Too often technology solutions are big on technology and small on solutions. Or they are solutions to non-existent problems. PXP Financial has helped many retailers roll out mPOS in-store with our remotely deployed plug and play solution. Below are ten ways that store-based retailers can integrate mPOS into their businesses.
1. Peaks and troughs in trading
mPOS is great for queue-busting at busy times, such as lunchtimes, weekends and seasonal peaks. Staff can serve customers wherever they are in store to shorten queues, increase conversion and improve the customer experience.
2. Pop-up stores or concessions
If you are renting retail space on a temporary basis, mPOS helps you get up and running with card acceptance quickly. There is no requirement for a fixed line, cabling or extensive hardware. mPOS runs off a mobile phone or tablet that acts as an electronic till system paired with a small card reader/PIN pad for secure, simple card acceptance.
3. Large stores
It may be difficult for customers to locate the check-outs in large stores, particularly if the shop floor is given over to a wide array of merchandise. Outdoor goods stores, furniture retailers and department stores are some examples. As mPOS devices are portable, staff can approach customers and convert browsers into buyers throughout the store to boost revenues and customer satisfaction.
4. High degree of professional service and advice
Depending on what you sell, to whom and how, mPOS can be the bridge to multi-channel. It can bring ‘endless aisles’ in-store with curated selling via a tablet or kiosk. There is no need to lose sales if the item is not in stock. Your staff can bring the full range of goods on your website in store via an mPOS device and help customers place online orders for delivery later. Cross-selling and up-selling to customers is also much easier via mPOS.
5. New store formats
mPOS helps you trial and roll out new store formats, which change the operational and service model. For example, stockless stores which allow in-store ordering via an online catalogue of goods. Or collection-only stores. Or physical stores for internet retailers, where goods are displayed but orders placed online in-store. With no wires, no cables and no sacrifice of retail space, mPOS lets you experiment with new ways to serve customers and deploy staff.
6. Home Delivery
If you deliver goods to customers’ homes, card payment via mPOS represents a credible alternative to cash-on-delivery. It is a convenient, familiar and safe way to pay for customers. Reducing the amount of cash held by delivery drivers also contributes to a safer working environment for staff, particularly if they make deliveries at anti-social hours or in isolated locations.
7. Direct sales or field forces
If you operate a direct sales or field force selling door to door, they could benefit from a low-cost, portable way to accept card payment. mPOS can also help with inventory management as the mobile app can collect and pass additional sales data (item type, size, colour etc.) as part of the transaction.
8. Store refit/refresh
mPOS makes staff, service and payment mobile. This could have wide-reaching implications for not only in-store service but also for store layout. When staff can serve customers anywhere in store, this could mean the end of queues. Removing queues could also mean minimising the number of counters or removing them altogether. With less space given over to counters and payment administration, your next store layout could look very different.
9. Deploy staff effectively
Card acceptance can free up resources that are required to collect, count and bank cash. This enables your staff to concentrate on customer service and other duties. If shop floor staff are equipped with mPOS devices and trained to accept payment, this increases the number of in-store pay points at a stroke. It also gives you the flexibility to deploy staff more effectively to support your trading patterns and customers’ needs.
10. POS Hardware Upgrade
If you have end-of-life POS hardware or are looking to upgrade to comply with EMV or contactless mandates, or are looking to reduce your PCI DSS scope, consider integrating mPOS into the mix. More and more enterprise devices running Windows PS are now available. This helps you integrate the mPOS channel into your existing back-office systems for stock management, reconciliation and so on for greater consistency and efficiencies.
PXP Financial
The End-to-end payment platform
PXP Financial provides a single unified payments platform to accept payments online, on mobile and at the point of sale. Powered by inhouse global acquiring, 200+ alternative payment methods & financial services, PXP processes over EUR 16 billion annually through our unified gateway.
Whatever your business needs today or tomorrow, PXP Financials’ innovative payment platform will support your business growth with all the payment services you will ever need from one source, wherever your business takes you.
