Colin Neil, MD, Adyen UK
Retailers know that prioritising customer experience is vital to success today. This, amongst the management of complex supply chains and the cost of living crisis is a lot to oversee.
Further, the pandemic has accelerated technology’s role in building a relationship between store and customer. Consumer adoption of digital, cashless payments has accelerated. PwC’s ‘Payments 2025 and Beyond’ report predicted that cashless transactions could triple in volume by 2030. This trend aligns with our own experience of 2021, in which we’ve witnessed a 70% jump in transaction volumes. It demonstrates the rapid digital transformation of retail as pandemic trends amplified the role of ecommerce in online and offline sales.
Operationally, there’s a lot for retailers to think about. The question is: Which are the technologies that will allow them to truly transform the customer experience?
Consider Android mPOS
Traditional mobile POS (mPOS) terminals are a great way to unshackle sales from a static cash-desk, helping to reduce queues and improve the overall shopping experience. However, they’ve also presented some operational challenges. These devices only take payments; they’re unable to scan barcodes or check stock, meaning that sales teams become burdened with a utility-belt’s worth of additional devices to fulfil these needs.
But recently, the entrance of the new Android mPOS terminal has caused a stir since it’s an all-in-one solution that can manage a multitude of functions, via installed apps. This includes: checking a customer’s previous orders and eliminating the need for separate cash registers, barcode scanners, and even customer facing displays.
These devices represent a fundamental change in the role of the payment terminal. Thanks to its app management system, retailers can manage the functions they use every day in a single hand-held device, from inventory management, to loyalty programmes, returns and more.
Palisis, a provider of sales and operations solutions for tourism and transportation businesses, and Immfly, an in-flight digital services provider, are among the first of our customers to roll out the terminals. In doing so, they’re simplifying the management of their business and freeing up staff to focus on the customer experience. Here’s how:
- Streamlining operations
Android mPOS terminals let you consolidate your store’s business functions into one device. This is a big benefit for your bottom line, since managing multiple systems and hardware can lead to high costs, from set up to ongoing maintenance. Furthermore, customisation from a centralised location gives an overview of all a retailer’s terminals. Adyen’s Terminal Fleet Manager, for example, is capable of multiple configurations – including terminal location, logo, refunds, receipts etc – remotely.
Consolidating these systems reduces cost of ownership, helping you free up budget for other investments and innovations. It’s also simpler for staff to use the one system, making their jobs much easier, especially during busy periods.
- Flexibility to grow
When systems are consolidated on a single device, it’s easier to update and scale technology as your business evolves. For example, if you process payments on a centralised platform, like Adyen, the same software and end-to-end encryption can be quickly rolled out across all your stores, anywhere in the world. You can also cater to customers’ preferred local payment methods, as well as the major global ones, without needing additional terminals or worrying about local acquiring headaches.
On top of that, if all customer-facing channels and backend systems are connected via one platform, you can monitor online and in-person payments in one place. You can recognise and reward loyal customers in real-time, future-proofing the customer experience with invaluable data insights.
- Convenience for customers
Mobile devices allow customers to make purchases from anywhere. This has led some retailers to consider doing away with the till area completely. Tesco’s entered this space last year, and Sainsbury’s partnered with Amazon to introduce the experience too. With no cash desks, the store is given over completely to product and service.
Getting your roll out right
Take a look at what our customers Immfly and Palisis have been able to achieve with their roll out. Immfly needed to be able to create and process drinks and snack orders during flights, without involving any extra hardware for air stewards to handle and manage. Its Android S1F2 devices integrate cash register systems directly onto WiFi-enabled terminals via an app, which sync stock levels throughout the flight. Payments can also be taken while offline on both long and short haul flights. These capabilities also mean leading ticketing and reservation tech provider Palisis can use them in many different weather conditions, from ski slopes to tour buses in the world’s biggest cities.
The best customer experiences are convenient and modern payment terminals can help retailers deliver this. Just remember, when you’re looking to roll out any new in-store tech, it’s important to research and pilot the scheme thoroughly. In that way, you’ll be sure to have the best possible impact on your customer experience and ultimately your revenue.
