ATM Pin Pads Are Easy to Use
ATM pin pads are designed to be user-friendly for the merchant, but especially for customers. Errors and complicated instructions would defeat the purpose of these electronic machines, which is to rapidly identify the card owner and process the transaction. Part of being easy to use is a large, ATM-style pad and a large, easy-to-read display.
The best of these card-present peripherals meet PIN-entry-device (PED) specifications generated by VISA and MasterCard. These specifications are meant to protect against tampering and fraud, which are potential problems with constant public use in retail or restaurant settings. ATM pin pads are compact, but they perform important multiple functions.
Substitute for Terminals
In some situations, ATM pin pads can be substituted for terminals, which handle more complicated financial transactions and have many more features. Grocery stores typically use pads to permit customers to swipe their debit cards and take payment directly out of their bank accounts. In these instances, the magnetic stripe reads the customer's identity and verifies the PIN when entered.
After swiping the card, the customer selects the appropriate category--debit or credit--and may choose to get cash back or not. Finally, the pads verify the purchase amount and close the real time transactions. Verifone PINpads set a high standard for these peripherals, for they come in hand-held or countertop designs, and all are ergonomically-designed. They are not only PED-compliant, but have capabilities beyond the ordinary pin pad.
