Could your business benefit by moving to mobile or portable card machines?

However, while many businesses still utilise countertop card machines, they could enjoy even further success by opting for portable card machines instead.

As the name suggests, portable card machines are machines that can be moved around premises and accept pin and contactless payments from credit and debit cards (and digital wallet payments) without being tethered to a power source or a modem - instead using a battery pack to remain active and a Wi-Fi connection to accept payments from customers.

A mobile card machine, on the other hand, offers the same results while being able to move almost anywhere, even away from a set premises.

Your business may have enjoyed considerable success with the fixed card machine you have.

But the addition of portable payments opens your business up to attract more customers and enjoy increased takings.

At Handepay, we’re experts in card payments and card machines and offer businesses relaxed and easy-to-use card payment solutions for their customers.

So, if you’re unsure whether or not making the switch to a portable or mobile card machine is the right move for you, here is some information you will find useful.

The advantages of a portable card machine

Freedom of movement within a premises

As discussed above, a portable card machine gives you the option to move around your business premises while still being able to accept card payments quickly and easily.

Fixed point-of-sale terminals offer a singular location to accept card payments which some customers can still appreciate, thanks to the regularity and familiarity that come with paying for goods at one consistent point within a shop or premises.

But, looking at it from another perspective, this setup is very limiting and does not reflect the convenience and ease of payment many customers expect in the 21st century.

This is especially true if your business is based within a large premises, in which walking to and from a singular point of sale can cost a customer both time and patience.

Whereas, with a portable card machine, you can remove this restriction, greet the customer and process their transaction at any point within your business, as long as you have a reliable Wi-Fi connection.

However, even in the event of a Wi-Fi blackout, some card machines still allow you to accept payments.

Our Saturn Andriod Smart Terminal, for example, is a mobile card machine that comes with built-in Wi-Fi and 4G mobile data technology, giving you multiple options to stay connected and accept card and contactless payments from your customers at any time.

This card machine can also accept payments from the growing number of digital wallet options available, like Google Pay and Apple Pay.

Cut payment times and boost customer numbers

The more customers you’re able to serve quickly, the more customers you’ll be able to welcome into your business.

While fixed card machines benefit from the convenience factor, a significant amount of time could be lost by the need for the customer to bring their goods to the counter or simply needing them to visit the counter to pay.

This raises the amount of time customers spend on a business premises, potentially cutting the amount of time other customers can spend in said business, costing revenue.

Whereas, with a portable card machine, by eliminating the need for the customer to wait to be served at the counter and bringing them the card machine directly, transactions can be completed far quicker, and the number of customers waiting to be served can be cut drastically, encouraging more business.

Plus, with the Saturn Android Smart Terminal’s next-generation technology, payments can be made far faster than previous generations of card machines.

With Handepay, you can also expect next banking day settlement as standard, so you can receive your money promptly and improve your cash flow.

Improve customer satisfaction and meet convenience expectations

With 82% of shoppers saying convenience is “extremely” or “very” important to them, according to a recent Mythbusters: Convenience report, the need to provide a seamless and stress-free experience for customers has never been clearer if businesses want to achieve the success they’re capable of.

People lead incredibly busy lives today, and the rise of quickfire delivery times and instant gratification has created a society in which people would rather not wait to have their needs fulfilled, if possible.

While fixed card machines are still very useful, the convenience factor is not present.

If anything, they create a scenario in which the customer is forced to move from A to B to make a payment - the opposite of convenience.

But with mobile card machines like the Saturn Android Smart Terminal, the convenience needs of modern customers can easily be met by offering them a payment solution that can be utilised anywhere, anytime, saving them the hassle of needing to visit a set location to pay.