Skip Old School Payments Technology, Embrace Integrated Payments

This post discusses why integrated payments matter and its impact on -

1. Your guest’s experience  

2.  Managing your business operations

3.  Providing a competitive edge for your business

We understand that fees play a crucial role in deciding your payment partner. Therefore you are content with the set-up provided by your banker. We call this a non-integrated, or offline, processor because the payment processing system is not integrated with your point of sales. This opens-up to the frustrating, time-consuming errors during the card-swipe process - the amount has to be entered manually by the front desk. These errors frustrate guests who are just trying to pay and make it out the door after experiencing your exceptional service.

1. Old school payment processors, higher costs and unimpressive guest experiences  

Making matters worse, offline payment processors often charge your business for non-transaction related activities. Everything from card storage and updates, statement portals, refunds, statements, and PCI compliance certification. Offline processors often fail to provide necessary details related to chargebacks resulting in loss of revenue - you didn't get to dispute the chargeback in time and with the right information. 

Imagine your salon or spa business offers membership programs. Offline processors may not offer recurring charge capabilities or have a convoluted process to collect resulting in a sub-optimal experience for your guest. 

Put simply, offline payment processors operate with a narrow focus. The goal is to collect payments, not boost the guest or business experience. That reality risks costing you much more than per-transaction fees.

Imagine this: Your customer walks into your salon or spa and checks-in. They receive your exceptional service and can't wait to show off their new and improved look. In other words, you've done what you do best. You've made them feel good about themselves -- now, they're ready to rave about your service. Unfortunately, their payment experience doesn't quite match up to the exceptional service. At check-out, your guest waits on a finicky payment terminal or a long line due to the slow payment processing due to the manual intervention. Your customers become frustrated as time goes by -- and you lose the opportunity for an effective, positive word of mouth and raving online reviews. That's lost business and lost revenue for your salon or spa.

2. Integrated payments and streamlining business operations

Integrated payments reduce possible double entries and input errors – all time-consuming headaches for your accounts. Reducing errors saves you money by letting your employees save time on tracking, and reporting transactions. With everything done automatically, your salon or spa enjoys fewer transactional errors. It gives employees more time to focus on growing your business.

Everyone needs multi-channel experiences. Guests can check-out from the web, their mobile devices, front-desk staff, or through convenient in-store kiosks. It is essential to reach your customers effectively and grow your business by delivering experiences that keep your guests returning. Integrated payments ensure you provide the multi-channel experiences your customers expect in today's world.

Your salon or spa's check-out experience leaves a lasting impression on your customers. Ensure that your brand's last interaction is just as impressive as the exceptional service you work so hard to deliver to your guests, embracing integrated payments.

3. Integrated payments and the modernization of guest experiences

Seamless payment integration, afforded by Integrated payments, results in payment system living in harmony with other aspects of your salon or spa business, including accounting and customer relationship management (CRM) processes.Thanks to payment integration, data is easily accessible, which gives you the power to build seamless customer journeys on a multi-channel level - enabling you to deliver powerful marketing messages (based on past purchases or membership information) to the right customers at the right time.

For example, customers paying through their mobile devices experience unprecedented convenience. Mobile pay means customers no longer have to wait in check-out lines. Instead, they breeze through your doors following service. In the aftermath of COVID-19, the unprecedented convenience of mobile pay features allows your customers to avoid contact with frequently touched surfaces like POS devices and unnecessary interactions with front desk employees.

Imagine this: Your customer walks into your salon or spa and checks-in. They receive your exceptional service and can't wait to show off their new and improved look. And, importantly, their payment experience is just as outstanding as the service they received. Your salon or spa guest pays for their services via their trusted mobile device -- convenient and seamless. That means no waiting in check-out lines. Your guests leave your premises, singing your praises -- which increases the likelihood of positive online reviews.

Additionally, because your salon or spa operates on integrated payments, their exceptional experience doesn't stop at check-out. Your guest could receive follow-up reminders to set their next appointment, a  discounted offer on a service, or on the product they just purchased. These follow-up contact points -- and the associated payment experiences - keep your salon or spa's brand top-of-mind, driving powerful customer loyalty and more revenue.