• Payment specialist of the cooperative FinanzGruppe focuses on experience-oriented point of sale
• Automation and mobilisation of sales and payment processes as the key to a positive customer experience
• Two-storey payment course makes smart payment solutions tangible for trade fair visitors

Today, more than ever, retail is about creating experiences and generating enthusiasm. A positive customer experience gives pleasure and makes customers return – and is thus decisive for business success. At this year’s EuroShop, VR Payment, the payment specialist of the cooperative FinanzGruppe, showed how retailers design check-out and payment to be experience-oriented.

“Consumers have learned to appreciate the freedom of being able to shop anytime and anywhere. And this is independent of opening hours or local availability. Today, they choose offers that fit into their lifestyles and rhythms,” says Carlos Gómez-Sáez, CEO of VR Payment. “For retailers, it is an enormous challenge to offer customers the desired flexibility and individual approach. Automation and mobilisation of the point of sale can help – making processes more efficient, freeing up resources and expanding sales channels. In this process, payment becomes an important design element of the customer journey.” The payment specialist will show what this looks like in practice on a two-storey payment course in Düsseldorf under the motto: “Enabling Payment: Cashless Happiness”.

Paying without queuing: Cashierless check-out from payfree

Fast and convenient shopping without standing in line – that’s what VR Payment with payfree makes possible. Thanks to grab-and-go technology, customers can simply pay as they pass by. To do this, they pass their shopping bag through a small scanning unit that automatically registers all products using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. Contactless payment is then made via card or wallet. The special feature: In contrast to comparable cashierless check-out concepts, the payfree technology does not require any costly camera surveillance or sensors on the shelves.While customers benefit from shorter waiting times and a seamless shopping experience, retailers can concentrate on personal advice – and thus play to their greatest strength. Added to this are the numerous advantages of RFID technology: goods logistics, inventory management and product security systems can be seamlessly linked to the check-out solution. Interest in the retail sector is correspondingly high. For example, payfree is already being used by major players in retail and furniture retailing, sports merchandise and the beauty sector.

Expanding distribution channels: “Smoothr CoolR” AI vending machine

Modern vending machines not only allow free placement and thus a spatial expansion of the stationary shop, but also make payment a background process with one-tap payment. This is demonstrated by the intelligent vending machine Smoothr CoolR. Thanks to AI-based camera technology and the innovative payment solution, operating this vending machine is as easy as using a refrigerator at home: authorise the purchase in advance by presenting a credit card, girocard or mobile wallet once, then open the Smoothr CoolR, select the desired product and take it out – done. Discreetly installed cameras track the goods that are taken out or put back. When the door is closed, the purchase and payment are automatically completed. The Smoothr CoolR optimises the customer journey at the vending machine as well as the handling for retailers: Filling, billing and maintenance are largely automated. The elimination of mechanical components also makes the Smoothr CoolR more flexible to fill and less expensive than conventional vending machine models.

Freeing up resources: Self-order and mobile ordering

Particularly in busy industries, such as catering, smooth processes and service are the be-all and end-all. Self-order terminals and mobile ordering options are the optimal solution. Whether at order desks or via app on the go – customers can order in peace and pay directly without cash. This allows customer flows to be directed and orders to be processed efficiently. The staff is relieved and can concentrate on good service.

Create store incentives: E-charging stations including payment

The German government is aiming for seven to ten million electric vehicles to be registered in Germany by 2030. The demand for charging points is correspondingly high. By installing e-charging points, dealers increase the attractiveness of their business or company car park. This year’s VR Payment trade fair presentation underlines the fact that by automating and mobilising sales and payment processes, retailers are taking the customer experience at the point of sale to the next level. They reach their customers even better, open up new sales channels and optimise the processes in the shop.