In today’s digital age, EFTPOS machines have become a vital part of commerce and business ownership. The ability to accept and process payments is critical and without robust payment channels, it would be a challenge to survive in our fast-paced and competitive economy.
How do you select the right EFTPOS machine for your business? With so many different features and options to choose from, it can be overwhelming to determine which EFTPOS terminal is the best fit for your business. In this blog, we’ll cover the most important features to consider when purchasing or renting an EFTPOS terminal.
Why is choosing the right terminal so important?
Like any procurement exercise in business, selecting the right technology and a reliable service provider cannot solely come down to price and appearance. We have a fleet of EFTPOS machines that will satisfy this criterion but there are other attributes and benefits you should consider.
The capabilities of the physical EFTPOS device, as well as the many functions it performs, will ultimately impact the structure and nature of merchant fees incurred. Merchant fees can become a sizeable overhead for small businesses, in fact, it is the third highest cost after wages and rent (for retailers). Choosing the right terminal for your business and for your customer’s needs will ensure you don’t encounter costs that are beyond your budget.
Identifying a terminal that suits your trading environment is crucial too as you don’t want to use a payment platform that is clunky, slow, positioned incorrectly, impractical, or difficult for your team to operate.
Of great importance to many clients, especially those in the fashion or beauty industry, is the aesthetic and we stock many very smart-looking EFTPOS terminals that are sleek and modern.
Your business will evolve with trends, consumer demand and improved efficiencies, so choosing a terminal that is versatile is essential. We are always here to help and can assist you should you have any questions about how to get the most out of your EFTPOS terminal and any other products we supply such as POS, portable POS, Kiosks, and consumables.
Features to consider:
Card Compatibility
The ultimate goal when acquiring an EFTPOS machine is to expand payment options for your customers. The sinking feeling of losing a sale because you can’t take immediate payment by card is not pleasant. Whilst payment by internet banking is an option, you are relying on the honesty of your customers and the process is time-consuming for both parties, with added administration and follow-up. It would be very rare that an international visitor would be able to use this method. Sending customers away to the nearest ATM is not ideal either as this may result in a lost sale.
The certainty that taking instantaneous payment with debit and credit cards provides cannot be underestimated. In New Zealand, a swiped or inserted debit card (pin or chip) or domestic EFTPOS card (pin only) does not incur merchant services fees so you could, at the very least, provide this option to your customers. (You will still be charged some bank fees, and a monthly network fee for the merchant number – please check with your bank first).
Accepting both credit cards and debit cards is going to provide comprehensive payment options which will include PayWave and the acceptance of the 2 most used cards: Visa and Mastercard. Eftpos Now stocks EFTPOS machines that are PayWave compatible and you simply need to ensure your merchant number is set up to accept ‘contactless’ payments.
To find out more about merchant numbers, visit our merchant number blog.
If you were to accept credit cards, you would be joining the 44 million merchants worldwide who accept Visa, and the 37 million merchants accepting Mastercard. You will also have the ability to accept travel money cards that are affiliated with either of these 2 card schemes.
There are also legitimate third-party cards circulating (such as Qcard, Farmers Card, WINZ, and Ruralco). To accept these cards, you must contact your bank to ensure your merchant number is set up to accept these unique payment forms.
Connectivity
The next feature to consider is connectivity. An EFTPOS machine requires an internet connection to process transactions, so it’s important to ensure this vital connection is reliable and consistent. If your EFTPOS terminal is to be placed in one fixed location, you should consider a counter-top EFTPOS terminal that can connect to Wi-Fi primarily as this often provides the most stable connection. You can support this with a backup SIM card, which will access 3G or 4G networks in the event of your Wi-Fi connection being severed.
Of course, portability is essential for some businesses such as drivers, food trucks and tradespeople and our mobile EFTPOS terminals will actively seek out the nearest cell tower and connect over 3G/4G networks using the SIM card installed in the back of the unit. With cell coverage becoming ubiquitous, there are fewer black spots in the country, so staying connected is less of a concern.
If your network is patchy or challenging, we can offer some solutions to ensure you are still able to trade and transact.
Security
Security is an essential feature to look for in EFTPOS machines to ensure the card holder’s sensitive payment information is kept safe. We supply EFTPOS terminals that encrypt data and are PCI compliant. It’s also crucial to have a secure pin pad to ensure that your customer’s PIN information isn’t compromised. Placing the pin pad or terminal in a discreet spot, away from store security cameras and prying eyes adds another layer of protection.
Like a laptop or cell phone, performing software upgrades when prompted will ensure security upgrades are as up to date as possible. We can guide you through this process.
User Interface
The EFTPOS machine’s user interface must be user-friendly, making it easy for staff to operate and easy for customers with diverse needs to transact. The terminal interface should have clear displays, signage informing the customer of a surcharge (if applicable), be unobscured and be accessible at the appropriate height.
Adding a pin pad which can be passed over the counter provides additional comfort where there is some distance between the shop assistant/server and cardholder (e.g., over the counter of a food truck or bakery cabinet).
A great example of a terminal that is perfect for particular type of retail environment is the T650P, which has large fonts and is favoured by our Optometrist clients.
Receipts
A feature that is often overlooked but plays a vital role in customer satisfaction is the ability to provide receipts to your customers.
There are several apps available which accept card payments using your android phone but these will not print a paper receipt. You can email or text the receipt later, but this is often inconvenient. Eftpos Now does not supply these products.
Our terminals can be programmed to print customer receipts only, merchant receipts only, both, and neither. Some of our terminals can email receipts as well as print paper receipts. All our EFTPOS terminals are capable of printing receipts that are customisable with basic text and characters (but not logos unfortunately).
Longevity & Compliance
Beware of resellers of EFTPOS terminals who may try to offload EFTPOS terminals that are very close to becoming obsolete or are very close to their ‘end of life date’. Always choose terminals (both hardware and software) that possess the appropriate lifespan for your business.
One of the benefits of using Eftpos Now is that we will always ensure your software and hardware are compliant, with the added service of helping you select the appropriate replacement terminal when it is time to upgrade.
Purchase vs Rental
Just like leasing a car, there are merits in renting an EFTPOS terminal, POS or portable POS. Eftpos Now takes the hassle out of keeping abreast of software and hardware upgrades, SIM card credit top ups (where the SIM card is our own), compliance, and most importantly, equipment servicing. If you enter into a rental agreement with us, you are assured that our service department is always available to you and in the unlikely event that repairs are needed, an alternative unit will be dispatched with minimal disruption to your business.
Our purchase customers opt to manage most aspects of the EFTPOS terminal themselves, but we are on hand should they need us to manage and maintain SIM cards, ensure they are compliant, and to offer advice should they need it.
Peripherals
When an EFTPOS machine must interface with another piece of hardware such as a cash register, POS system or pin pad, we provide the expertise required to identify compatible components, explain how they would perform in your business environment and provide training if necessary.
Conclusion
Considering the primary features outlined above, will help you select an EFTPOS machine that will best suit your business needs. An EFTPOS terminal isn’t just another chattel in your business, it can add value with the unique ability to both save you money and make you money! We are always on hand to help you select the perfect EFTPOS terminal from our range of modern and current products. Contact us now on 0800 33 33 04.