What is it and what is a data phone?

Since the cards were in our lives, the payment process has evolved shops. The old dataphone has given way to the new POS terminal, with which it makes a payment process more convenient and, above all, safe.

Technological advances have opened the door to new forms of commerce to attract a greater number of consumers. A good quality of products and of course, good service are the keys to retaining customers and attract potential buyers.

For consumers it is important to have alternatives when establishments pay in cash or by credit card in most cases. For the latter system, which is becoming the most common, used some electronic devices called data phones.

What is a data phone?

A dataphone or point of sale terminal (POS) is a device, installed in a shop or store, allowing customers to charge their credit card or debit card. It consists of a card reader through magnetic stripe or chip, a receipt printer and a connection system through a phone line or Internet. In addition, online communication allows the financial institution where the customer pays with their card.

The payment process through POS has evolved in recent years to adapt to the new EMV chip cards, which carry a safety pin, allowing them to be more secure payments. Also, the increased use of the cards to buy has led many businesses to use a dataphone in which we insert ourselves into the terminal board and type our pin.

Advantage

- Process payments easier. Streamlines the billing process and avoid long queues.

- Payments safer. The client keeps track of the card at any time.

- The trade saves time and money. No need to enter the money in the bank, or have large amounts of changes.

- Facilitates the use of cards. The client does not need to carry cash and can use any funding formula that provides the card issuer and payment by installments, discounts in shops, etc..

- Trade wins customers. Many purchases are not made for not having cash.

Immediate Future

The evolution of the terminals goes far beyond. Square payment system used in the United States, uses a small, square reader with a magnetic strip that connects to iPads and smartphones for people to spend their credit cards.

The device provides card information to free Square software, which prevents companies must purchase or rent the equipment to process these payments.

Google Wallet, the mobile wallet

The Google Wallet service proposes to replace any current payment method (cash or card) by the mobile phone. Lets make a purchase in two steps: approaching the mobile terminal and pressing the acceptance of purchase on the touch screen of the phone, plus the number secret.

To function uses the Near Field Communications (NFC) on mobile phones, which allows the exchange of data between compatible devices within inches. This signal stimulates the electronic circuit of the label to return the information it contains.

Users must have confidence to use these services and other alternatives that will come in the future. Many betting and this new way to pay, but are we really about the future of payments in Spain? Is it a good option? Realizarías? Payments with your phone? Are we motivated to buy more?