POS Systems and customer experiences

Compared to a traditional till, one big advantage of a POS system is that it enables contactless payments so customers can simply tap and go. For retailers, this can dramatically reduce queuing and wait times. For businesses in the nighttime economy, this can keep bar queues moving quickly enabling customers to order, receive and pay for their drinks much faster than with cash payments. Contactless payments can be made in as little as 15 seconds, twice as fast as regular card payments.

Where a POS features a loyalty program, customer convenience is heightened even further. Traditional loyalty systems where a customer carries a card whilst great for customers in theory, often don’t work well in practice as customers forget or lose their cards, or simply get tired of filling their wallet with a different card for every loyalty scheme they’re part of. Merchants also benefit from this since they get customer data and insights that wouldn’t from a traditional loyalty scheme.

As POS systems are equipped with the technology to take multiple payment methods, including contactless payments, this can boost the security of in-person payments too.

With contactless payments, all sensitive customer data is immediately encrypted and biometric security brings another layer of security too – if the phone requires Face ID before accessing their card details, there’s no way for a third-party to use it to pay if the device was stolen. Merchants offering this added layer of security, alongside enabling their customers to pay using their desired methods, can quickly boost the customer experience.

Gamification is a great way to improve in-store experiences, incentivise payments and build loyalty. And SmartPOS systems make this super simple. One of the tried and tested examples of gamification is the loyalty card. When a customer pays in store they present a card or app and the POS uses this to add points to their loyalty account. They can then use these points to get money off future purchases or exchange them for an item.

This is where SmartPOS systems really come into their own. There are so many apps that merchants can simply download to unlock a range of loyalty schemes. With this simple concept of gamification, the customer plays and gets something for their trouble. It keeps them coming back and boosts their loyalty, which benefits the merchant in the long run too.

SoftPOS systems enable staff to take payments on smartphones, a tablet and other enabled devices – they don’t even need a dedicated payment POS terminal, just the right software downloaded to the device. This means staff can meet shoppers on the shop floor and can take payments without the need to queue at all. It also gives staff the opportunity to interact more with customers and provide additional value adds such as tailored product recommendations.

Queue-busting is ideal for peak times of day and busy periods at certain times of the year such as Valentine's Day, Cyber Monday or Christmas to keep things moving in-store and avoid customers waiting too long to pay. Plus, if it is incorporated with social media, merchants can boost online engagement at the same time too.

SoftPOS systems are integrated with other backend systems through open APIs, enabling retailers to seamlessly connect their inventory management and CRM software on the same device.

Not only can staff engage with customers more freely around the store, it also means they can innovate at the point of interactions (POI). By quickly tapping into these backend systems, staff can make product recommendations for complementary products. It offers a rounded customer experience and a frictionless process for customers. And when it’s done well it’s a great opportunity to cross-sell products.

SmartPOS systems that offer a variety of payment methods are the foundation for a seamless customer experience. By offering not only contactless and mobile payments, but also Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) customers are kept happy by being given the options they want. By keeping up with any emerging trends in alternative payment methods, customers are shown their changing needs are being met. With a smartPOS merchants are prepared for whatever comes next in paytech.

In-person payment orchestration is a key element to help get this right. It allows data to flow between payment methods and the backend systems that process transactions.

With the right payment infrastructure in place, merchants can put customer experience front and centre in stores, build customer loyalty and drive businesses forward. Discover more about our platform and what it can mean for in-person payments.