“The keypad is so handy – when an individual is locked out of their house, being able to take card payments removes any additional panic from what is already a worrying situation.”
Alistair Grant, Burgh Locks, Locksmith
Alistair Grant has been working as a mobile locksmith for three years and identifies his biggest concern in the current economic environment as not only surviving but also growing. A year ago, he decided to open his shop to give the business a permanent location and help him to develop his customer base.
Always aspiring to stand out from his competitors, Alistair joined WorldPay’s Pay As You Go card acceptance service in August 2012. Unlike many mobile locksmiths he can now accept cards easily, efficiently and most importantly, on the go.
“Accepting cards was time consuming and complicated”
Prior to joining the service, Alistair was only able to take card payments through his computer, without a terminal, which was time consuming in-store and unavailable to at home customers. It also meant that when he was called to an urgent job his clients always had to ensure that they had the cash to pay for his work, which often meant travelling to a cash point unexpectedly and inconveniently. This was especially complicated and even dangerous late at night.
Alistair said: “A lot of my custom comes from emergency situations; perhaps following a break in or when a homeowner is locked out. This means that customers are often unable to travel to a cash point, and have to borrow money from a neighbour or friend. Therefore, being able to pay by card really does help to resolve a stressful situation with minimal trauma.”
“Easy, efficient, portable card payments”
Alistair was therefore immediately attracted to the WorldPay Pay As You Go card acceptance service, which provides him with a portable chip and PIN keypad that he can also use in his shop, without any monthly charges or rental costs. Since the chip and PIN keypad works by connecting to Alistair’s smartphone, it makes taking payments on the move fast and simple. Having now used the new system for over six months, Alistair is planning to continue with the service programme as he has found that the range of solutions provide the best product for his business.
The technology has had a real impact, Alistair comments:
“The keypad is just so handy for my day to day activities – the fact that I can accept cards both in my shop, as well as take it with me when I go on a job is an invaluable tool. When a client phones me at 3 o’clock in the morning, locked out of their house, being able to take card payments removes any additional panic from what is already a worrying situation. The feedback that I have had is really positive – the majority of my clients think it is an excellent additional extra to the service that I provide. My clients especially like receiving their receipt by text message, which removes any additional paperwork.
“I would definitely recommend the service to any business of a similar size and activity as mine. In addition to the unique range of services offered by the system, their customer service is excellent as well.”
