Credit card purchases are now safer and easier. Following Android and Windows’ example, Apple launched its Apple Pay technology In October 2014. In one week’s time more than one million credit cards had signed up for the service. All major smartphone platforms now have mobile wallet technology as a result.
As retailers struggle to implement the installment of mobile pay terminals by October 2015, consumers will expect the government to follow suit. There are some hardcore questions government agencies should ask before making that move. FCW’s article on the topic outlines seven important questions to ask before adopting mobile technology. They are as follows:
- Do we really need to think about this right now? Mobile will surpass traditional payment methods. Rather than falling behind the curve, agencies should assess the options and implement their preferred mobile platforms now.
- Does the service we provide lend itself to smartphone delivery? Before investing in a mobile payment solution, make sure the service you offer is one your constituents will actually want to access from a mobile device.
- Who picks up the tab? Mobile transactions always carry a fee, and you’ll need to decide whether your agency will accept that fee as a cost of doing business or pass it on to users.
- How many payment systems will the agency accommodate? In addition to Apple Pay and other mobile platforms, Twitter is planning to offer its own payment system. Merchant Customer Exchange also will be a big player.
- How will the agency get its money? With so many mobile payment systems becoming available now, agencies must clarify how a system they’re considering will deliver the money.
- How can we make the system seamless? Ideally, the payment process also should be integrated into the application so the user is not directed to a different site to make the payment.
- What will make mobile payment most efficient for our users? Autofill options for completing forms and a “shopping cart” approach would make it easier for users to carry out several transactions and pay for all of them at once.
For more information on how agencies can prepare to work with mobile payment technology, see the full FCW article.
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