Look after the payment process or lose customers

Restaurants that mishandle the bill-paying process risk losing cash and customers, claims new research commissioned by Barclaycard Merchant Services.

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	Right choice… hand-held terminals

Of the one in three customers who complained of bad service while paying their bill, 46% said they would not return, 52% would reduce the tip, and 53% would not recommend the restaurant to others. Card fraud - which cost £106.1m last year - was the key concern for the one-third of customers who disliked losing sight of their credit and debit cards. However, three-quarters said they would be happy having their cards processed at the table. "We advise businesses to look very closely at introducing chip and PIN-compliant portable terminals," said Bob Cotton, chief executive of the British Hospitality Association. Customer satisfaction with bill-paying procedures was highest in family-run outlets (69%) and lowest in caf‚s and brasseries (28%). Chain and … la carte restaurants scored 36% and 34%, respectively. Conran Restaurants, whose Mezzo venue faced suspected card-skimming incidents in late 2000 has installed hand-held card terminals in all new restaurants since November 2002. The company is currently adding them to the rest of its portfolio. *Source: Caterer & Hotelkeeper magazine, 9 September 2004*