These days, cash is just one way for your food truck customers to pay. As soon as you also incorporate digital purchasing methods into your business model, you will find that you can serve a greatly expanded group of diners.
But now that the payments landscape is shifting, you are probably asking what you need to know about security to ensure that your business and clients are safe.
Make your point of sale system ironclad
Choose a POS that is PCI compliant, features EMV and contactless options, encrypts payment data, is protected with strong passwords, and is updated regularly.
No doubt, you know how a POS works, at least when it comes to the way it reads data from customers’ cards and phones and sends it on for payment processing. But were you aware that your point of sale system is also packed with numerous other features designed to streamline virtually every aspect of your mobile eatery’s functions?
Because it can be used to gather, store, retrieve, and report about a plethora of data points, one of your first priorities should be to bolster the system against fraudsters and digital thieves.
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard has been developed to protect the cardholders you serve. This set of measures contains standards with which you and your payment processing company must abide.
Following them to the letter minimizes the likelihood and effects of a data breach and legally protects you should one occur.
Attention to the security of your POS is a daily priority. To that end, keep its software updated to the latest version to furnish the best shields against breaches.
Additionally, you and any staff with access to your POS system must develop strong, unique passwords that are changed regularly to guard against unauthorized access.
Lock down your mobile payment processing
If you have a POS for food trucks, you will also most likely want to use it to accept mobile payments via your smartphone or tablet.
If this is the case, it is crucial that your internet connection is as secure as possible. In lieu of public networks, opt instead for a VPN. Alternatively, you could connect to your smartphone’s wifi hotspot.
The card reader that you connect to your smart device must also be secure. Be sure that you choose one from a reputable payment processor.
Whenever possible, encourage customers to use iPhone Tap to Pay when completing their food purchase. This method is very secure, integrates with your POS’s electronic receipt tools, and can be accomplished within seconds, speeding up your checkout line.
Handle cash with care
Even though many customers will prefer to pay digitally, you will still want to accept cash for those who do not. Since keeping large amounts of money on hand leaves you vulnerable to theft, try to keep quantities to a minimum.
Invest in a secure cash box or register to store the money, and make regular deposits at the bank.
Most importantly, implement strategies to prevent your own employees from stealing from you. Clear procedures and regular reconciliation help to boost workers’ accountability.
Safeguard online payments
Many modern food trucks boost their walk-up traffic with online pre-orders. If that sounds like you, make sure that your transactions are processed through a secure online gateway that screens and encrypts all data.
Obtain a secure socket layer certificate (SSL) for your website to ensure that the data being transmitted between your customers’ browsers and your server is encrypted.
Finally, store all customer data on third-party systems. This helps to protect your servers from attack and shifts liability and regulatory compliance obligations to your payment processor.
Cash has its place, but it’s time to elevate your food truck’s payment options. When you keep these security-related issues at the top of your priority list, you can offer augmented choice while continuing to protect your systems and the customers you work so hard to serve.
North is a leading financial technology company that builds innovative, frictionless end-to-end payment solutions designed to simplify and grow businesses of all sizes. From the front door, to the back office, the developer world, and partnerships that expand the payments landscape, North offers proactive, comprehensive merchant services, in-house processing, and more.
