In June 2015, First Data launched a new and improved addition to payment technology and service solutions with the Clover Mini. This POS solution provides business owners with an all-in-one way to make keeping track of transactions as well as processing those transactions for business owners. Payments are facilitated in what is a safe and secure environment for both the customer data and business data.
The Clover Mini meets the newest requirements to be part of the marketplace in the 21st Century. Most payment types are accepted with the Mini, including PIN Debit, EMV Smart Chip Cards, and NFC transactions. Those who already have a Clover device will find that the Clover Mini operates with the same power as the original Clover Station, but it does so in a smaller and more convenient package.
Clover Mobile offers the same versatility that Clover Mini does, but in a smaller package. A delivery driver or wait staff can take the Clover Mobile or Clover Go with them as they move around.
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| Clover Station, Clover Mini, and Clover Mobile |
Cloud, Security, Touchscreen and Support
Unlike most point of sale hardware, Clover Mini cloud based which allows business owners to manage their small business from anywhere. Any place that has a computer, tablet, or mobile device will allow a business owner to make a change or check on the Mini.
There are many layers of security and data protection, which includes mutually-authenticated SSL/TLS solutions and built in TransArmor Solution, which is designed to protect against fraud as well as to protect customer data.
The screen is a seven-inches and made from Corning Gorilla Glass that can display a PIN pad for debit transactions or capture signatures for credit transactions. There is also a built-in printer and a front facing camera that makes it easy to accept checks, as well as to perform QR code reading and barcode reading.
By being part of the Clover family, the Mini is not left alone on an island. The support from Clover is thorough, and there are at least 100 apps available from Clover, which makes it great to find the tools you need for your small business.
Payment Methods
Apple Pay® is one of the systems that Clover Mini supports, and it can accept in-person payments, as well as in-app payments. In-Person payments from Apple Pay® are built into the Clover Mini, unlike earlier generations of Clover devices. All a customer is required to do is tap their iPhone 6 near the Clover Mini, and as long as the device is registered with Apple Pay® the transaction will go through. Because of the convenience, the security provided by the Clover Mini when conducting these transactions is second to none.
You can also use in-app payments when using Apple Pay®. If a user has an iPhone 6, in-app payments will allow the customer to order and pay at once. For a restaurant, the customer would be able to order ahead, and self-checkout, making the transaction easier for the customer, and less employee intensive for the restaurant.
Benefits Using Clover Mini as a Growing Business
There are several advantages for smaller businesses in using Clover Mini. One advantage is called Perka Rewards which is essentially a loyalty program. Perka Rewards is free to create, and there are no hidden strings that customers only learn about later. One version is the lite version of Perka Rewards which allows a customizable listing in the Perka app, integration with the Twitter and Facebook databases, in-store signs, and a dashboard that allows the user to track usage.
There is also a more powerful version that offers features that will automatically check in using Bluetooth beacon features, real-time specials and notifications, and detailed customer data. This should be just about everything a business needs to reward customers for returning, and therefore in growing their business. A new business can start out with the less expensive lite version, and then move on to the more robust system as the company grows.
Commerce Sync is another benefit of using the Clover Mini program. With this program, Clover estimates that their customers save an average of 300 hours each year from manual data entry. Think of how much more time you can spend getting your business to grow with 300 extra hours. Commerce Sync transfers daily sales information as one invoice and puts the data into QuickBooks or Xero. You can also get additional features to help you grow. You can have multiple locations, Sales by Category, various tax rates for businesses in different areas, and different payment methods.
An excellent tool from Clover Mini is Insightics Solution, which offers a glimpse into customer analytics. This app allows a business to compare itself with nearby companies and similar businesses. These comparisons can be valuable in driving change.
Insightics
- Allows you to determine where you are and where you should be. You can even predict by looking at historical data to see where you should be right now. Then you can make changes to positively affect your future efforts
- Insightics helps you to get to know your customers by looking at who has been visiting your site. You can also determine how often people return to your business, and you can find out what people are buying. You can also make adjustments based on this valuable information.
- Insightics will also allow you to make your data simpler so that it offers you what you need to know to make appropriate decisions. You can break data into different customer groups, and then you can determine what is popular in rainy weather or snow, as well as what Christmas shoppers buy. All of this data is important in guiding your decisions to help your business grow.
Helpful Apps
One of Clover Mini’s most helpful free apps (downloaded from the Clover App Marketplace) is Time Clock by Homebase. This App allows you to track when employees clock in and out, as well as track breaks. People can declare cash tips; take advantage of server banking, and make a payroll ready timesheet ready to export. Homebase can also schedule employees. You can send employees their work schedules via email and text messages. You can manage time-off requests, and you can handle shift trades; all for free with Clover Mini.
Finally, for those who love to crunch data to make their business decisions, Clover Mini offers a dashboard login. This web-dashboard allows you to get real-time performance information about your business. You can even make some business changes in your business from your phone, computer, or tablet. With the dashboard, you can check sales hour by hour, or daily, weekly, or monthly. You can also check on sales metrics.
Summary
The Clover Mini offers businesses a great way to take care of their Smart POS. But the Mini does more than that. It gives the business owner an opportunity to monitor their business, and to make changes in the program as their business grows.
The Clover trademark and logo are owned by Clover Network, Inc., a First Data company. EMV® is a registered trademark in the U.S. and in other countries, owned by EMVCo, LLC. Apple Pay®, Apple, the Apple logo, and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Square and all other trademarks, service marks and trade names referenced in this material are the property of their respective owners.