As the world grapples with the repercussions of the Coronavirus Pandemic, stepping out of the

the house has become equivalent to entering a battlefield. As a result, consumers carry their masks and sanitizers as weapons and maintain a distance of 6 feet from any potential sneeze attack when they buy essentials to survive this battle. But, for viruses as contagious as this one, consumers are bound to keep their eyes open for sneak attacks too.

At the battlefront

Researchers have pointed out that apart from obvious threats like human contact, even objects can carry the virus for up to a few hours. Even though the movement is restricted, money is always being circulated. And many steady hands have trembled in accepting payments or change after some of India’s top banks revealed that cash and credit card machines are prone to carry infections and spread the virus. Even the National Payments Corporation of India and the WHO have recommended contactless payments to avoid the COVID-19 spread.

In response, consumers in India have quickly adapted to the social distancing way of shopping by making digital payments that enable them to make zero-touch payments through SMS and QR payments using their preferred payment apps.

Join forces to fight the enemy

Not only have customers started adopting smarter and safer methods to pay, but big businesses are also investing in the best payments solution which allows them to complete end-to-end financial transactions with their customers, supporting every instrument and method their customers prefer.

Their billing systems get integrated with these payment solutions and allow customers to pay

through any QR based app. And these solutions are not just available to help big online businesses operating on a large scale. They also enable small merchants to indulge in a range of digital payment options that allow them to accept payments on their mobile phones and help them find a better way to manage their inventory. This helps them to manage and maintain their front-end as well as back-end operations simultaneously. Kirana stores and small pharmacies are evolving by integrating with technology to provide a safe, remote-friendly and frictionless payment experience to their customers.

The victor emerges

While it is easy for big businesses to adapt to new technology while keeping their customers in the forefront, it becomes difficult for smaller stores to do the same with limited knowledge and resources but technology is making it easier and simpler for them to adapt to this new environment. However, the fear of the COVID-19 spread combined with the availability of safe and convenient technology has stimulated all businesses to adopt digital or zero-touch payment methods. These not only enable them to solve the issue of cashless payments today but would empower them to scale their businesses and secure more customers in the years to come.