NFC Payment for Restaurants
NFC payment (Near Field Communication), better known as contactless payment, is a growing trend and is becoming Brazilians' favorite.
According to a study released by Abecs (Associação Brasileira das Empresas de Cartões de Crédito e Serviços), in September 2023, 52.3% of in-person transactions were made with this technology, surpassing traditional cards for the first time.
Also according to the survey, 60% of consumers usually choose this payment method and, of these, 35% do so “always” or “almost always”.
So it's essential to offer this option to your restaurant's customers. To learn everything about NFC and understand the benefits for your business, keep reading this article.
What is NFC payment?
NFC is an innovative way to carry out financial transactions, allowing contactless payments using compatible cards, smartphones, smartwatches and wristbands.
The technology enables information to be exchanged between devices that are just a few centimeters apart. In other words, it's a transaction that requires no contact of any kind, also known as contactless.
This simplifies the payment process, making it faster and more convenient for the customer and for the establishment as well.
That's why NFC payment has stood out as an efficient alternative to more traditional methods, like credit and debit cards that have to be inserted into the card machine.
Is NFC safe?
The security of financial transactions is always a concern, and a new technology always raises questions.
NFC payment uses advanced security protocols, including encryption, to protect customer information. So it's very safe from a technological standpoint.
On top of that, the distance between the device and the payment terminal has to be very small for the transaction to go through.
And finally, financial institutions set a limit for this type of payment, usually R$ 200, and they have intelligence systems that assess the risks and either request the PIN or block the transaction if anything looks suspicious.
In any case, customers can take some steps to avoid fraud, such as protecting cards and devices with cases, turning the function off when in crowds and enabling bank notifications.
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What are the benefits of offering this payment method?
Offering contactless payment has become essential for restaurants and bars. As we saw at the beginning of this article, this technology is already consumers' favorite and the trend is for it to establish itself as the leading payment method in the coming years.
Below, check out the benefits of adopting NFC payment in your restaurant.
Faster service
With NFC, the payment process is significantly faster: the staff member just enters the amount on the card machine and the customer taps their device for the transaction to go through in seconds.
This cuts the wait time to process payments and speeds up service, which is a big benefit especially for busy restaurants and bars or those that face peak hours.
Shorter lines at the register
As a result, customers won't need to stand in line at the register to pay. That makes the experience much more satisfying: there are no crowds, the Wait time is much shorter and paying is very convenient.
NFC technology can also be applied to individual tabs on a prepaid basis, which helps reduce lines at the register and makes ordering easier in bars and nightclubs, for example.
Convenience for the customer
Offering several payment methods so the customer can choose whichever is most convenient at the moment is essential to providing a better experience.
Because it's practical and fast, contactless payment is one of consumers' favorites, especially among younger ones. So it's an essential option.
safety
NFC payment is quite safe for the customer and for the establishment as well. By offering more payment options that are cashless, you don't need to keep so much cash in the register.
Better customer experience
All the benefits we listed above combined help improve the customer experience: they leave your restaurant or bar much more satisfied, recommend it to family and friends and keep coming back. That's the ideal scenario for your business to grow.
Tips to implement NFC payment in your restaurant
To enjoy all the benefits we saw earlier, it's essential to take a few precautions when implementing NFC in your restaurant.
First of all, you should choose card machines compatible with NFC technology. Most suppliers on the market have modern models that meet this need. Compare the options and choose the one that best fits your business.
Next, train your team to handle this type of charge. Give guidance on how to operate the system, process transactions and answer customers' questions. Reinforce how important it is to tell customers about this option when closing the bill.
This training is essential to avoid problems that could lead to conflicts, as well as to ensure security and the correct recording of sales.
Get more operational efficiency with EPOC
NFC payment is a great example of an improvement you can implement to make your restaurant more modern and your service faster, but the pursuit of operational efficiency must be constant.
Relying on a restaurant system like EPOC can make all the difference in your business. With POS, back office, digital menu, self-service and many other features, you have everything you need to provide the best experience to your customers and achieve better sales results.
To see how it works in practice, Schedule a free demonstration now!
