Wow! Nearly 50% of consumers say they will not shop at a store that doesn’t offer a contactless way to pay!
Amazing. Right?!
The facts are that COVID – 19 changed many things. Other than wearing masks, probably no other aspect of daily life has been changed more than a preference for touch-free payments.
Tap and Pay is one of the fastest growing applications of technology that consumers are facing – and choosing as a preference – every day.
According to CNBC, “In the U.S., Visa said in March its tap-to-pay transactions grew over 30% year-over-year. In fact, according to its survey of small business owners and consumers in eight countries, nearly half of consumers suggested that offering contactless payment methods is one of the most important safety measures stores can offer. Another 47% of consumers say they will not shop at a store that doesn’t offer a contactless way to pay.”
The article makes a great case for consumers asking for less personal and more digital interaction at the point-of-sale.
High-Tech is the new High-Touch
So, the pandemic succeeded in cementing a complete inversion of what consumers consider great customer service. Now it’s NOT a smile and warm welcome at a check stand or cash register; it’s “Get me out of here, fast!”
Successfully applying systems that appear to be a reduction in customer service, but in fact are dramatic improvements in serving guests are nothing new. Today the application of technology brings ‘shortcuts’ to many aspects of brand experiences and purchasing goods and services. But over the years breakthroughs in consumer service have come by applying operational disciplines to traditionally top-heavy service experiences.
Southwest Airlines lean and mean processes that simplified purchasing, gate assignments, and boarding were really an application of simple technologies that dramatically improved guest service. And the upstart airline did so with a fast, fun and friendly brand character that carved out a profitable niche in the volatile airline industry.
Who would have suspected that doing less for a consumer, would be more highly valued than a time-consuming, ‘how-are-you-today’ greeting and other hand-holding tactics.
Tap and pay is the latest and greatest advance in a don’t-waste-my-time society that demands application of smart, fast and SECURE checkout and payment systems that deliver quickly for consumers.
And because most consumers grade all product category check out experiences based on convenience, they expect this service level in a supermarket, online – or in a car wash.
Tap and Pay is here to stay. At least until another technology is put into credit and debit cards that makes it obsolete. That will definitely take a while.
See the sited article here.