent way to spread disease.
Enter contactless payments. This wireless technology allows customers to use their payment methods without physical contact.
Contactless payments use a technology known as NFC, which stands for near-field communication. NFC uses short-range radio waves to transmit data and power with compatible devices. This makes it an excellent solution for quick, secure payments.
This allows customers to tap their payment method on the card reader, also known as touch to pay. Not only is this more convenient than battling with a magnetic stripe reader or chip reader, it's faster. Stripe and chip readers can take several seconds, while NFC is more or less instant.
NFC is useful since it works with a wide variety of technologies. The customer can not only use their card, they can use a phone. Digital wallets such as Google or Apple Pay are becoming the norm for payment.
Customers love it when they enter a store to find that any and all of their payment methods (including cryptocurrency) are accepted. A store that lacks NFC is a store that won't allow people to use their digital wallets. By using NFC, you're ensuring people come to your c-store over the competition.
The pandemic has shown our society how it can operate while keeping disease vectors in check. People who are immunocompromised or otherwise fearful of the virus will be in search of businesses that implement the best health practices. By adapting to the pandemic, you ensure that your revenue isn't harmed by the decline in pandemic spending.
Magnetic and chip readers are not only slow and finicky to use, but they also have a critical weakness: a bad actor can put a stripe reader over a credit card reader and collect the data from all customer cards. These stripe readers are indistinguishable from the regular card reader.
If someone discovers a stripe reader hidden on your card reader, this can get you in big trouble and lose business. NFC solves this problem.
Not only is it faster and easier to use, it's more secure. That bad actor can't steal card data with an NFC cover plate. NFC encrypts every one-time payment with a unique code that can't be stolen by hackers.
Most importantly for this article, NFC prevents the spread of disease. As mentioned above, the payment process is likely the way that customers will be at the greatest risk for contamination. Everyone who makes a purchase has to touch this device.
Touch to pay means they don't even have to tap the reader with the card. As long as it's within about 2 cm, the transaction will read as complete.
For stores that have already implemented mask, glove, and plastic barriers, contactless payment is the final stepping stone to making your store a safe place to be.
Not everyone is using NFC in their businesses. If history is any guide, the businesses that fail to keep up with the technology and the times are the ones that suffer the most.
Over 150 million Americans have used a digital wallet in the past year. Think of how much it would affect your bottom line to accept NFC payments--and how much damage it would cause not to implement them.
C-stores know better than anyone else how important it is for the customer to be in and out ASAP. NFC payments get your lines moving faster. And if people feel that your lines are slow, they will move on to the next c-store down the street and never come back.
Love it or hate it, cryptocurrency is here, and it works. C-store trends show that even major stores have made moves to implement it. And luckily, accepting cryptocurrency is easier than it seems.
Whether or not you are a fan of the concept, this tells customers that you're forward-thinking. And you might be able to capitalize on the buzz surrounding cryptocurrency. The rise of NFTs (non-fungible tokens, a type of digital ownership stamp) has led to many entrepreneurs creating physical establishments built on cryptocurrency and these non-fungible tokens.
What better way to boost business than to take part in the latest fad? Jump on the cryptocurrency train while the going is good.
Given that cryptocurrency is a digital currency, the only way to use it in brick-and-mortar stores is via contactless payment. Once you've implemented NFC, it's not a stretch to include cryptocurrency, too.
Contactless payment is not just the future of c-store and retail store payment methods, it's a means for you to keep up and running during the pandemic. It provides a litany of benefits over previous technology, and it opens your doors to those who want to do business with an organization that keeps up with the times. Using NFC and cryptocurrency means your business will stay ahead of the competition.
Now it's time to improve the floor plan of your business. Changing the layout streamlines your shop and allows customers to feel a sense of comfort and confidence when entering. Get in contact with a professional today for more on how you can arrange your store for maximum effect.
Subscribe to receive latest news
12968 Vallejo Circle, Westminster CO. 80234
Phone: (303) 604-1064
Contact Us
