Cryptopay customer confusion

[Sequoia]

I've learned of some customer feedback making the rounds on Facebook regarding use of my new Cryptopay swipers.

A few people have pulled into an empty bay to find the meter running and "counting up" since the prior customer and credit card user didn't push the Stop button. Customers are speculating on social media whether the system will run forever if Stop is never pressed, essentially giving free car washes to each new person who pulls into the bay.

My pricing is $3 for 5 minutes. Max credit card charge is $10. I chose $10 since I have an oversize bay where trucks, large vehicles, boats, etc. come in to wash. So it won't run forever. And adding more signage about a max charge seems odd since the problem is caused by the customer not reading the signage in the first place. I am using the stock Cryptopay "count up" signs right adjacent to the swiper.

I'm thinking of adding a sign at the car wash street exit to prompt/remind customers to push the Stop button if they did not do that. Does anyone have any suggestions about other methods? Has anyone integrated a sensor so when the vehicle pulls out of the bay it electronically presses Stop. (I don't want to cut concrete for a loop detector though.)

Finally, I think part of this is the Cryptopay design. Unless you watch the bay timer very closely, there isn't really a good sensory input that the bay and credit card system is running. I got confused myself at first. When I first tried the system, the rotary switch was in the Stop position. I swiped my credit card and nothing happened (although it did turn the bay on, which I learned when I looked at the LED-7 timer.)

Perhaps I need a bright panel lamp, or blinking indicator light, that provides feedback that the equipment is on?

 

[MEP001]

I added a programmable relay to a Hamilton D.A.N. system so that when the customer turns to STOP the credit card button circuit would close briefly after five seconds, ending the CC transaction. It's a bit of an expensive option but it completely stopped the (at least twice a week) calls from customers about being overcharged. I had also noticed that when people left with the CC still running they almost always had turned to STOP anyway. This will work with Cryptopay too - I've opened up some units and soldered wires to the button terminals for an external cancel feature.

On a few Cryptopay installs I've done, I had custom full-door decals made printed with Cryptopay's instructions but changed the wording to "Press GREEN BUTTON to end credit card charges" and that seems to have helped a lot. The words "GREEN BUTTON" were in bold green text.

There are loop detector plates you can bolt to the floor - you still need a groove cut from the plate to the wall, but a single straight-line cut is a lot easier than a large octagonal one. It's fairly expensive for all the parts needed.

 

[Jeff_L]

Remove the stop option from the dial. That’ll force the customer to look for a way to stop the charges. Then put a sign pointing to the cryptopay button. Too bad you can’t flip the green circle on the button to flashing red.

 

[KleanRide]

I've got both the Crypto count up signs next to the meter box, and a sticker on the door that says "Press GREEN Button to stop credit card charges." Even with that I still get 4-5 customers per week driving off without hitting the stop button. Wiring in a stop function seems like a good idea, because some people will never read a sign or sticker. Oddly, though, of the dozens who have driven off since I installed crypto, I haven't had a single call asking about an overcharge, and quite a few of them have come back after their overcharge and figured out how to properly work the button.

 

[Sequoia]

I will make sure there is no "Stop" on the rotary switch. Perhaps that is part of the confusion. Adding the word 'green' might make it more specific.

I have heated slabs which is why I don't want to cut or even attach anything to them. Has anyone used video analytics? I know current model Hikvision cameras have an "object removal" detection. So if someone steals a bag it signals an alarm. That would have to be pushed into use instead if a vehicle left the bay?

Perhaps there is some other ceiling mounted PIR or equivalent that could detect a vehicle moving out of the bay?

 

[I.B. Washincars]

I will make sure there is no "Stop" on the rotary switch. Perhaps that is part of the confusion.

I have felt this way for years and have voiced it to some decal suppliers. That position should be labeled "OFF" and should be red letters on a white background, so it won't look identical to the "STOP" button. On the flip side, the aftermarket CC equipment suppliers need to own the bulk of this problem. This has been a huge complaint since day one on these systems. At the least, they should incorporate a place where we can tie into their STOP circuit, to trigger a time delay relay if the selector switch has been in the "OFF" position for 10 seconds or so.

 

[CarWashBoy]

I added a programmable relay to a Hamilton D.A.N. system so that when the customer turns to STOP the credit card button circuit would close briefly after five seconds, ending the CC transaction. It's a bit of an expensive option but it completely stopped the (at least twice a week) calls from customers about being overcharged. I had also noticed that when people left with the CC still running they almost always had turned to STOP anyway. This will work with Cryptopay too - I've opened up some units and soldered wires to the button terminals for an external cancel feature.

On a few Cryptopay installs I've done, I had custom full-door decals made printed with Cryptopay's instructions but changed the wording to "Press GREEN BUTTON to end credit card charges" and that seems to have helped a lot. The words "GREEN BUTTON" were in bold green text.

There are loop detector plates you can bolt to the floor - you still need a groove cut from the plate to the wall, but a single straight-line cut is a lot easier than a large octagonal one. It's fairly expensive for all the parts needed.

I had the same problem .. the problem is PUSH.. I made new sticker for Swiper and Signs to "TAP" the button to end charges.. problem gone.. try it yourself, and see how fast it shuts off charges vs. push..

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

akaDuane, I put these stickers right on the swipers when I first installed them. I very rarely get an unintended max charge. Maybe some variation of this would help - the key for me was putting it right on the swiper, virtually impossible not to see it.
(The "orange sign" is my price/instructions sign, right next to the coin box.)

 

[Jeff_L]

Where I have Cryptopay, I use a count down method. Would get calls all the time about "you charged me $x", where x is the pre-auth amount. Changed that pre-auth to $2, calls have ceased.

Where I have WashGear, I use a count up method. There I get calls on about the pending amount looking like a charge, rarely do I get a call about them driving off and not pressing stop.

I too have thought about using bay sensors from above to feed into a PLC to check for car present, credit card still on, etc. While it would be fun to build, I do wonder why I would want to add the expense to mask the inability of people to read the signs.

 

[KleanRide]

I do wonder why I would want to add the expense to mask the inability of people to read the signs.

Exactly. But I also think there's a connection between the rampant idiocy in our society and too many warning labels/signs. As a populous, we seemed to be much smarter back when we didn't try to stop people from bathing with their toaster, or sticking their head in a wood chipper. Now those people are surviving...and breeding...