How To Choose The Right Mobile Payment Terminal for Your Food Truck Business?
“Quick summary” Online businesses and e-commerce merchants can now offer customers quick and protected digital payments. Thanks to advances in technology.
In recent times, online payment terminals have grown in popularity. Rather than scrambling around with traditional payment processors, sophisticated payment terminals have made the task of payments easier and more secure with various beneficial features.
Suppose you are a thriving business searching to simplify your customers' payment processes and improve your cash reserves.
In that case, you know that online payments through simple yet modern payment terminals are the ideal route. Payment terminals make it simple for your clients to pay you and reflect payouts instantaneously on your end, improving your cash flow.
However, choosing the right & secure payment terminal is a crucial process, and we should consider multiple aspects to get the right and desired results.
These criteria will help you choose the right mobile payment terminal provider. Keep reading!
Factors to consider when choosing a mobile payment terminal
1. Acceptance of different payment methods (debit/credit cards, contactless payments, etc.)
It is recommended that mobile terminals should accept different payment methods, including debit/credit cards, contactless payments, and other forms of digital payments, for so many different reasons. Here are some reasons why:
A. Convenience
Multiple payment options are more convenient for customers as only some carry cash, and some prefer digital payment methods for security reasons.
B. Customer satisfaction
Accepting a wide range of payment methods can improve customer satisfaction. Customers appreciate having the flexibility to choose how they want to pay.
C. Increased sales
Accepting different payment methods can lead to increased sales. Customers who cannot pay with their preferred method may take their business elsewhere.
D. Competitive advantage
Offering multiple payment options can give businesses a competitive advantage. Customers may choose a business that offers a wider range of payment methods over one that only accepts cash or a limited number of payment options.
2. Security features (EMV chip and pin, encryption, etc.)
You own a food truck business but are also a customer at many points in your life. And you might pay through a variety of mobile payment solutions.
You might be worried about its safety, right?
So, why not extend that trust and dependability to your customers via your mobile terminal?
Because then you're dealing with confidential financial data when accepting payment transactions, the protection of your payment terminal ought to be a top priority. It is critical to remember that the security requirements of various payment terminals differ.
Some terminals include fraud prevention and other screening technologies to protect your company from unauthorized transactions. Choose the best mobile payment terminal with the key aspects for processing transactions to manage security and risk factors such as PCI-DSS compliance, EMV chip, end-to-end encryption, etc.
3. Integration with existing food truck business POS systems and other software
The mobile payment terminal for a food truck is the most important consideration. Still, there are other important payment hardware and software that businesses use.
Integrating your payment terminal with your inventory management system, scanner, ATM, and other systems ensures smooth and secure transactions.
As a result, when selecting a payment terminal, ensure it can be integrated with the other platforms you use for your daily payment transactions.
Your optimal option ought to be a payment terminal system that does not interfere with the UX design of your website or slow down financial transactions. You want a simple payment terminal for buyers to use and simple for you to comprehend, utilize, and fix.
Related Blog: Integrating inventory management into your food truck POS system
4. Mobile connectivity options (Wi-Fi, cellular, etc.)
One of the most important factors to consider before selecting the right terminal is whether your system has cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity. It is critical for food truck businesses because they are constantly moving and necessitate reliable connectivity.
Wireless terminals are small and portable, allowing you to keep up with sales in the field while providing more secure processing.
Merchants can use mobile and wireless terminals to expand beyond conventional point-of-sale and cash-only processes. They offer a new, revised, and interesting way for customers to pay.
Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity offer a more stable internet connection than other alternatives. It handles transactions quickly and effectively with no errors or delays.
5. Size and portability for use in a food truck environment
The size and portability of the device are the second criteria to consider when selecting a payment terminal.
Food truck businesses are typically small and compact. They also move from one location to another. As a result, it is critical to be compact and mobile. It is simpler and more convenient for food truck businesses to conduct transactions.
It gives you the freedom to move around while also facilitating business management. A battery is usually included with mobile models. As a result, it is recommended that you check the load and size of your tool.
Furthermore, ensure you have the required electrical configurations for terminal charging before deciding. It will save you from hassles in the future.
6. Cost, including upfront purchase price and ongoing transaction, fees
Intuitively, price is one of the initial aspects you consider when purchasing any product. A variety of factors determines payment terminal pricing. Your business plan, the different kinds of payment transactions you admit, the amounts you accept on a monthly/annual basis, and much more.
Before deciding on a payment terminal, consider how much money you accept regularly and research before requesting a quote. You can ask for a quote from different competitors and choose the right mobile payment terminal regarding features and pricing.
Pricing is also divided into two parts - Upfront costs and ongoing costs. This research is also crucial, as you will know how much you will be paying upfront and how much you have spent with every transaction. You can decide accordingly based on your food truck business’s budget and profit margins.
7. Type of terminal
The type of card terminal you necessitate is one of the initial decisions you must make. Presently, there are numerous options available.
Countertop terminals are widely used but need more versatility and adaptability of alternative wireless solutions. They work best in business owners with single checkouts or few points of sale. Countertop terminals are challenging to dislocate, which is one of their major benefits.
In contrast, a virtual terminal can turn your computer or smart device into a digital payment processor. It enables companies to work in remote locations and close deals regardless of their physical location. It can also be useful for customers who want to set up recurring payments and for brands who want to store customer information safely and confidentially.
Tips for Implementing a Mobile Payment Terminal
1. Training employees on using the terminal and troubleshooting
After installing NFC terminals, train your employees to make a mobile payment sale. The last thing you want is to have a highly secure payment terminal but not get the expected results due to inexperienced staff.
Also, clarify how this payment method works from the customer's viewpoint so that employees can respond to questions while processing transactions smoothly and without inconsistencies.
Your employees should be able to clarify the end-to-end details that make mobile payments so secure, as this is a common concern among consumers.
Here's how you can train your staff:
- Make them aware of workarounds throughout the process.
- Let them know how to deal with customers.
- Keep them updated about new trends & tech.
2. Integrating the terminal with other software and systems
Integrating your payment terminal with other software and systems can help improve your business operations, provide a better customer experience, and increase your bottom line.
A. POS software integration
Food truck businesses can integrate payment terminals with food truck business POS software to provide a seamless checkout experience for customers. The integration allows for the automatic calculation of the purchase amount and integration with the inventory system.
B. Accounting software integration
Integration of payment terminal data with accounting software can provide accurate financial data and streamline bookkeeping processes. It can help businesses save time and reduce the risk of manual data entry errors.
C. CRM software integration
Payment terminal data can be integrated with customer relationship management (CRM) software to track purchases and provide personalized marketing messages. It can help businesses improve customer engagement and loyalty.
3. Setting up secure payment processing and storage
Setting up secure payment processing and storage for payment terminals is crucial to protect your business and customers' sensitive payment data.
Check out some tips to set up a secure payment processing and storage system for your payment terminal:
A. Use PCI-compliant payment solutions
Ensure that your payment terminal and payment processing software meet the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) to ensure that you are using a secure payment solution.
B. Use encryption
Use end-to-end encryption to protect payment data during transmission and storage. It will help ensure that payment data is protected from unauthorized access.
C. Implement tokenization
Tokenization replaces payment data with a randomly generated token to minimize the sensitive payment data stored on your system to reduce the risk of data breaches.
D. Use secure networks
Use secure networks for payment processing and storage, such as dedicated, private, and secure Wi-Fi networks.
E. Train employees on security best practices
Educate your employees on security best practices for payment processing and storage, such as using strong passwords, avoiding phishing scams, and reporting suspicious activity.
4. Setting up payment reporting and tracking for business management
Setting up payment reporting and tracking your payment terminal for business management can effectively gain valuable insights into your business operations and financial performance.
Choosing a payment processing solution that provides robust reporting features such as sales data, payment trends, and customer behavior is important to set up payment reporting. Determining the data you need to track is crucial to identify key performance indicators (KPIs) and to track progress over time.
A data visualization tool can help organize and make sense of payment data, allowing you to identify trends and patterns. Regularly reviewing and analyzing payment data can help you identify areas for improvement and make data-driven decisions, improving your bottom line and providing a better customer experience.
Finally, using payment data to inform your business strategies, such as identifying high-performing products or customer segments, can help you make informed decisions about how to grow your business.
Related Blog: Ultimate guide to fast food POS system
Conclusion
There are many things to consider in the criteria matrix. Selecting the right payment terminal services provider may take time and effort.
But, this step is not skippable. It may be time-consuming but beneficial in the long run. If you make the wrong decision, you will face major issues in the future for your food truck business, such as limited payment options, poor customer service, high sales prices, recurring fees, and numerous other issues.
We hope this blog has provided the information you need to choose the right mobile payment terminal provider. You can use the above-written factors and tips for smooth ongoing tasks of the mobile payment terminal for the food truck business.
For better and end-to-end guidance, you can connect with our experts to find the ideal one.