UTP Pro, which is approved by Barclaycard and accredited by both Mastercard International and VISA Europe, officially launches on 1 April and is expected to rollout to thousands of businesses by the end of 2021. This will include businesses across the in-store retail and hospitality sectors that have been particularly hard-hit by pandemic and the lockdowns that have followed.

UTP Group prides itself on being the only card processing company in the market that provides Faster Processing; processing transactions and getting those funds to its clients on the same day, in batches throughout the day or even within an hour. These new payment terminals, adapted from A920 Pax machines, build on this as each utilises a new Android operating system. This means an array of enhanced features will immediately open up for businesses and present new opportunities to engage staff, serve customers and continue to seamlessly provide transaction funds to its clients as we start to emerge from the national Covid-19 lockdown. 

UTP believes technology has a key role to play in this, as the UTP Pro terminal will come with an Electronic Point of Sale (EPoS) application as standard, along with a reporting app that will give live updates to the user. This will allow them to easily see such statistics as the value and volume of transactions that each reader has processed, the most popular items they have for sale and when they are busiest.

Data provided by the UTP Pro will help businesses to anticipate demand and stay informed when planning stock management and staffing rotas, ultimately improving cashflow management and business efficiencies. 

In theory, anyone will be able to develop applications for the Android Store, meaning there is now a possibility for businesses to ‘shop around’ and personalise the readers they have in-store, so they are more suited to the specific requirements of each type of business, whether it be a busy pub or a small hair and beauty salon.

Michael Ault, founder and CEO of UTP, said: “The timing of the UTP Pro launch is significant. As a nation we are on the cusp of opening up fully again in the wake of Covid-19, and businesses need all the support they can get when it comes to catching up on lost revenue."

“The development and rollout of the UTP Pro payment devices is just the first step in a plan to ensure our customers are well-equipped to deal with new in-store environments and changing consumer needs. As part of this we are offering this new feature-rich machine at the same price point as our existing terminals."

“Smart and adaptable payment devices play a key part in the future of business in the UK, and so, the majority of our new readers going forward will run on an Android OS. By using these new machines, all our clients will benefit from a solution that is future-proofed, and which also includes tools that will make it easier for them to run and grow their business.”

For more information on the UTP Pro payment devices, please visit www.utpgroup.co.uk/card-machines/utp-pro.