Venue Insight magazine caught up with our Director Trond Rornes, to discuss how CardsSafe is helping leisure & hospitality businesses.
Q. In at the deep end as always! Why CardsSafe? What defines you guys and makes you different to other similar providers?
A. We protect assets in a new way and help our customers improve their bottom line! There’s nothing else out there that specifically holds banks and ID cards while the owners either run a tab or trial a product or service. CardsSafe is super affordable and works in harmony with other POS systems. The system allows venues to hold cards securely and gives that extra peace of mind to their customers that their cards aren’t held in a till or a folder. Because of this, it is easy for our customers to encourage upselling, and multiple customers can be serviced at the same time. We know that holding tabs increases spend (VISA has confirmed this numerous times), so it’s a no brainer. Why wouldn’t you want customers sitting back and enjoying everything you have to offer?
Q. With some huge names using the system, such as the London Golf Club, Lord’s Cricket Ground (MCC), Youngs Pubs and Hilton Hotels to name but a few, it appears that venues are in very safe hands when it comes to using CardsSafe. Is retaining a customer’s credit or debit card completely risk-free?
A. There is always a risk of credit card fraud, whether you’re tapping a reader or uploaded your card details to an App. However, since all merchants are potentially liable for any theft against a bank card that happens on their premises, it will always be safer for the cardholder to have a card in a CardsSafe box than even keeping this in a wallet or purse. Bank and ID cards are locked away by the staff, away from sticky fingers and scammers. All the venue needs to do is offer excellent customer service. CardsSafe also virtually eliminates walkouts because it takes the temptation away. One ‘dine & dash’ could cost a venue hundreds of pounds, and with CardsSafe, those saving could be huge.
Q. How easy is the system to get up and running? Is training and support provided?
A. It’s very easy to set up and use CardsSafe, and no formal training is required. We send the venue the units; ten cards are held per unit, and they can have as many or as few units as they need. The CardsSafe units are not hard-wired and do not require electricity. We recommend securing the units to the wall close to the till in plain sight of the customers so that they know where their cards are at all times. The London Golf Club also use CardsSafe outside on their course to offer their customers on-site refreshments while they enjoy their rounds of golf.
Q. What are the main benefits of CardsSafe? Increasing customer spend would likely be a huge factor?
A. There are numerous reasons to use CardsSafe, and it actually pays for itself! The main benefit is the potential to increase spend. Phil Dixon, a previous advisor to the BII, was adamant that “If you want to increase spend, you must retain cards.” And Paul Eagles, previous Regional Fraud Manager at VISA, confirmed this statement saying, “When using cards, people spend at least 35% more.” It’s a no brainer since this is income you otherwise would not get! Most customers appreciate that the venue looks after their cards securely and adequately.
Even in light of the pandemic, venues adopt government advice and sanitize every aspect of their venue. CardsSafe fits into that category and is treated in the same way. CardsSafe also virtually eliminates chargeback and dramatically reduces walkouts because it retains bank cards and allows secure tab keeping. Rather than insisting on advance payment, businesses can keep tabs and up-sell while they do so. CardsSafe is also remarkably affordable at just under £10 per month rental per unit, so with the reduction of losses and the potential for increased spending, it pays for itself!
Q. With technology constantly on the move, are there any developments to the system that can improve it even further?
A. Although CardsSafe is a pretty brilliant piece of kit, it does not rely on software, no overcomplicated training, there’s no App, and venue managers and owners have complete control in how and where they use it. While the product looks similar to the initial version, there have been ten significant improvements to how it works, based on customer feedback and our focus on keeping the operation simple and secure. We are always looking at ways to improve the system and offer replacement keys and 24/7 support should anything go wrong. New customers can simply register online, set up an account, and use the CardsSafe system to retain their customer’s cards before they know it. The advantage is in its simplicity and ease of use.
This interview was originally published by Venue Insight magazine in June 2021.