There is no denying the benefits of EMV pay-at-the-table technology for the restaurant industry. Allowing patrons to pay at the table results in faster table turnover—which means an improved bottom line. Accepting EMV payments will help protect your business from costly fraud and chargebacks, and your customers will be impressed with more efficient service. To ensure a successful roll-out of this technology, follow these three steps.
Step 1: Educate Your Staff and the General Public
While you may already know the benefits of tableside payments, your employees and customers may not be as familiar. It’s important that they understand why they should embrace the new way to check out.
EMV payment technology has improved the security of card-present transactions. EMV chip cards create a unique code that can’t be duplicated, making it difficult to counterfeit cards or to commit card fraud, which is currently plaguing the restaurant industry—40% of all credit card fraud occurs in restaurants.
Moreover, with pay-at-the-table transactions, your customers will have peace of mind knowing that their cards never have to leave their sight, adding an additional sense of security.
Step 2: Consider a Semi-Integrated EMV Certified Solution
If you have been putting off a transition to EMV pay-at-the-table technology because of a high price tag, talk to your POS solution provider about cost-effective ways to implement solutions. Semi-integrated EMV solutions are available that give restaurants an easier pay-at-the-table technology option. Semi-integrated solutions enable you to accept EMV payments, but payment card data never passes through your POS system or your server, keeping it out of PCI scope (and out of reach of hackers). After approval of the charge, semi-integrated solutions push data back to the restaurant’s POS system and management software to complete the sale and for accounting records.
Another advantage of semi-integrated solutions is that they are faster to get EMV certified. They cut down on the time that a software developer needs to certify a fully integrated solution, running hundreds of tests to verify all transactions are secure. Ultimately this means less overall cost, and you’ll be able to more quickly implement the secure technology you need.
Step 3: Choose the Right Partner
Once you’ve taken the time to select the right pay-at-the-table technology, you need to ensure that you also select the most ideal solution provider. Insist on working with a company that is experienced in implementing EMV pay-at-the-table solutions. You want the implementation process to go smoothly, and the right provider can make the transition simple.
Also keep in mind service, support, and training. Many restaurateurs chase the cheapest price they find online for a solution, but neglect to consider support costs, processing rates, and integration issues. These pricey after-the-fact costs can add up quickly and ruin the “great deal” you thought you found online.
Following these three easy steps will allow you to implement EMV pay-at-the-table technology like a pro. Start gaining efficiency and providing greater security by implementing this technology at your restaurant.
