Making and taking payments becomes a whole lot smarter today, with the launch of Commonwealth Bank’s new payment terminal ‘Smart’, integrating the latest technology and customisable features to transform payments in Australia.

The Smart terminal will see businesses able to customise their payment experience with an ‘App Marketplace’ featuring tailored apps in sectors such as health, hospitality and not-for-profit. It also includes a number of inbuilt features to split payments, add surcharging, tipping, and email receipts – making it more seamless and convenient for consumers to pay and businesses to get paid.

In an Australian first, the CBA’s Smart terminal also features dual sim functionality, plus Wi-Fi, 4G/3G and broadband, to offer improved connectivity to keep business up and running.

CBA Group Executive, Business Banking, Mike Vacy-Lyle said: “These new payment solutions are designed for the businesses of the future. Using the latest technology and customer feedback, we’re making payment solutions that are more intuitive, customisable and secure.”

“The Smart terminal will replace our Albert terminals, and among other things, offer businesses more in-built features to efficiently and seamlessly manage their day-to-day payments operations. This means businesses can spend more time serving their customers and focusing on what matters most to them in their business.”

The Smart terminal can accommodate sim cards from two different network providers, as well as Wi-Fi, and a lite Point-of-Sale inventory system with many businesses not needing a more comprehensive integrated solution.

“The new, smarter features will be particularly useful for hospitality, retail, and healthcare businesses, helping merchants save time with inbuilt surcharging and tipping, and same-day settlements to help manage cash flow,” Mr Vacy Lyle said.

Later this year, CBA will further expand its payment options, launching a mobile Secure Card Reader that can easily pair to a business’s own device (tablet or phone) to take chip and contactless payments. Designed to be lightweight, mobile and pocket-friendly, the Smart Mini Pay will enable merchants to take payments on the go.

The terminal has been developed in partnership with Verifone and features:

• Standalone EFTPOS terminal with sleek touchscreen display 
• Improved connectivity to keep businesses up and running with Dual Sim functionality, in addition to Wi-Fi, 4G/3G, and Broadband
• A customised payments experience with App Marketplace including a hospitality app, donations app and health claiming app
• A simple inventory system (lite POS) in-built and free of charge, for businesses that don’t need a comprehensive integrated solution
• An in-built Surcharging and Tipping features to recover costs and save time
• Ability to go paperless with email receipts​
• Easy cash flow management with Settlements on Terminal, Shift Totals and Same Day Settlement​
• Improved merchant customer experience with terminal installation offered 7 days a week
• Improved accessibility features including a tactile stencil border to orientate the key numbers and functions, enhancements to font size and capitilisation and increased volume of audio cues.

The Smart terminal will be available nationwide from 25 October 2021.

For more information and to register interest for the Smart terminal visit commbank.com.au/smart-terminal or call CommBank Merchant Payment Solutions on 1800 730 554.

Also see Small Business Answers guide to eftpos and accepting credit cards.

From 11:59pm, Thursday, pubs, clubs and entertainment venues in Melbourne can open to 20 fully vaccinated customers indoors and 50 fully vaccinated customers outdoors. As Sydney’s venues reopened for the first time in months last week, we sat down with a couple of hospitality industry experts to share their reopening tips for hospitality in Melbourne venues.

Wholesalers can expect a surge at the last minute

Australia’s largest food and beverage wholesale platform FoodByUs saw orders ramping up quickly within the first week of trading, with a week on week increase in orders that were up by 357% on the Sunday before ‘freedom day’, compared to that of the previous Sunday. FoodByUs has seen continuous growth in orders from Sydney venues, with the first official weekend since reopening closing out orders at 452% higher than the two weeks prior.

Ben Lipschitz, Co-Founder and managing director of FoodByUs says: “We saw orders coming in as late as 10pm Sunday night for Monday’s trading. This was when we first started to see a really strong boost in ordering. Our platform connects restaurants and cafes with all their local wholesalers to find the best possible deals and the best quality produce, so they can compare the market, which provides much-needed savings after a challenging few months for the industry.”

In week one of trading FoodByUs saw a huge increase in orders for particular products such as Goats Curd (up 1685%), mixed berry muffins (up 1467%), Extra Virgin Olive Oil (1385%), cooking cream (up 1314%) and strawberries (up 1062%). Lipschitz attributed the increase in these products to the fact that restaurants were expanding their service now that they are offering dine-in options.

“Many restaurants are now back to offering more desserts and brunch options, compared to when they were just offering takeaway meals and might have been servicing only lunch and dinner times.”

Roster staff ahead of ‘freedom day’

Francesca Bartone-Prodromou, the owner of the North Sydney cafe Charlie & Franks, encourages venues to roster on staff ahead of restrictions easing so they can help prepare.

“In the week leading up to reopening, my staff were able to set up and get ready for the week.”

Francesca’s staff, who are trained to do everything from serving to deliveries to catering, spent the week before restrictions eased streamlining a contactless ordering system.

“Being busy over the weekend meant that having customers place their order and pay on the QR code really helped us to streamline our service.”

Don’t over-schedule shifts

Over-scheduling shifts in anticipation of a surge in customers is easy to do. Particularly for CBD venues that might be reliant on corporate customers who aren’t back in the office yet.

Francesca, who has a team of 30 staff, says she used pre-COVID roster levels as a guide when deciding how many employees to schedule on.

“Look at your numbers pre-COVID and assume that you’re going to be trading similar to your good days to start with. We’re based in North Sydney which means many of our customers are local corporates who work in the area. With many companies still working predominantly from home, we won’t be back to full capacity until early next year. However, we’re already receiving a lot of catering bookings for Christmas parties – be it delivered to people’s homes for virtual events or physical events in the office,” she says.

Retailers seeking to maximise their reopening and cash-in on post-lockdown shopping should review business costs and reduce or remove them where possible. 

Marty Pomeroy, Chief Executive Officer at Smartpay, encourages SME merchants to shop around for better deals as a way of being more efficient with their business when reopening.

1. Review Transaction Fees

“The easiest cost to reduce is often the most overlooked, and card transaction fees can cost some businesses thousands of dollars each year. As Covid-19 hygiene concerns continue to fuel Tap‘n Go and other contactless payment options over cash, the cost of card transaction fees is only going to increase.”

“Card payments in 2021 are up 13.1% on 2020, and digital wallet payments have jumped 90% in the same time period with 68 million monthly transactions.¹ This substantial rise in card transaction volume raises retailers’ fees and bites into much-needed business profits at a time when retailers need to be financially savvy.”

2. Consider new service providers

“There are usually savings to be made by switching to a new electricity, gas, or mobile phone provider, and it’s a good time to do some competitive research. More and more people are switching their mortgage and insurance away from traditional banking providers, searching for a better deal. This path can also be considered for businesses which may use their bank for everything from insurance, loans and including for their EFTPOS terminal. 

More than three quarters (78%) of businesses always stick with the same bank provider, but 63% of them believe they could get a better deal by shopping around.3 Switching to a specialist provider focusing on a particular product or service can not only save money but give retailers more confidence through attentive and streamlined customer service and support. Most businesses will, by default, bundle their EFTPOS terminal and transaction services when they open their business bank account. 

Retailers need to understand they do not need a bank to supply their EFTPOS terminal and complete transactions, but instead, there are EFTPOS specialists in the market to assist and help them save.”

3. Re-Invest the savings into growing your business

“87%² of consumers say they would rather support a local small business and nearly half said they would be willing to pay a bit more for that support. Now is the time to look at innovative ways to save costs and put money back into their business.”

“Many of our small business merchants have reinvested the savings back into their business, allowing them to hire more employees, initiate marketing and promotional activities, and even develop loyalty programs to reward and retain loyal customers. Now more than ever, while businesses are looking to recover post lockdowns, it’s time to put their business first and review their cost efficiencies to ensure long term success.”

For more information, visit Smartpay.

Also see Small Business Answers guide to eftpos and accepting credit cards.

Big business is being urged to get behind a new campaign (bigforsmall) to help Australian small businesses get back on their feet after months of lockdown and reduced patronage.

Launching today, the #bigforsmall campaign is encouraging big businesses to empower their employees to shop and spend at small businesses as workers begin to return to commercial districts and Government funded support is tapered off.

After months of nearly non-existent foot traffic in commercial districts, many small businesses are desperately hoping that they’ll have customers return in sufficient numbers when they reopen. 

The organisation behind the campaign, Breathe HR, will be giving its employees $20 per person per day to spend at small businesses near the company’s offices in Sydney and Melbourne. All employees of its parent company ELMO Software will also receive the cash to spend supporting small businesses near its offices.

While Breathe HR and ELMO Software will be providing its employees with cash, other big businesses are being encouraged to think of other ways they can participate. This may be longer lunch breaks or suggesting employees take some time to go visit a hairdresser or nail salon.

A dedicated campaign page has been created to give organisations more information about how they can launch their own #bigforsmall initiative.

ELMO Software CEO and Co-founder Danny Lessem said getting small businesses back on their feet was key to the success of the Australian economy.

“Small businesses are vital to the Australian economy. They’ve been through an incredibly tough time during these lockdowns and need all of us to do our bit to help them get back to normal. Small businesses are major employers and contributors to economic output. Without them the economy is demonstrably worse off.

“The driver behind this campaign is to harness the power of bigger businesses’ workforces for good by empowering employees to spend at small businesses. 

“Deciding to reopen is a tricky decision for a lot of small operators who may be worried about sales volumes and patronage. Small businesses need to know that the broader business community and Australian workers are ready to support them with patronage so they can reopen with confidence. 

“I encourage all business leaders to think about how their organisation can support the small businesses around them and get on board the #bigforsmall campaign.”

The ASUS ExpertBook B9 is one of the world’s lightest 14-inch business laptop weighing a mere 1.05kg. It also offers close to a full day battery life. It’s good for days of real-world use between recharges.

The ExpertBook B9 comes with 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors with built-in Intel Iris® Xe™ graphics for serious performance and visual excellence, RAID 0 and RAID 1 technology support, Thunderbolt™ 4 for flexible connections at warp speed, AdaptiveLock proximity sensor for ultrafast logins and security, and AI noise-cancelling technology for undisturbed video calls – perfect for the increasingly remote working patterns imposed by the current pandemic environment.

ASUS has also strived to make ExpertBook B9 an environmentally conscious choice. It is both Energy Star® 7.1-certified and rated by EPEAT™ Gold, offering an assurance of energy efficiency that reduces operating costs over the long term. Even the packaging is environmentally sound. The accessory box can transform into a laptop stand for instant elevation with an ecological nod.

Ultimate portability

ExpertBook B9 is incredibly thin and light and is encased in a magnesium-lithium-alloy chassis, yet still has room for a battery that lasts for days of real-world use. The 880g model has a 33 Wh cell, while the 1005 g ExpertBook B9 packs a 66 Wh battery that stores enough juice for close to a full day – all in a 14.9-mm-thin profile.

Fast-charging support brings either battery option up to 60% of maximum capacity in just 39 minutes, so there’s no need to worry about downtime on the road.

The guts of a champion

The B9 supports the 11th Gen up to Intel Core™ i7 processor with Iris Xe graphics, delivering discrete-level graphics performance for next-gen media experiences and 32 GB LDDR4x 4266 MHz memory. There’s also super fast Intel WiFi 6. There is huge storage in the form of up to dual 2 TB SSDs, that support RAID 0 and RAID 1 technology for improved data reliability or faster operation.

Despite its thin profile, ExpertBook B9 is loaded with I/O ports. These include cutting-edge Thunderbolt™4, the next generation of the universal cable connectivity solution.  This consists of the next-level USB4 interface, 40 Gbps data transfer speeds, dual 4K display output and fast charging. It also offers standard USB Type-A and HDMI output.

US military-grade durability

To be strong enough for every journey, it meets the MIL-STD 810H US military standard test. It was also subjected to drop tests, shock tests, vibration tests, extremes of high and temperatures, and days subjected to humidity levels of 95%.

Engineers took things even further to prove that the ExperBook B9 is built tough. Connectors are inserted and removed from the ports 5,000 times, up to 30 kg of force is placed on the reinforced lid, keys are struck 10-million times, and the cover is opened and closed up to 50,000 times.

A mobile workhorse with smart features

Despite the ultra-thin bezels of its 14-inch NanoEdge display, ExpertBook B9 includes both a webcam for video calls, plus an infrared camera and smart proximity sensor for fast biometric face login. When you sit in front of ExpertBook B9, ASUS AdaptiveLock technology detects your presence. The infrared camera recognises your face to log you in automatically. Then, when you step away, it automatically locks itself, protecting both the laptop and the personal data it contains.

With the increase of remote work and video conferences, ASUS AI noise-cancelling audio isolates unwanted noise from human speech.

An interesting feature is the ASUS NumberPad 2.0, which turns the touchpad into a numeric keypad thatʹs perfect for crunching numbers.

PRICING

ASUS ExpertBook B9 (B9400) – f model$2,699

ASUS ExpertBook B9 (B9400) – i5 model $2,299

To understand more about which PC is right for you read Small Business Answers Guide.

The New Panasonic Toughbook G2 series builds on 25-years of Toughbook heritage and, most of all, its reputation as the ‘gold standard’ of ruggedised laptops, tablets and handheld tablets.

The Panasonic Toughbook G2 series is a result of several years of Australian customer feedback. It also had to wait for technology to make this IP65 (totally dust and water spray resistant) and satisfy MIL-STD-810H – the latest torture tests. In fact, while one of the tests is a 1.2m drop from 26 different angles onto plywood, Panasonic upped the ante to testing on cement!

Toughbooks are in use in emergency services, paramedics, defence, mining, utilities, supply chain and warehousing – anywhere a reliable computing device is mandatory. Ranjit Sohoni, Senior Product Marketing Manager – Mobile Solutions at Panasonic System Solutions, said that Toughbooks typically outlast financing and traditional fleet turnover, unlike ruggedised tablets and laptops.

“The G2 series backwards compatible with most TOUGHBOOK G1 and TOUGHBOOK 20 docks, allowing seamless integration to existing desktop or vehicle installations.”

Flexibility

Panasonic offers a range of SKUs (models) and 36 different combinations. The $4099 base model is as follows

• Intel Core i5-10310U vPro
• Windows 10 Pro (upgradable to Windows 11)
• 16GB DDR4 and 512GB OPAL PCIe NVMe SSD (hardware-based drive encryption)
• 10.1 1900×1200, 1000nits, sunlight viewable touch, glove and capacitive IP55 digitiser pen, TFT LCD
• Wi-Fi 6 AX, BT 5.1, Ethernet Lan
• 4G LTE (and 3G), Dual antenna connector, with GPS option
• 2MP IR Windows Hello front camera and 8MP AF and LED rear flash camera
• Configuration port for Serial, 2D Barcode Reader, 2nd USB 2.0, 2nd LAN, Thermal by FLIR
• Rear Expansion Bay area for Smart Card Reader, HF-RFID (NFC) Reader
• USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 with ALT DP 1.4, data and upstream 60W charging/downstream 5V/3A/15W
• 4360mAH battery (up to 12 hour s Mobile Mark) and extended 6300mAH battery option
• Security: Intel vPro, Microsoft Secured-Core and optional Absolute Software security cloud
• 279 mm × 188 mm × 23.5 mm x 1.19kg plus accessories
• Website Toughbook and Product page Product Page
• National Distributor Multimedia Technology and a network of vertical industry resellers

To understand more about which PC is right for you read Small Business Answers Guide.

Jabra has released the latest in its Evolve range of enterprise headsets, the Evolve2 75 headset. With 68% of employees seeing their Ideal work week including a hybrid model of working from home and an office, the Evolve2 75 is specifically engineered to make flexible working simpler and more productive for everyone, everywhere.

Jabra’s latest hybrid working research shows that 85% of knowledge workers said being confident in their audio, video and connectivity allows them to excel at work. With that in mind, the new Evolve2 75 aims to be the flexibility hero, with comfort, concentration, collaboration and insights at its core. These pose the biggest challenges for organisations whose employees are working in changing locations, so Jabra has packed the Evolve2 75 with new features that push sound quality and comfort even further. Maximising flexibility and increasing concentration, the Evolve2 75 delivers crystal-clear calls and pitch-perfect music in any surroundings.

Jabra has engineered a superior ergonomic fit for the ear cups, reimagining the leatherette, dual cushion design to improve ventilation and reduce ear pressure. In turn, this optimises the curvature and padding of the headband to ensure the headset stays securely in place. Not only does this significantly enhance comfort, it also dramatically improves the overall active noise cancellation performance.

Jabra Evolve first

The Evolve2 75 is the first of Jabra’s Evolve headsets to include fully adjustable Jabra Advanced Active Noise Cancellation^TM (ANC), so you can pick and choose how much (or how little) of your surroundings you hear. A ‘HearThrough’ button allows for tuning back into the sounds around you when you need to, without even having to take your headset off. Customisable settings in MySound (for the Sound+ mobile app), and Equaliser adjustment (available through the Sound+ app plus Jabra Direct on mobiles and PCs) optimise audio for personalised hearing profiles, and allow the user to quickly adapt to changing environments.

Greater sound and flexibility

The Evolve2 75’s mute and auto answer-enabled microphone boom arm is 33 per cent shorter than on the previous Evolve 75 design, giving users even greater flexibility and better-sounding audio. The arm is also intended to meet Microsoft’s stringent Open Office requirements. When the boom arm is flipped down in Performance mode, it effectively cuts out ambient sound in open-plan offices and loud, busy indoor areas. The headset has a discreet mode feature, you can easily fold away the boom arm when required for quality calls on the go.

The headset’s 8-microphone technology works with Jabra’s revolutionary triple chipset-powered algorithm to distinguish between your voice and the noise around you even more precisely, for the sharpest-sounding calls yet. The Evolve2 75 also includes a ‘Busylight’ with increased 360º visibility for when total focus is needed.

Data-capturing capabilities

Finally, Jabra has added extra benefits to the latest headset, making it even easier to stay connected wherever you are. Optimised for all leading Unified Communications platforms, the Evolve2 75 connects colleagues on whichever platform they prefer. The headset also offers data capturing capabilities so IT Departments can make more informed decisions and troubleshoot any issues before they become a problem.

Jabra Xpress software makes it easy to oversee deployment, update firmware and manage settings remotely. The 30 metre robust wireless range and dual connectivity to computers and mobile devices gives the Evolve2 75 extra flexibility, promising increased freedom to walk and talk without affecting call quality. With the Evolve2 75’s extended battery life, charge-and-talk technology and new fast-charging capabilities, making as many calls as needed, from any location, has never been easier.

David Piggott, A/NZ Managing Director at Jabra said, “Our goal for every addition to the Evolve Series is not to simply create a new headset, but to set a new standard. That’s why we look at every element of the product during development to deliver the best audio experience imaginable. With the combination of our ground-breaking new dual-foam technology, an improved headband and a revolutionary new ‘comfort pattern’ design, the Jabra Evolve2 75 provides incredible noise isolation and comfort for an all-round improved audio experience that feels as good as it sounds.”

The Evolve2 75 will be available at selected retailers at MSRP AU$490 (excl. GST).

For more information about the new Evolve2 75, please visit: www.jabra.com/evolve

Read Small Business Answers Guide to headsets for business to understand what is right for you.

eftpos today announced that some of the nation’s most iconic banks, retailers and FinTechs  – Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Coles, Woolworths, Azupay, Beem It and Merchant Warrior – are partnering with eftpos to support the rollout of its new QR payments platform,eftpos eQR.

eQR aims to provide Australian consumers and merchants with better, simpler, data-rich payment experiences no matter where consumers choose to shop –  online, mobile or at the checkout – and will begin to roll out as a new consumer payment option before Christmas.

eftpos CEO Stephen Benton said it was great to have early partners in the banking and retail community of the calibre of Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Coles, Woolworths because the eQR platform is about reimagining the Australian payment experience, especially when businesses are looking to new digital innovations to help improve efficiency and create better customer experiences beyond payments.  

FinTech partners like Merchant Warrior, Azupay and Beem It will also help drive innovation and onboard more Australian merchants to eQR before Christmas and beyond, in categories such as online entertainment, charities and fast food, with a pipeline of value-added features starting with payments.

Mr Benton said the rollout comes at a perfect time when Australians have already become familiar with QR code technology through daily interactions with COVID19 check-ins. 

“We expect eQR will quickly become the QR equivalent of eftpos Tap& Pay on debit cards.  COVID has changed customer behaviour and Australians are now ready for the enhanced payment experience offered by eQR. It is great to have the support of iconic brands like Commonwealth Bank, National Australia Bank, Coles, Woolworths, Azupay , Beem It and Merchant Warrior as we roll this out across the country,” Mr Benton said. 

“The eQR platform aims to provide better experiences for consumers and merchants through added security, loyalty, offers and digital receipts, no matter where they choose to shop – online, on their mobile or at the checkout.”

eftpos completed the first stage of the eQR build in July 2021 and is currently in trial with several Australian merchants.

Commonwealth Bank, General Manager, Merchant Solutions, Karen Last said: “We’ve seen our business customers become increasingly familiar using QR codes and we’re working with eftpos to support the roll-out of eQR. We’re looking forward to working together to bring this capability to our merchants in the future.”

NAB Executive Merchant  Services, Mark Raymer said: “Our customers are increasingly choosing faster and digital ways to buy, sell and make payments. We are delighted to be working with eftpos to provide our customers with another innovative payment option.”

Coles General Manager of Financial Services Paul Askew said: “Coles is looking forward to working with eftpos to improve the customer experience when using eQR to make a payment in our stores and linking this to other functions such as loyalty.”

Woolworths Group’s Wpay Managing Director Paul Monnington said it was pleased to adopt QR to help offer its customers a simple way to combine payments and rewards in one transaction. “We know speed and ease through the checkout are increasingly important to our customers amid their busy lives. Now is the perfect time to introduce QR and we look forward to building the next generation of seamless payment experiences with eftpos in the months ahead.”

To understand more about eftpos refer to Small Business Answers guide.