Getting ready for the holiday rush? Don't forget your payments.
With the autumn break in sight, many business owners have already started preparing for the holidays. What's going on the Christmas menu? Is there enough wrapping paper? When do the decorations come out? And perhaps just as important: will customers be able to pay quickly and easily during the annual December rush?
That last question is often overlooked. Yet a smooth payment process can make a big difference during this period. Shorter queues, less hassle for your staff and more convenience for your customers. And more sales, of course, means more revenue.
With these five tips and a checklist, you can get your payment setup ready for the festive season in good time.
1. Make sure you have enough payment terminals in store
A queue at the till because there's only one payment terminal available is something you want to avoid over the holidays. So check well in advance whether your payment equipment is ready for the busiest time of the year. Are all your terminals still working properly? If a device constantly needs recharging or its keys keep sticking, it may be worth looking into a new payment terminal. You can easily solve that last problem by switching to a touchscreen model.
Expecting more customers for a while? Then you can also rent extra payment terminals or use Tap to Pay. This Android app lets you use a compatible smartphone or tablet to accept contactless payments. It's a relatively simple way to add extra payment capacity when you need it.
2. Offer multiple payment options
More payment options can make it easier for customers to complete a purchase. So take a critical look at your target audience: how do your customers want to pay?
In physical shops, for example, it can be worth accepting credit cards alongside debit cards. American Express, for instance, isn't always enabled by default. Commercially, that can be a smart move if you expect a lot of international customers around the holidays.
The same goes for payments in your online shop. There, too, you can accept credit card payments. Around the holidays this can appeal to consumers, since a gift may still end up being returned.
3. Make gift cards a fully-fledged payment option
A gift card is an obvious present for anyone who isn't sure what to give. For businesses, having your own gift card also lets you bring revenue forward: the card is paid for before the actual product is bought.
So consider offering gift cards both in store and in your online shop. In addition to your own gift card, you can look into accepting multi-brand gift cards, such as the VVV Cadeaukaart. Buckaroo can help you accept gift cards in your online shop.
4. Remove obstacles from the payment process
On busy days, every extra step counts. So take a look at your payment process from the customer's point of view. Do restaurant guests have to go to a central till, or can they pay right at the table? Can customers check out as a guest in your online shop, or do they have to create an account? And are there unnecessary queues at a single payment point in your shop?
A mobile payment point, an extra till or a payment kiosk can help in some situations. Online, look at the number of steps in your checkout. Payment is often one of the last steps in the customer journey, so make sure that moment in particular is simple and pleasant.
5. Don't forget the back office
More transactions also mean more admin. So before the holiday rush, check that your payments, transactions and bookkeeping are properly aligned. An integration with Buckaroo Accounting can help you process payment data in your accounts more efficiently.
Do you sell products or services that lend themselves to it? Then also consider whether subscriptions or recurring payments could be worthwhile. That way, a one-off December purchase can be the start of a longer customer relationship.
Checklist: is your payment setup ready for the holidays?
Use this checklist before the December rush begins:
Buckaroo · peak season preparation
Peak season checklist
Two checklists: one for the shop floor, one for your online shop. Tick off what's been sorted; the rest stays here until you come back.
Checklist for in-store payments
- Check your payment terminals. Are all devices working properly and quickly? Also check batteries, chargers and accessories.
- Arrange extra payment terminals. Expecting more customers than usual? Rent extra devices temporarily to avoid queues.
- Create extra payment capacity. With Tap to Pay, for example, you can use compatible smartphones or tablets to accept contactless payments.
- Check your payment methods. Do your payment options suit your customers? Consider credit cards, for example, if you welcome a lot of international customers or tourists over the holidays.
- Make gift cards part of your payment mix. Make sure your staff know which own-brand and multi-brand gift cards customers can use with you.
- Prevent queues at checkout. Take a critical look at how your payment point is set up. Would an extra till, a mobile payment point, a payment kiosk or pay-at-table be worthwhile?
- Prepare your staff. Make sure everyone knows how the payment terminals and the different payment methods work, including returns and refunds.
- Check your administration. More payments mean more transactions to process. Check in advance whether your administration and reconciliation are set up for this.
Checklist for online payments
- Run through your entire checkout yourself. Test an order from basket to confirmation, on both desktop and mobile.
- Check your payment methods. Do you offer the payment methods your customers like to use? Think of credit cards and possibly buy now, pay later or instalments.
- Check your international payment options. Expecting orders from abroad? Then check whether your payment mix suits the countries you're targeting.
- Enable guest checkout. Don't force customers to create an account if it isn't necessary for the order.
- Sell gift cards online and accept them too. Check that gift cards can easily be bought and redeemed in your online shop.
- Test discount codes and promotions. Before the holiday rush, check that discount codes, gift cards and temporary promotions work correctly with your checkout.
- Check returns and refunds. Test whether refunds are processed correctly for each payment method and make sure your returns process is clear.
- Make sure your online shop can handle peak traffic. A successful campaign is of little value if your online shop or checkout can't handle the extra visitors.
- Check your administration and reconciliation. Make sure the extra transactions can be processed efficiently. An integration with Buckaroo Accounting can help.
Ready for the holiday rush
During the holidays, payments should simply work: fast, easy and without unnecessary obstacles. So review your payment setup well before the busiest period. That way, you and your team can focus on what really matters during the holidays: your customers.
