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Online payments – a matter of life or death?

November 10, 2020

Online payments, or lack thereof, could be a matter of life and death for your business. Whoa horsey, that’s a bit extreme isn’t it? Nope, not really. Never more so than now has offering digital payments been necessary for your businesses survival, 2020 and beyond.

It has been reassuring to see that some companies (even micro businesses – super proud of them by the way) have understood the importance of integrating online payments or click & collect to their websites or facilities.

Maybe some of you are transitioning as we speak to click & collect or secure card payment services, but if it hasn’t crossed your mind or worse still, has crossed your mind but you don’t think it’s worth it, it’s time to reconsider.

Customer preferences

There will be businesses who will carry on regardless with cash only options or even hand held card readers (passing the terminal between staff -ugh), and it will be at the discretion of the customer as to whether they continue to shop with you, knowing that you are ultimately ignoring their ongoing safety and not moving with the industry times. Where small businesses used to call for cash only transactions (assumedly to save a few pennies off the transaction fee from digital payments – or for self serving dodgy tax purposes) there really is no place for this type of business behaviour anymore.

I personally experienced two situations recently that are quite unfavorable given the current circumstances. Our local Chinese take away only accept cash payments, always have. Although it doesn’t entirely stop me from purchasing from them, on the times I have, I second guess it, the truth is that it doesn’t sit easy with me, and I can’t be the only one?

The second was from a small corner shop, we went to buy a couple of cans of pop, we needed to pay cash or spend over £5…unwilling to spend more, we left the shop and they lost a sale and future customers. All for the sake of a few pennies of fee.

Scary or necessary?

Even if you are a bit more tech advanced, card readers and touch screen services are suddenly more scary than fancy. Sorry McDonald’s, but you know I’m right. One article in ‘Men’s Health‘ reported that you could potentially catch infections that are common in hospitals in some McDonald’s restaurants from their touch screen machines!

Touch screen services are not necessary, but online payments are. Contactless and digital payments are the safest and most convenient way forward. Plus, as I noted in a recent blog, they literally help your customers spend more money with you.

Regardless of whether you agree with guidelines, whether you think it’s all a load of old tosh or not, if you are a successful business you should already understand that you customers dictate your marketing, dictate your business and dictate your sales…unless you are cool with making less profit and planting a seed of doubt in the mind of those putting food on your table, for sure, carry on your personal plight.

If you are now having a rethink and wish to transform your business digitally, don’t worry, it really doesn’t have to be a scary or complicated process.

Book a discovery call with CREATIVE in TiME now to improve your business for yourself and your customers.

By Fred Warner

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