Ingenico Experts / Shaping the future of payment
Ingenico Experts / Shaping the future of payment
There is no doubt that the quick service restaurant (QSR) industry took a huge hit during 2020 and 2021, as COVID-19 saw complete closures and the sudden need to shift all or most of sales online and those that stayed open had to adapt to social distancing and contactless payments.
The pandemic has brought about unprecedented changes in the world of payments and the way customers consume goods.
With eCommerce becoming the main element of physical retailers’ strategies, and the COVID-19 pandemic shifting customers' shopping habits from on-site to online, the landscape for Connected Retail is more prospective than ever.
In an increasingly faster and changing society, key drivers to customer satisfaction are convenience, speed and efficiency.
In grocery retail, the old model of online versus offline is no longer a relevant distinction. This is because today’s connected consumers shop for their groceries in an entirely different way, as they feel they should no longer be impeded by the limitations of any touchpoint. After all, while shopping for products and services, consumers do not think about channels, they simply expect a smooth buying experience.
For decades, research and industry voices have been drawing attention to the inevitable move towards a cashless society. Even before COVID-19 hit, cash transactions in the UK accounted for only 23% of all payments in 2019. However, no one could have predicted the mass adoption of digital technologies spurred on by the pandemic last year.
Payments are essential to every business, but they are not all that meets the eye on a day-to-day basis. Behind every transaction there are multiple players working tirelessly to ensure payments are being made quickly, correctly, and securely. However, as is often the case with so many moving parts, there remains the possibility of error and/or additional time added to the transaction, leaving the customer with a poor experience and make them potentially less likely to return. Additionally, multiple failed transactions can ultimately prove costly for retailers over time.