Not too long ago, paying for something meant that you were paying for it in cash or perhaps with a check or credit card. Today, however, customers may actively prefer to pay through one of several different types of payment cards, QR codes, or a seemingly endless selection of e-wallets.
Up until recently, startups and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with moving storefronts had a harder time facilitating these payments compared to businesses with static checkout lanes and e-commerce sites. Today, however, ultraportable payment terminal machines like the Philippines’ Maya Terminal Lite are empowering smaller and more mobile businesses to accept a wide range of payments.
To illustrate, here are some of the types of businesses that can benefit from having a portable payment terminal:
1) Food Trucks
The wider availability of ultraportable point of sale (POS) devices has been a major boon for food trucks and similar businesses like food carts and mobile caterers. Mobile card payment terminals don’t just offer more convenience to customers, but also more accuracy and fewer bookkeeping errors overall. In addition, the ability to accept contactless payments through QR codes and tap-to-pay cards also limits the transmission of harmful pathogens, which is a big plus for any food business.
2) Event Vendors
Trade show vendors may have to pack up and move their kiosks to different spots at an exhibition venue to accommodate organizers or to ensure maximum access for potential customers. Having a portable card terminal that can accept payments wherever and whenever also helps remove many of the problems associated with setting up and tearing down kiosks and exhibits.
3) Home Service Providers
Laundry, cleaning, and landscaping services will also benefit from ultraportable card terminals, as these ensure that there will be no problems at all when it comes to collecting onsite payments. These terminals also help provide better visibility of payments as they pass from the customer to the business.
4) Repair and Maintenance Services
Similarly, repair and maintenance services can use terminals to accept payments immediately after onsite assessments. This reduces the risk of payment delays, which up until now were typical for these types of businesses.
5) Pop-Up Stores
Businesses with pop-up business models can use portable terminals to accept more payments in more locations, using their selection of connectivity options to facilitate payments in the field. Some ultraportable devices can even charge with a USB Type C cable, permitting pop-up stores to operate virtually anywhere.
6) Businesses with Delivery Services
A business that provides regular delivery services can also use portable card terminals to accept all manner of digital payments and optimize its delivery channel cash flow. If you operate a courier service, a restaurant, or any other business type that delivers, a portable terminal could be used to improve the customer experience and streamline your cash flow.
7) Vehicle Rentals
Vehicle rental services can use portable terminals to accept payments on the spot, without renters needing to find an office or go through a separate payment process. This ultimately saves everyone time and results in better customer satisfaction for a type of service that’s well in-demand.
8) Freelance or Consultancy-Based Businesses
Freelance photographers, therapists, consultants, and personal trainers can all use portable terminals to provide a more convenient paying experience for their clients. What’s more, the flexibility offered by these devices can open up new income opportunities for individuals who freelance or do consultancy-based work. For instance, with a portable card terminal at their disposal, a freelance event photographer can accept a range of payments on the spot for ad hoc photo requests.
9) Nonprofits
Nonprofits have to contend with many of the same payment optimization problems experienced by for-profit businesses. Using a portable terminal, however, can help non-profit organizations run more effective fundraising events, as they’re no longer restricted to the cash or cards that potential donors may have on hand.
10) Boutiques
Ultraportable terminals also have their uses in some brick-and-mortar stores, particularly boutiques that aim for a more intimate shopping experience. Compared to full-sized terminals, their smaller size and more discreet appearance may make them better suited for the approach and branding of these high-end businesses.
11) Tour and Resort Operators
Now that the global tourism sector has picked up since the pandemic, SMEs and startups that cater to tourists need more efficient solutions to accept in-the-field payments. In tourist areas with limited digital infrastructure, portable terminals are often the ideal solution due to their wide selection of connectivity features.
12) Businesses Run by Artists
Lastly, portable terminals are a good fit for artists and craftspeople, given that many get a large portion of their sales through exhibitions, outdoor markets, and other similar venues outside their studios. Adding these devices to their payment process can potentially remove multiple barriers to getting paid, giving these creative professionals a more stable means of collecting income.
As you can see from the examples above, modern card payment terminals are already revolutionizing the payment experience in many industries. The connectivity options and portability of these devices make them a great fit for startups and SMEs that don’t have static storefronts, particularly ones that serve an increasingly diverse international market. The collective feature set of these devices also benefits businesses that operate in remote locations or participate in pop-up events.
Overall, this new generation of payment acceptance devices empowers small businesses to profoundly streamline their finances in a way that was unheard of just a few years ago. If you own a business in any of these fields, consider taking advantage of these portable payment solutions now.