Three ways technology can be used to incentivize your customer base.

Today's consumers are faced with a dizzying array of choices. If your store fails to excite them, meet their expressed needs, or anticipate wants they didn’t even know they had, you might find yourself falling behind your competitors. Enlisting the power of technology can give you that extra jump that just might put you ahead of the pack.

Offer varied ways to pay.

Your point of sale (POS) system provides you with a secure way to accept payments from your customers, whether in cash, with physical credit cards, using their smartphones’ wallet app features, or even via automatic withdrawal from their bank accounts. When your buyers feel listened to as far as their preferred method of payment goes, you will reap the rewards. Not only will your customers be more satisfied, but they are also likely to spend more money both now and in the future.

Give your customers contactless options.

The 2020 coronavirus pandemic brought about an intense uptick in buyers’ concerns about physical health and hygiene. Merchants responded by embracing the contactless payment technology that had already been gaining in popularity. With it, shoppers can participate in an easier checkout process using a smartphone equipped with a digital wallet. Consumers simply need to input their credit card information, which is then securely stored in their phones’ digital repositories.

At the time of purchase, the consumer opens the digital wallet, verifying their identity with a fingerprint or facial ID. Next, they place the device near your reader. The near-field communication (NFC) technology in the two devices then communicates with each other to securely exchange and transmit all of the details necessary to make a safe and seamless payment. Within seconds, the process is completed, all without any physical contact occurring between buyer and seller.

When you bring contactless payment technology into your business, you are sending a positive message: “We care so much about your health and well-being that we are going the extra mile to give you safe and varied ways to pay.” When people feel cared about, they tend to respond with long-term loyalty.

Reward your best customers for their frequent business.

Technology also gives you fast and easy ways to thank your faithful patrons. Gone are the old days of loyalty punch cards that were constantly getting lost. Now, you can simply leverage the power of your POS system to run your loyalty program. 

The secret lies in today’s POS solutions’ database creation and management capabilities. With your customers’ permission, you can store relevant details about them, including contact information, date of birth, email address, and even hobbies and interests. Once you’ve built your database, you can use it to create a loyalty program that incentivizes buyers with points that eventually translate into discounts, freebies, and so forth. It's a tried and true way to show your loyal patrons how much you value their business.

If you have abundant financial resources and are tech-savvy, you can incorporate glitzy tech such as virtual and augmented reality into your retail profile. However, don’t despair if you are not quite at that level. Your smart POS solution, the one that processes customer payments, is also a hub that can help you to run your store more efficiently while simultaneously enhancing the customer experience you provide. Not sure about your system’s capabilities? Talk to your merchant service provider to put your hardware’s talents to work for you today.