COVID-19 has changed the way we do nearly everything. Going to the grocery store is no longer a leisurely Sunday activity; it can now be a legitimate risk to your health. While many of us are religiously wearing our face masks and practicing social distancing, there are some people who aren’t following the generally accepted COVID-19 safety guidelines. The check-out process used to be a breeze, but now, there’s a major concern that touching the card pin pad will result in the disease spreading.
The good news is that there’s a technology already out there that can solve this problem, and it’s available on virtually every piece of hardware sold for the past few decades. Europe and Asia have been taking advantage of this technology for years, but the US has been slow to adopt it. However, COVID-19 has propelled near field communication (NFC) into the limelight, and it’s finally ready for widespread adoption. You may be asking, what exactly is NFC? Well, it’s a short-range wireless communication network that uses magnetic fields to transmit data safely and securely. It has many uses, but the most relevant one to our current situation is its ability to initiate sales transactions by simply tapping your mobile device onto the payment receiver. This tap-to-pay option is available on almost every smartphone, and it’s just as secure as a chip or stripe card transaction.
When you complete a tap-to-pay transaction, your smartphone’s mobile wallet will communicate directly with your bank and deduct the appropriate amount from your account. Another piece of good news is that almost every smartphone has some version of a mobile wallet. For iPhones, there’s ApplePay, which has been gaining traction in the past few months, ever since they introduced the Apple Card, a titanium credit card that links to your virtual wallet. For Androids, there’s Google Pay and Android Pay, and for Samsung models, there’s Samsung Pay. They all essentially do the same thing; no matter what type of phone you have, you’re already equipped with all the tools necessary to utilize contactless payment transactions.
If you’re a business owner, and you’d like to set-up contactless payment transactions for your customers, Celero Commerce has got you covered. We offer a variety of contactless payment devices that will suit everyone’s individual business needs. If you’re seeking a typical cash register device, the Clover Station would be an excellent option. The Station has a customer facing display, a cash drawer, and a printer for receipts. If you’re looking for something smaller and more portable, our Clover Flex or Clover Mini would be great options. The Flex is a sophisticated handheld device that is equipped to handle all of your business’ payment processing needs. The Mini is a sleek countertop touchscreen tablet that allows you to process payments and print receipts as needed. All of these models handle contactless payments which is becoming increasingly important to business owners and consumers alike as this worldwide pandemic drags on. Additionally, these models work alongside a powerful mobile and desktop program that allows you to view your sales, run reports, and issue refunds if needed.
If you’re interested in adding contactless payments to your business, please contact the Celero Team and we’d be happy to provide you with more information and recommendations specific to your business. NFC and contactless payment options truly are the future and there’s never been a better time than now to take the leap. The technology is highly secure, adaptable to any size business, and most importantly, a safer option for the days of COVID-19.