Technology.
A blessing but also a curse.
We want everything now.
Not tomorrow, not today and often, yesterday.

When my children were small they would say three words that would melt any parents heart.
They are teenagers now and they still say three words.
"The Internets slow".

Remember the old days?
A magnetic strip on the back of your credit and debit card and this will really shock the youth of today, paying for something meant (and this really happened, honest) they had to swipe the card in a machine and then ask for your signature?
Then they would check the signature on the card against the signature on the till receipt?
They would check the signature?
We had it tough kids.

Next up was Chip and Pin.
Doomed to fail because many thought that people would not be able to remember a four digit number and like Y2K, we thought this would be the "Armageddon of Consumerism".
Cash would not only return but Cash would be King.
The reality was that consumers loved Chip and Pin as a result of us all being fantastically busy.
I'm back to everything being needed yesterday again...

But whilst keying in four digits was fast, we demanded more and like supersonic travel, the shopping experience needed to be quicker.
Step forwarded Contactless.
Albeit, slowly and somewhat unsteadily.
From a TV advert in 2008 of a man with bad hair and swimming goggles going down a huge water slide to a catchy tune (Bellamy Brothers for any Pub quiz enthusiasts) as Contactless lurched into our world.
The stumbling block was summed up by my wife.
"Great advert, great song. Not a clue what it's about?"
This was interesting given I spent almost 10 years in the Payments Card Industry working on various projects that "waged war on cash" promoting initially Contactless payments but then the functionality to pay by your phone and even your watch.
My wife is a Teacher; an intelligent lady (far more intelligent than me but that's not too difficult) and she was a key demographic for this payment method yet she and millions of others were still initially unclear as to the product offering that sat behind the advert.
I was always told never to underestimate your audience but equally, never overestimate either.

It was not until 2015 that Contactless was finally embraced by modern society and by us all. 
Well, most of us.
Sensational articles regarding "card clash" which many thought occurred in a game of Snap or we all heard the story of a friend who had their Contactless credit card stolen and thieves ran up a £50,000 bill in an hour.
You will have heard this story but the amount stolen rises each time the story is passed on.
For clarification, your Issuing Bank holds the liability if your card is ever stolen so you won't get hit with a huge bill but then never let the truth get in the way of a good story.

Now we look for Contactless because we are all uber busy for example, I was far too busy when I went into Costa for my "flat white (with an extra shot) therefore it was Contactless all the way.
Fumble with change? Key in my PIN number?
I was a busy man and had meetings in the Wharf to attend and those "key verticals" remember.

Which eventually brings me to Contactless in the Charity sector.
Thanks for getting this far.
I was setting the scene.

There is now the functionality which is being pioneered whereby one can hold their phone against the window of a charity shop to make a donation.
It's less cumbersome than going into the shop to drop a quid off as God forbid we would have to speak to anyone these days but on the plus side, it could (and does) drive up the donation of the ATV - Average Transaction Value.
What could have been a 50p loose change donation can become a £2 one.

Wearable card readers are worn by one particular animal charity that have "Tap Dogs".
Their dogs wear a coat that contains a Contactless Payment device.
Give the dog a hug and donate.
Genius on many levels.

There are also "Smart Benches" whereby one can charge their phone whilst also making  a donation.

There is of course no charge for a payment in cash but there is for one made via a card or a mobile device and this fee is called the MSC - Merchant Service Charge.
This is a small fee that any shop, restaurant etc.......pays their bank for every card payment.
The plus side though is that as mentioned a 50p cash donation can and does, become converted and uplifted to say £2.00.

I'm old enough to remember the first Children in Need from 1980 as viewers pledged money by sending an assortment of cheques and cash in.
Now for Children in Need, it's a text, online payment and if you are really antiquated, you ring up and give your cards details to someone on the night.
Oh and there is always a cheque but that means you having write it out and then post.
How terribly inconvenient.
Many say it is the technology companies that are driving all this and to an extent, this is true but the reality is that consumers are also pushing for this.
Build and it and they will come or, on the other hand, a classic case of supply and demand.
It's a close call.

For what it's worth, I think this sector should embrace Contactless, especially Fundraisers in the street as the rest of modern society is benefitting from Contactless technology so why should the NFP sector not either?
It's important not to be left behind when the opportunity is available and popular.

Besides, it is for Charity...

Darren Grady
Open Age, W10.