[This post was updated by a community moderator on March 24, 2020 to reflect app improvements and feature enhancements.]
Nothing in this article is meant to be construed as medical advice. If you have questions about your health, please consult a doctor.
Most of us have seen the headlines about the spread of the Coronavirus within North America and across the globe. We're posting to give a heads up to our buyers and sellers on some preemptive measures that you can take to be prepared.
Each of our sellers are unique and have different business needs. If your business requires you to work closely with large amounts of people, these general tips may help you reduce exposure to Coronavirus, not to mention they'll ensure you know about all payment options available with your Point of Sale account.
General Health
- If you or your teammates feel under the weather, communicate with your employees to help them make arrangements to stay at home. Your body needs time and rest to recuperate, so you can come back strong and healthy. 💪
- Wash your hands frequently, be careful to not touch your face, and keep hand sanitizer available in your business where practical. 🧼
- Keep your mobile devices and other frequently touched equipment clean. For comprehensive guides on how to clean mobile devices, consider these articles:
- How to clean your Apple products
- Clean Smudges from the Screen on Your Chromebook Pro
- How to clean your phone to help stop the spread of germs
☝A note about Square Stand + iPad: If you have a screen protector on your iPad, rest assured that Square apps will continue to work well with that added layer. In addition, Square Stand's iPad cradle is flush with the edges of the iPad itself, which will ensure an unobstructed fit.
Alternative Payment Methods and Strategies
- Contactless "tap" payments. Encourage your customers to use their mobile devices or contactless cards to complete payment. With Square, you can accept Interac debit cards using the tap function of the Contactless and Chip Card reader (note: Interac card payments over $100 must be completed by inserting the card to the reader). You can also accept contactless forms of payment such as Apple Pay, Google Pay. For a quick demonstration, watch this video: Accept Payments with the Contactless + Chip Reader.
- Signatures and receipts. Card Providers don’t require signatures for Dip, Tap and Swipe payments in the US and Canada. Consider setting the signature requirement to Never Collect Signature and skipping the receipt screen. This will help reduce the need for your customers to touch the payment screen. Have a look at step-by-steps on how to change these settings below:
► Disable Signatures for Square App Payments
► Skip the Receipt Screen to Speed Up Checkout
- Square Invoices, Square Appointments and remote payments. If you can work from home, you can collect payments from your customers by using Square Invoices, Virtual Terminal. If you’re providing appointments over the phone you can accept payments from your computer with Square Appointments. You can also manually keying in your customer's card information when taking orders over the phone.
- Square Online Store. If you haven't already, now may be a great time to set up a free Square Online Store, which will allow your customers to place orders themselves. Local customers can arrange to pick-up, you can deliver locally, and we've also partnered with a number of fulfillment services who can help you manage shipments. Learn more:
► How to Sell Online and Allow for Pickup Orders
► Square Online Store: Turn on Curbside Pickup
► Square Online Store: Turn on Local Delivery
- Get creative! Canceled sales event or tradeshow? Take it online via social media and use a hashtag or Instagram story to create a virtual event with your customers. You can then use one of Square's many remote payment options to keep your business running. Need some inspiration? The examples in this article may help get you started: 8 Instagram Event Marketing Ideas That Drive Record Registrations.
Knowledge is power
To keep a pulse on potential risk areas and demographics, keep an eye on the World Health Organization's website: Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) advice for the public.
For more general resources on preparing for the unexpected, have a look at these resources:
Let's keep looking out for each other and stay healthy. If any other questions come up or if you have any pro tips to share—let us know in the comments below! ❤️️💯
We're keeping a close eye on this issue and this material has been prepared for informational purposes only.
