Controversial utility payment network PayPoint is considering introducing self-service kiosks to ease in-store queues.
Although the biggest gripe for retailers has been the perceived poor margins they receive from PayPoint transactions, another common moan is that the current terminals, which are operated by sales staff, cause aisle jams at busy trading times.
In particular, retailers complain that other customers often leave their stores without making a purchase if queues form because of the terminals.
New initiatives from PayPoint include vending machine-style kiosks to its busiest partners.
PayPoint chief executive Dominic Taylor said: “We do understand that queues can be a problem for some retailers. We try to get retailers up to a minimum footfall on PayPoint and we also monitor the maximums as well.”
The company is also rolling out a second generation of terminals, which are cutting regular line dial-up times from up to 25 seconds to 18. Hooked up to ISDN, they cut times to 10 seconds, while broadband cuts them to just five seconds.
However, Taylor admitted that the question of who should cover the cost of broadband - PayPoint or the retailer - was one potential obstacle.
He said retailers could ease queues by adding another terminal.
Meanwhile, PayPoint is warning its retail customers not to fall foul of a till roll scam. The company, which provides till rolls free of charge, said it had received a number of reports that agents were being targeted by “bogus companies” trying to charge for the rolls of paper.
>>p30 Case for the defence
Although the biggest gripe for retailers has been the perceived poor margins they receive from PayPoint transactions, another common moan is that the current terminals, which are operated by sales staff, cause aisle jams at busy trading times.
In particular, retailers complain that other customers often leave their stores without making a purchase if queues form because of the terminals.
New initiatives from PayPoint include vending machine-style kiosks to its busiest partners.
PayPoint chief executive Dominic Taylor said: “We do understand that queues can be a problem for some retailers. We try to get retailers up to a minimum footfall on PayPoint and we also monitor the maximums as well.”
The company is also rolling out a second generation of terminals, which are cutting regular line dial-up times from up to 25 seconds to 18. Hooked up to ISDN, they cut times to 10 seconds, while broadband cuts them to just five seconds.
However, Taylor admitted that the question of who should cover the cost of broadband - PayPoint or the retailer - was one potential obstacle.
He said retailers could ease queues by adding another terminal.
Meanwhile, PayPoint is warning its retail customers not to fall foul of a till roll scam. The company, which provides till rolls free of charge, said it had received a number of reports that agents were being targeted by “bogus companies” trying to charge for the rolls of paper.
>>p30 Case for the defence
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