What is up with the POS terminal alarm?

The new EMV chip cards are helping to fight credit card fraud but not all is perfect. One of the top complaints users have is the alarm that the POS terminal makes when a transaction is complete. Why does it need to do that?

The reason is simple and hopefully most of you have guessed long ago why the alarm sounds. It is to remind the customer to remove their card from the machine. Gone is the swiping of a magnetic stripe, which in one practiced motion could return the card to its wallet home. Now the card has to remain in the terminal for several seconds while the transaction is processed. A recipe for forgetfulness. After all, these new chip cards are just that, new.

Many consumers feel that the alarm sounding is negative, like their card has just been declined or something else has gone wrong. The alarm has been described from just about anything from an angry hornet to being hit with the wrong button on a gameshow. If that is a complaint you have you are not alone. Many consumers and merchants alike do not like it but considering how easily distracted we can all get that small chime may be the only thing between your customers taking their card with them and losing their card.

Perhaps the solution for the next generation of terminals would be to play a much more pleasant sound. Even that may not be necessary as work is being done to speed up the transaction process so that it can be completed much quicker meaning less time for a customer to be distracted and forget their card. Now the technology is there for a custom sound or message. Walgreen’s uses its own custom sound to remind their shoppers to remove their card.

So here’s a question. What sound or song would you like a terminal to play to remind your customers to remove their card? Leave a response on our Facebook page.