Adoption of NFC (Near-Field Communication) mobile payment systems is definitely growing, but so far adoption has been slower than expected. So, is it worth your business investing in the capability right now?

Should my Business take Mobile Payments through my PoS System?

Adoption of NFC (Near-Field Communication) mobile payment systems is definitely growing, but so far adoption has been slower than expected. So, is it worth your business investing in the capability right now?

While smartphone payments still account for relatively low percentages of transactions, they’re rising quickly.

Some industry observers may suggest it’s not worth investing in the technology at the moment, but there’s no doubt that all consumer sectors will have to do so within the next couple of years or face customers turning their back on them in droves.

Mobile phones – always on, always with you

Mobile phones can do pretty much anything these days. Logging the number of steps you’ve taken, finding your nearest petrol station, listening to music – already there’s few areas of our lives which haven’t been infiltrated by mobile technology.

Who knew when the first smartphones appeared just what they would soon be capable of? A mobile phone is always on, and always with you. And that means its uses are almost boundless.

Until recently, the only items which were always in your possession were your keys and your purse. It seems logical to assume that a mobile phone could soon replace both of those ever-presents in the average pocket or handbag.

Paying for things with a mobile is almost certainly the way we’ll do things in the future, but that doesn’t mean it’s how we’re doing things now or how we’ll do them next week. But, evidence suggests that an explosion is coming.

Mobile spending trends in the UK

In the 12 months up to March 2018, mobile spending in the UK rose by 300 per cent. Supermarkets, bars and restaurants are driving that surge. Shoppers on the go are grabbing their groceries with a swipe of their phone while time-starved diners and drinkers are using a mobile to pay for their purchases.

If you’re operating a business of this sort, it’s already essential that you embrace mobile payments. It won’t be long until customers become irritated if they can’t pay for their quick lunchtime bite with their phone.

Until recently, this type of low value, frequent purchase seemed to be the visible limit for mobile payments. It seemed that technology, security and customer confidence in the applications would need to increase before phone pay systems became the norm in other sectors.

But this year has seen the launch of ‘limitless’ mobile payment services, led by ApplePay. That means sectors selling higher-end products are quickly adopting mobile “tap and go” systems and it really won’t be long until sales in every consumer sector are driven by smartphone spending.

The immediate future

2018 is likely to see the use of debit cards finally pass cash as our favoured payment method. It’s already unacceptable for a business to say ‘no’ when asked if they take cards. It seems it won’t be long until the same is true of mobile payments.

Experts suggest we’ve already reached the “tipping point” for mobile payments and that the avalanche of adoption is upon us. Dare you lag behind?

Already, all-in-one PoS devices are available on the market in a cost-effective form. Able to accept card or mobile wallet payments, they’re undoubtedly the present and future-proof devices that all businesses, large, medium or small, will need to board the revolution.

More Blogs
LNER Selects ECR Retail Systems for New MPoS System

ECR Retail Systems has been awarded a contract by the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) for its MPoS system, supporting rail crews on the London King’s Cross to Edinburgh route as they provide at-seat services to customers.

ECR Sponsors Gloucestershire School’s Environmental Learning Project

EPoS specialists ECR today announced their sponsorship of a new outdoor learning project at Chalford Hill School in Gloucestershire.

ECR Launches SNCF Mobile Payments Project

Following a successful pilot project ECR Retail Systems – the London-based mobile point of sale (MPoS) specialists – have deployed their real-time mobile payment solution across the entire SNCF fleet of trains, France’s largest rail operator. This development follows the award of a three-year contract.

The Future of On-board Retail Spend is Contactless

Ticket and retail sales across rail businesses have not changed significantly over the years. Rail companies still use standard point of sale (POS) or mobile point of sale (mPOS) systems to accept payments for tickets or good and services. Many of these systems currently do not accept contactless payments, and because of this, many companies are missing opportunities. In addition, in today’s demanding and dynamic

ECR Retail Systems Launches the GoFree

ECR Retail Systems (ECR), the leading UK-based MPoS specialist, has developed and launched the GoFree, the first compact handheld terminal of its kind, designed specifically for the airline sector and with inbuilt Miura PED.  Incorporating the latest ECR AirPoS technology, the GoFree uses customer data to enhance the passenger and airline crew experience, and is designed to work as part of a full end-to-end airline system.

Five Important things to consider when purchasing a Point of Sale System

A point of sale (POS) system is essentially a software program that allows businesses to track the activity on cash registers, calculate when stock needs reordering, and analyse levels of inventory according to item. A POS system automatically records the details of each sale as it happens; meaning records are constantly kept up to date.

Why New Luxury Leisure Providers Need to Prioritise Integrated EPOS Systems

The luxury leisure industry is growing fast, as consumers with stressful lives and healthy disposable incomes embrace the wellness trend. Whereas once, consumers would head overseas for a short break or spa weekend, busy career people are now opting to make full use of luxurious local leisure facilities offering high-end beauty treatments, spa services, fitness programmes, nutrition and more.

“From Warzone To Buffet Cart”, Read What SmartRail World have to say about us…

“From warzone to buffet cart”, read what SmartRail World have to say about us…

How to Make your Retirement Village Run More Effectively

The retirement village lifestyle has become increasingly popular and many villages offer the types of facilities and amenities that are generally only found in luxury hotels and country clubs. Effective management of any retirement village, or chain of villages, tends to require the use of tailored hardware and software solutions to make it easy for residents to live within a cashless society and manage their daily activities in an efficient fashion.

How to Prevent Theft with your Point of Sale System

Theft can represent a major breach of trust, and also cost businesses a lot of money. The good news is that there are ways of preventing theft from your point of sale (POS) system, and in this post, we take a look at some of them.

ECR Move To New Offices in Kings Langley

ECR Retail Systems move to state of the art new offices The Mobile Point of Sale (MPoS) specialists ECR Retail Systems announce their move to Kings Langley, Herts. With new business wins and new systems implemented in 2015/2016 including French rail network SNCF, National Express, CCSL (Northern Ireland) and the Sierra Leone National Revenue Authority

5 Ways Your POS System Can Help To Improve Security And Efficiency

Today’s electronic point of sale (POS) systems can help businesses to enjoy better security, efficiency and customer service in new ways. The latest systems are far more than simply digital cash registers; they have advanced features that offer added and fundamental value to the business.