Many business owners are notoriously pushed for time, often taking on a multitude of tasks and duties. Dependant on size, this can include running the marketing department, organising logistics, and ensuring the best customer service is being delivered, all at the same time. Unsurprisingly, with so many different facets of a company to be managing, payments processing is not always at the forefront of merchants’ minds. But the fact is it should be, as optimising payments is an essential component in many aspects of the business journey and it should not be overlooked.

By optimising payments, you have the power to create a profoundly positive effect on the user experience (UX), transaction conversion, and provide merchants with crucial data to improve their operations. What’s more it can also enable merchants to monitor their costs efficiently, if they work with the most competitive acquirer for each payment method used by consumers.

Ignoring payments optimisation risks not only alienating and losing customers but also inefficient management of their costs by missing important savings on acquiring fees.

Transit systems across the globe are having to adapt and embrace a new normal. Previously, a physical ticket would have been purchased using cash from a manned kiosk but nowadays, it is a very different story. Technological advancements, alongside open payments, have unlocked new possibilities across multiple industries. Furthermore, travellers are expecting more as part of their basic service.

The move towards a cashless society is quickly gathering pace. Cards and alternative payment methods (APMs) are now the norm, and the ways in which these changes are affecting transit systems are far reaching. With that said, I’ll explore the payment trends, the key benefits of these developments and what travel operators need to know.

It was back in March that restaurants and bars were ordered to shut by the UK government to help halt the spread of coronavirus. However, after weeks of shut doors and takeaway orders, hospitality venues are now due to reopen to customers in July, providing they can enforce social distancing measures and keep their customers and staff safe.

Keeping customers safe from an invisible virus requires both staff and customers to take a considerable amount of extra care during service. And even after ensuring there’s plenty of space between customers, and staff are following the appropriate hygiene procedures, there’s still measures hospitality venues can take to ensure optimal cleanliness and maintain the positive customer experience.

Alternative card and payment methods are becoming the norm, and across the world transit systems are having to adapt to this incoming cashless society. This will of course affect transport systems and its consumers in many different ways. To help retailers and transport professionals navigate these changes, Global Head of Transportation and Smart Mobility at Ingenico Enterprise Retail, Venceslas Cartier, is here to share his expert opinion on what we can expect, and how Ingenico terminals are paving the way for a faster, smoother transit experience for everyone.