Paying with a Glance:
Considerations for when Adopting Face Payment Methods
Role: User Experience Designer
Background
NEC launches in to face payments with a proof of concept in the 2020 pipeline. COVID concerns creates demand for contactless processes. What should be considered on the road to improving customer experience?
The Goal
Research the current state of face payments to inform the business of the experience challenges to be considered.
UX Canvas
Business Problem
Cards & cash add friction at payment.
Labor & PCI compliance costs
Chargebacks
User Problem
Cash & cards are inconvenient.
Touching common surfaces.
Long lines for purchases.
Solution & Features
Fast, Secure, and convenient facial recognition based payments.
Business Outcomes
Increased transaction speed.
Decrease in labor costs.
Increased customer satisfaction.
User Outcomes
Less time waiting in lines.
Contactless checkout process.
Worry free of carrying cards & cash.
Users
Don’t like waiting to make a purchase
Ok with biometric capturing.
Looking for contactless options.
Hypothesis
If we do a great job on getting customers to choose the face payment method then they will enjoy less time in lines, contact-less checkout, and no need to carry cards/cash at hand.
Scenarios
Self-Service Kiosk
A customer uses an interface to place orders and make payments without employee assistance.
Requires touching a common surface.
Some learning needs to occur.
No employee needed.
Employee Point of Sale
An employee assists the customer by placing the order and collecting payment.
Can be contactless.
Employee is required.
NNG Case Study
In China, participants were observed and questioned when using face payments.
Ask for consent prior to taking biometrics.
Teach screens are need to explain the process.
Displaying which card will be charged in important.
Convenience does not outweigh security & privacy concerns.
Full Article
POPid Experience Review
POPid has a straight forward enrollment process. They use face payments at their restaurant locations in California.
Findings
Easy phone number based login, not username/password need.
Incentivizes users use it with a $25 credit.
Provides helpful tips for face capturing.
Side Note
Only one credit card can be saved. I can only assume that customer don’t need worry about which card is charged and it supports a fast checkout.
Perceptions to consider
The benefits of face payments can be achieved with certain people in specific contexts.
It is Convenient if customers…
Think using cash or a card is inconvenient at the time of purchase.
Frequent the same merchant and would prefer a faster method.
Have a time constraint and want to speed up the process.
It is Secure if customers…
Trust the entity taking their biometric data and payment information.
Perceive that their biometric data and payment information is securely stored.
Think that carrying credit cards & cash is insecure.
It is Safe if customers…
Experience a contactless checkout process.
Are not required to hand card/cash to merchant.
Challenges to overcome
Only a true touch less flow will help ease COVID worries.
Biometric identity & payment information for a one time purchase.
Negative connotations about Facial Recognition.
People will choose the familiarity of cash/cards over an uncertain process.
An unfamiliar registration process will adds friction.
Spoofing and failure with accuracy/lighting/angle can delay the purchase.
Contactless Alternatives
There other contactless options, face payment benefit from a proof of purchase photo and it’s hard to lose your face.
Final Thoughts
A customer must be able to experience the benefits of face payments in order to make the choice to adopt.
There are caveats to considered both for the customer and the merchant, in the right context face payments can be viable option.
Theme parks are a good use case because carrying cards/cash and waiting in long lines are inconvenient.