It seems like they are very badly made. Why wouldn’t these be standardized by now? Like, a lot of them have the chip reading slot but it is taped over and you must swipe? I also feel like cashiers are constantly complaining about them not cooperating. Why do they operate so poorly?
In: Technology
A lot of it has to do with upgrading hardware. Why you often see the chip reader taped over is that the hardware manufacturer makes one model for the whole world. It’s used everywhere outside the US, so having a US specific model is a bit silly. There’s only a handful of companies that make the hardware. Start watching the brands of the terminals, and there’s only about a half dozen or so big players.
BUT…. the software is a different story. There’s a bunch of different companies that make the software for those terminals, and it tends to be customized for the specific business. An auto parts store has to deal with inventory in a bunch of different locations. Fast food software has to take orders, print them up in the kitchen. Sit down restaurants add tips, reservations and which tables are free. Gas stations have to deal with pumping gas. There’s several different pieces of software for each of these businesses.
The software has to also be able to process the chip credit cards. If it’s not setup for using the chip credit cards, it won’t do anything, which is why you often see them taped over, and the display doesn’t tell you to insert your chip card. The hardware is able to do it, but the software isn’t. They could probably buy an upgrade that adds that feature, but that costs money. So they just tape over the terminal so people don’t try to use it.
Now, about some of them being flaky, I don’t know, that’s not my area of expertise.
Latest Answers