WHY PAYMENT PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS
Whether your business has an in-store or online shop (or both!) payment processing is just a natural part of the check-out process. Right? But what you may not realize is how much the payment process impacts the customer journey.
Think about it — have you ever been shopping online and the checkout process wasn’t so smooth? It doesn’t really leave you with the want to return to shop on that website again.
Or, the payment experience was seamless and instead your customer loyalty grows even stronger to that business. Simply because it was easy to check-out.
Payment is a crucial part of the customer journey and their experience with your business. Why? Because this specific interaction point lands at the customers’ buying decision stage. Are they getting value from you?
“When a consumer makes a purchase, they no longer expect the payment to be a separate action, but rather deeply embedded in the experience,”
Steve Klebe, Google Head of GPay BD — PSP Partnerships.
So don’t just think of this touchpoint as just an interaction. Think of it as a moment where you could essentially make or break a relationship with your customer.
Here are three tips to keep in mind when it comes to payment processing as part of the customer journey.
- Offer Different Methods Of Payment
Does your current payment processing solution stand up against the new technology of today? The way of payment is constantly changing, so it’s important that you offer a variety of options for the modern day consumer.
Digital wallets (i.e. Apple Pay), for example, have been growing in popularity for consumers. In fact, according to a report from Marqeta, by 2025 digital wallets are expected to become the second most popular method of payment and the most popular method of payment for millennials.
The good news is that most businesses who can accept EMV payments (cards with a smart chip) will be able to accept payments by digital wallets as well.
Photo by Ivan Samkov from Pexels
2. Do You Have A Contactless Payment Option?
It’s no secret that contactless has become the preferred payment processing method in the last year. The pandemic has driven the want from consumers to be able to pay by tapping their card or smartphone, reducing the need for contact.
According to Global Payments, consumers are actually choosing businesses that have a contactless payment option over businesses that don’t. In fact, 63% of consumers would switch to a business that had a contactless payment option. And, this is a trend that spans across multiple generations, not just millennials.
So while planning out your business strategy, keep in mind if you are offering a sanitary, contactless payment option for your customers.
3. Create Ease For Online Payments
Just like contactless payments, online shopping has been another trend that is growing due to the pandemic. Whether you’re a retail business, subscription-type business, or a service provider that requires recurring payments, it’s important that your payment process is seamless.
Think about offering the ability for online shoppers to pay via their digital wallet, one-click options, or even using a payment app. Factor in options that improve your payment processing for online, rather than pains that lead to abandoned carts.
You don’t want to make your customers jump through hoops and click through multiple pages in order to make a payment. Because in the end, this leads to a customer who is less likely to be loyal to your business.
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Are you curious how you can better the payment process for your business? Chat with our AckrooPAY team today to learn more about modernized payment options!
