Limiting customer contact at the point of sale is a big issue in the wake of Covid-19, so a new initiative from payment services company SafeCharge aims to tackle it with QR codes.
SafeCharge has announced a new solution that offers small businesses alternative ways to accept digital payments in response to the Covid-19 crisis. Devised with help from Visa, SafeCharge Local is aimed at providing a better consumer experience in store by reducing queues and limiting the need for close customer contact at the point of sale.
At the heart of the system is a digital payment solution called Paylink, which enables businesses to receive payments through the use of QR codes and secure payment links without the need for a physical point of sale terminal or an online shop.
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Flexible technology
As business owners adapt to new restrictions around physical distancing, the solution offers customers an easy, fast and secure way to make payments through their mobile phones and smart devices.
Using SafeCharge Local, small businesses can choose to accept payments in two ways. Firstly, they can generate a unique QR code or email link, directing consumers to a secure page where they can complete the transaction. Alternatively, they can create a secure payment page that can be completed when consumers place orders over the phone.
All payments are handled within SafeCharge’s Control Panel, an online hub that lets merchants manage and view all their payment activity in one place. Business owners subsequently receive confirmation of the payment once it has been processed.
The program has been designed so that it is easy to implement, requires no costly technical development or resources and can be used across a range of mobile devices. SafeCharge says that it will help provide small businesses with the flexibility to easily begin accepting digital payments and continue selling to their customers by streamlining the payment process.
Philip Fayer, Nuvei’s chairman and CEO said: “Merchants have been quickly adapting their offerings and business models in order to get them through this challenge, yet even today, many small businesses have a digital gap to overcome.
Our team is pleased to not only provide the technology to keep commerce flowing, but the professional insight and partnership required to help merchants reinvigorate their business operations using a completely new payment method, some for the very first time. The more we make it effortless for a business to grow, either locally or globally, the greater the long-term value they’ll receive.”
Yuval Ziv, MD of SafeCharge and head of global acquiring said: “Our focus throughout Covid-19 has been to leverage our technology, flexibility and industry knowledge to provide struggling businesses with the tools required to survive this crisis.
Our principal clients are ecommerce merchants and ideally placed to adapt or potentially thrive throughout the crisis. However, as we quickly recognised the impact to the economic landscape, we wanted to help businesses at risk of bankruptcy, particularly those providing essential goods and services to their communities.
We believe that when restrictions lift, these merchants will leverage the additional revenue stream and transform their business model to include an online presence. It’s quite probable that their customers will continue to buy with Paylink or similar means of digital payment. We are deeply committed to supporting businesses impacted by the crisis. We will get through this together.”
Dominic White, Visa's head of merchant sales and acquiring for UK & Ireland said: “Businesses of all sizes are navigating an overnight shift to digital amidst the global pandemic. As consumers continue to embrace digital payments for their everyday spend, Visa is working with partners like SafeCharge to provide the help and resources businesses need to adapt as they rebuild for the future.”
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