It is no secret that we are leaning towards becoming a more cashless society, increasingly relying on contactless and card payments to purchase goods and services around the world. As a result, it is more important than ever for small businesses to understand the value of embracing card machines. At Inspire Payments, we have a range of card machines from countertop terminals to portable and mobile GPRS options. Our team is passionate about card machines that you can rely on and will go above and beyond to ensure the solution we provide to you is the best fit for your business.
The benefits of card machines for small businesses
Reports show that as many as 779 billion digital payments were made in just 2020 alone. This number is expected to increase year on year. With this in mind, it’s important that your business is able to accommodate this increasingly digital crowd.
Time-efficient
Card machines enable you to speed up the payment process. Not only do they boost efficiency, but they also aid accuracy as staff will not have to worry about any miscalculations with change. Good news for customers too, having a card payment option is not now simply expected but also reduces the wait in line as people do not have to work out if they have the correct change or not. Simply put, card machines streamline the entire payment process and, as a result, allow you to increase sales and profits as a small business.
Give the customers what they want
How many times have you patiently waited in line only to be told when you finally get to the till that they do not take card payments? This not only causes frustration but could result in losing the customer altogether as they decide the product they were after isn’t worth the trip to the nearest ATM.
No matter what retail or service business you operate – be it a restaurant, hair salon, street food stall, the list goes on – card payments have become crucial in this increasingly cashless society.
How the payment is likely to be made is also key. For example, will you need to bring the machine to the customer at the table? If you are in a van or truck, would a mobile terminal be more ideal than a fixed terminal? Picking the right card machine allows you to put the customer first by catering to all payment preferences and not causing unnecessary delays.
Increase customer retention
Customer loyalty is something that small businesses rely on in order to grow. You can do this in two ways. One is creating an online community and the second is creating a seamless customer experience. For instance, if you are a shop owner and you don’t take cards or your card machine is broken, chances are that customers will not return in a hurry. However, if you provide a card machine that works fast and leaves the customer feeling satisfied in making their payment, they will return.
Increase business profits
Being efficient isn’t just for the sake of the customers. It also makes business sense too. By accepting card payments, you instantly broaden the customer base that your business can accommodate. Customers who rely on their credit and debit cards to make purchases often spend more than they would if they had to rely solely on cash. The quick ease of making card payments also reduces queue lengths, meaning more people will be willing to purchase your products.
Additional security
The benefit of making card payments is that the payment cannot be taken from the customer or the store as easily as cash. There are cyber security locks you can put in places, such as anti-virus software and encryption technology, to combat potential fraud attacks from happening. Having a card machine on-site also means you do not have to worry about taking large sums of money to and from the bank. At Inspire Payments, we also make sure all our card machines comply with Industry Data Security Standard or PCI DSS. There is a £75 fee applied to businesses, not PCI-DSS compliant to ensure the correct security remains in place.
In addition to this our Ingenico range includes the latest cryptographic schemes which allow us to ensure the highest security possible for you, your business and your customers.
Speedy payments
With cash payments, you have to wait until a trip to the bank to make sure the funds are in your bank account. With Inspire Payments, a payout from sales will take 1-2 days to arrive in your business bank account. You can discuss the range of card machines we have on offer with a member of our team.
What are the different kinds of small business card machines?
At Inspire Payments, we provide a huge range of different machines to suit the needs of any small business. No matter your business type, there is a card machine for you.
For those of you wanting a secure terminal, our countertop card machine is a wonderful option. This option is fast, efficient and can take high volumes of payment at one given location. Your customers will be able to use their Visa, Mastercard and American Express cards using this terminal, as well as Apple Pay. (Link to the terminal page once live)
If you are a restaurant owner where you would like to have the option to take the card machine to the customer, our portable terminal is a good machine to consider. As well as accepting all the major credit and debit cards, it uses Bluetooth to allow you to move around so you can take payments in a way that is convenient for your customer. These portable card readers come with a rechargeable battery so you don’t have to worry about it running out. They also have an efficient printing functionality, making the process quick and easy.
If you are a small business owner who often visits trade shows or attends events where people can purchase your products or services, our mobile GPRS system may be the best root for you. It accepts all major card types, such as Visa, Mastercard and Amex. It also allows your customers the opportunity to pay via Apple Pay or Google Pay
All our card machines have high-speed printing capabilities as well as a PIN shield to make the payment process quick, secure and easy for all parties involved. As part of our business, we provide all our customers with ongoing customer support so we are here to guide you through the entire process, from the initial phone call to the final set-up. To find out more about our range of card machines, contact a member of the team today.
Get in touch today
Start your card payment journey and get in touch with a member of our sales team today. We will be able to answer any questions about our range of card machines and find you the best solution to help take your business and its customer experience to the next level. Call us today on 0113 532 66 55.
