You don't want to know what little traces of themselves people have left behind on bills or coins. Trust us. Cash is dirty and unhygienic. Are my fears of getting infected with something greater since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic? Maybe. Whatever the reason, I'd say that stores offering contactless payment solutions are one step ahead of the rest. Below is an overview of the solutions offered by KBC on its Developer Portal for dealers and retailers in its partner network.
1. Paying with a smartphone app
While we might not be as advanced as China just yet (they pay for everything with 'super apps'), Payconiq has gained a strong foothold throughout the Benelux. You no longer have to scrabble around in your bag or wallet for your payment card while standing at the POS. Scan the Payconiq code and the payment is done. Pretty neat.
Payconiq in store
Check out the options on the KBC Developer Portal.
2. Paying with a QR code
Over the past few years, I've been annoyed whenever I encountered a QR code in an email or on a poster. They might look cool, but simply writing out the web address would have done the job, too.
The situation has changed since the pandemic: in Belgium, restaurants now use QR codes so that guests can register themselves on ikzithier.be more quickly. In fact, my chip shop around the corner has a QR code at the counter that lets me pay for my food directly using my smartphone.
3. Rewarding loyal customers with a digital customer card
Imagine still asking customers to go to the trouble to collect stamps and save them on a card. As a retailer, you not only have physical proof that people like buying products and services from you, but you get to touch a piece of cardboard that has been stamped multiple times and is flecked with saliva! No thanks. A better idea is a digital customer card – like Joyn. Joyn is a digital customer card shared by all retailers and stores that belong to the Joyn network. Your customers come away satisfied. And your business becomes part of the overarching Joyn marketing platform.
Joyn
You can sign up for Joyn online (naturally).
4. Pre-financing invoices
We've now survived the biggest shock caused by the COVID-19 health crisis. Let's be honest, though: many entrepreneurs are still concerned about their cash flow.
By requesting on-demand financing, the amount is immediately in your account, but your customer can still rely on a payment term of 30 days following receipt of the invoice. Most credit is based on the lender's financial stability – KBC On-Demand Financing is not. With this service, credit depends on the performance of the invoice recipient and the transaction in question.
KBC On-demand financing
Read all about this service in the KBC Developer Portal.
5. Instalment loans
Here's what merchants don't want to hear: "I'll come back later." Fietsen Demeester, a bike dealer in Niel, Belgium, is a prime example of how to avoid this.
Picture the following scenario: the customer is 100% convinced that an e-bike is the best solution to their mobility problem, but they are worried that they don't have enough cash in the bank to pay for it. It is clear that a bike dealer has neither the time nor the expertise to arrange a loan for them. Instalment loans are a good way to keep the sales process on the right track. The customer can ride their e-bike home with a big smile on their face, and the retailer doesn't have to worry about the payments being made.
The Fietsen Demeester website contains a widget that can be clicked on to get started with an instalment loan.
Want to apply for yourself?
You can on the KBC Developer Portal.