What QSRs Need to Know About Mobile POS Solutions and Payment Diversity
This year at the NRA Show 2015 in Chicago, we expect checkout optimization and mobile POS to be popular topics of discussion for QSR operators. With some estimates putting time spent waiting in line as being worth $40 an hour, speedy service can mean increased profits. Further, customers actually overestimate the actual wait by about 36 percent, which can significantly impact customer satisfaction.
Mobile POS devices can effectively reduce these wait times. But not all mobile POS devices are created equal. Here are a few considerations for operators to keep in mind while evaluating mobile POS solutions:
- Integrated EMV Card Reader: With the EMV mandate approaching, which will shift fraud liability to merchants, investing in mobile POS that accepts a variety of payment options will become more essential for operators looking to improve the customer experience and comply with new payment rules. An integrated card reader will limit an operator’s fraud risk and eliminate the need for multiple devices to accept different forms of electronic payment.
- Payment Versatility: With the variety of options available to consumers, operators will need a solution that can accept EMV (chip-based credit cards), NFC (Apple Pay or Google Wallet) and MSR (mag stripe) and online payment options. This will ensure customers won’t be turned away when their preferred payment method is unavailable and will appeal to the tech-savvy crowd that is comprising an increasing portion of the QSR customer base. A mobile POS device will an integrated EMV reader will also keep operators compliant with recent card security mandates.
- Operating System Integration: Mobile payment solutions should ideally feature a full Windows OS to easily integrate with the existing technology and software infrastructure to minimize installation costs. A full tablet interface enables orders to be taken quickly and accurately.
- Durability: Operators should seek out a ruggedized tablet that can hold up in variable temperatures and withstand the day-to-day rigors of a QSR can create.
- Daylight-Viewable Screens: Utilizing a rugged tablet with a daylight viewable screen enables easy input and confirmation of orders – avoiding costly errors that can upset customers.
As operators continue to seek innovative mobile technologies for QSRs to prevent walkouts and appeal to the increasingly millennial customer base, the above features must be taken into account. Payment security/variety is also crucial with all demographics concerned about their payment data and wanting their preferred payment method offered.
Learn more about Panasonic’s Food Services solutions at NRA Show booth #7245.
