Many business owners are unsure of whether to choose a PrintPOS or  traditional mobile debit and credit card machine or a smartphone debit and credit card payment solution. Here are our reasons why a card machine is still the best.

• PrintPOSs or Card Machines still have the fastest transaction time, thus eliminating queues. Smart devices require more entry points so the transactions take a little longer.
• If there are multiple staff members who would need to operate the card facility, users can easily share the device. Smart Phone devices requires Bluetooth connectivity which is usually paired to one cell phone and if the user who is connected leaves the stand or store, the card facility leaves too! (You can however install the free app on multiple phones)
• PrintPOSs or Card Machines operate on GPRS connection whereas Smartphones use Wi-Fi or 3G connections. Signal congestion is known to occur when too many phones come into one area because many people use WhatsApp or similar services which continuously use the phone’s 3G or Wi-Fi connection to check for new messages coming in, causing the network to become over flooded and causing a smart phone card payment solution to time out. GPRS although not 100% guaranteed, is therefore the safer choice for these areas.
• PrintPOSs or Card Machines are more robust and durable but when dropped an software error may occur, but this device will always stay activated no matter if you haven’t used it in months. Smartphone terminals can also get software errors when you drop it or knock it very hard, but you need to use the device once every month or so to keep it activated, almost like you would with a cellphone contract.
• A PrintPOS or Card Machine can be equipped with Dual SIM cards meaning that depending on where you are, you can utilise the best signal choice of SIM and easily switch them if congestion occurs. If you utilise a smartphone solution, you are tied to the SIM network in your phone.
• A PrintPOS or Card Machine can be purchased outright through us and repaired if it break. These costs are usually not very high and for a small monthly fee you can also opt for a service plan to cover wear and tear and any repair costs if you wish. If you purchase a smartphone terminal, they usually come with a 6 month to 1 year warranty period and when they break, you are required to re-purchase a brand new device each time.
• A PrintPOS or Card Machine can be operated by any person with ease, even senior citizens are able to learn how to operate or transact on these devices. In our experience, smartphone solutions are generation dependent and not as easily adopted by the majority of senior store owners or patrons.

Despite what we have said in this blog, not all business owners can afford the monthly costs of a card machine and the smartphone card payment solutions on the market have added enormous value to many smaller business owners. Therefore, we don’t mean to imply that these devices are not a workable solution. On the contrary, they are a fabulous choice for market stallholders, contractors like plumbers and handymen or simply any small business companies who don’t trade in fast paced environments. Making the right choice according to what your business needs are is crucial as you need for your card facility to boost your sales, not cause you to lose sales. Therefore this blog post is merely there you help you make an informed decision.

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