As a merchant, if you are processing ‘customer present transactions’, regardless of your market sector, it’s important to have the right payment device to suit your business and environment.
Firstly, the PED (Pin Entry Device) should be fully integrated with your EPOS system. This means that a live transaction is securely passed from the till software to the PED. The customer then presents their method of payment and once verified, the completed (or failed transaction) message is sent back to the till system. It all happens at high speed and the customer experience is seamless in comparison to a non-integrated device whereby the operator must enter the transaction value manually into a ‘stand-alone’ PED. Not only is this more time-consuming, but the risk of a user error being created is significant.
So, easy integration is a must. But it is also crucial that the solution is secure and complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) as a minimum. As part of this, the PED that you choose for your business must meet advanced security standards and be equipped with end-to-end encryption to a specified level (P2PE). A premium device should also be physically secure too. A dedicated pole mount for your PED not only adds another a physical layer that can deter tampering, but also presents the device in a much more user-friendly way and improves the customer experience.
Having a range of devices to choose from is important so that different operational requirements can be met. For example, a portable Chip & PIN device such as the Verifone v240m combines payments and receipt printing in a single device which is ideal for many hospitality operations. Pair this with mobile POS software running on a Microsoft Surface Business tablet device and the options for use in visitor attractions are vast. Options and devices for semi attended environments are becoming more advanced as the demand for self service points grow exponentially. And the P400 is Verifone’s most advanced PIN pad to date suits any countertop requirement for face to face payments.
Behind the scenes, a reliable payment gateway that delivers high speed card payment processing with ease is a key part of the solution. Naturally, the whole process must be PCI DSS compliant and ensure speedy processing with the acquirer.
With a solution that is capable of processing payments with any one of the UK’s acquiring banks leaves you free to choose the best service and preferential rates to suit your individual circumstances and business. Rates and processing fees vary greatly and depends on your turnover of card transactions, but it’s also important to consider the total solution and to be aware of additional fees for PCI compliance. It’s important to have a robust solution, that includes hardware and a powerful gateway, but is agnostic and lets you choose your own acquirer.
Fully EPOS Integrated payments gives you an advanced level of reports and business insights accessed via the back-office system. This detailed sales data is in addition to the transactional data available in your secure web portal.
We understand how important it is for you to choose the best solution and the right provider for your business. With expert advice from the outset, backed up with ongoing technical support for the whole system and available throughout the life of your investment, we operate in partnership with you.
As more businesses become multi or omni channel retailers, its increasingly important to choose a system that has online or ecommerce capability as well as face to face customer present payments. Customers want to choose how they order and pay, either at the EPOS till, at a Self-Service Point or in a Self Service web app making a single platform solution more important than ever.
Great customer service, choosing how to order and pay and being able to opt in to earn digital rewards and loyalty points are perhaps some of the more important things to your customers.
Talk to us today about our Payment Processing and the different Chip & PIN options available!