PAYMENT SYSTEMS Making contactless seamless


The pandemic of 2020 and beyond has given the roll-out of contactless payments a huge boost, which will continue to increase in adoption, especially in the vending and automated retail space. Pete Alcock, head of product marketing at NMI explores what’s changed


of communications - they just require a low-cost data-only SIM card – and most are available pre-loaded with the software to communicate with a payment gateway for authorisations of the contactless transactions. We’re seeing growth in innovative self-service projects such as large-scale laundromats, full-service coffee stations and elegant parking payment kiosks at motorway services because of this ease of adoption. Take Impulsify for example, which


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ince the onset of the pandemic and the increased interest in contactless payments, there has also been an


uptick in usage. In the UK, there were 1.5 billion contactless card transactions in July 2022, 25.5% more than the 1.2 billion in July 2021. The total value of contactless transactions was £23.4 billion in July, a 57% increase from £14.9 billion in July 2021. Another interesting statistic is that the US now has the most contactless cards of any market in the world.


THE FUTURE OF CONTACTLESS PAYMENTS AT KIOSKS Looking to the future of kiosks and how they can enable these contactless payments, there are a handful of benefits outside of delivering on consumer demand and business needs. Those who invest in contactless-enabled kiosks will be set up for success throughout the end of the year and into 2023. It’s never been easier, or cheaper, to


integrate contactless payment into a vending machine or kiosk. Off-the-shelf devices from Payter, OTI, Crane and others have built-in GSM modems to take care


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provides tools, data-driven insights and retail services to help hoteliers and other non-retailers create easily managed, highly profitable self-service retail outlets that improve property value, grow incremental revenue and improve the guest experience. Impulsify’s ShopPoP – an in-store, guest- facing kiosk – provides an experience where guests can grab and go without assistance, reducing typical front desk burdens associated with offering a lobby retail store. This type of kiosk alleviates staffing


pressures, reduces front desk traffic burden and accepts contactless payments through Apple Pay, Android and Google Pay and NFC Tap. It also increases revenue by eliminating abandoned sales and inadvertent theft that occurs when no associate is immediately available. As businesses navigate heightened consumer demand for a seamless payment experience, they must consider the latest innovations in contactless payments technology to ensure a user-friendly process for all shoppers and patrons in the new year.


A boost to vending revenue


Vending has gone through a major evolution over the last few years thanks to the addition of contactless payment. The aftermath of the pandemic has also forced operators to think more broadly about what else vending could do to support the environment it is in and increase sales. Laura Barwell, head of business development at VMC explains “Cash-free payment is ever-popular and here to stay. From a practical point of view, it ticks all the right boxes, it’s clean and safe and requires minimal staff intervention. The significant uptake of mobile payments also means that customers don’t even need to have a card with them anymore to fulfil an impulse purchase. Increasing the contactless limit to £100 has made the vending of higher priced items more viable, creating new sales opportunities in both food and non-food vending.” “Supporting software that can help


boost revenue through repeat sales has also progressed. Bonus features like loyalty, meal deals and subsidies are all now possible with the addition of our VMC Flex solution, with everything fully customisable by the client. “A mobile app can also be added to the system, easily combining all food retail options into one solution and enabling direct communication of offers to customers to increase engagement and repeat purchasing. “The increased flexibility and choice


provided is the future for vending retail and the fact that it can be fitted to almost any unattended and automated retail machines makes it a one solution fits all option. Whether you’re looking to grow your vending operation, add new payment technology or you want to integrate your existing vending machines into your wider catering operation – a solution can be tailored to suit.”


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