Upgrading a PDQ Access unit for Chip Cards

[ScottV]

Our Access S Series units have swipe card readers, and we've been waiting patiently for PDQ to come out with upgrades to chip readers. I finally got a quote from my distributor and almost fell over. To upgrade 6 Access units will costs $88,000. OPW purchased ICS and that is who is now leading the effort on auto cashiers for PDQ. Not only is the conversion expensive, but they also plan on charging about $1,000 per site for annual service contracts.

Has anyone else received this good news yet? Have you done the upgrade? I'm interested in seeing what the auto cashier looks like when completed.

We have the Wash Access Loyalty System and our customers use it to save money. So I'm tied to a PDQ based auto cashier that will also support WALS, or I'd be looking at switching to Hamilton's or some other manufacturers. It really grinds my gears that the equipment manufacturers take every opportunity to screw over the operators.

 

[CheetahExpress]

We're in the exact same situation. I started out with PDQ's Tandem and their Access Unit. Although we switched to WashWorld equipment later down the road, we kept the Access because I have alot of customers tied into the WALS system. We are now planning to add another wash bay with a Razor and will add the new OPW unit as well as their upgrade to the existing Access. The price from the distributor came to over $56,000!!! I about fell over. At first, it was over $58,000, but we saved about $2,000 by eliminating the coin acceptor and $5 bill tray from the new unit. We'll be giving change in only $1's, like the original Access unit. To put it mildly, they've got us by the you-know-whats and it's a rip.

 

[soonermajic]

Why do you have to switch?

 

[ScottV]

Why do you have to switch?

Long story short, it's to meet PCIC compliance. As the credit card industry moves away from magnetic stripes, and focuses on chip cards or tap and pay, these card readers will be obsolete. Currently if a customer uses a chip card in an auto cashier with only a magnetic stripe reader, they can dispute the charge and the operator has no ability to refute it. That can get out of hand quickly once the consumers learn about it. I have had it happen a half dozen times already.

Why ICS can't come up with a new door which holds a different style card reader, and software update for the PDQ Access Units is beyond me. Instead they are trying to cash in by totally revamping the pay station including a new size display. I'm told that Hamilton's upgrade is approx $6,000 for the chip readers. That's a huge difference from the $14,600 that ICS is quoting. At those price points, they'll drive operators to purchase new Hamilton units going forward.

 

[MEP001]

Why ICS can't come up with a new door which holds a different style card reader, and software update for the PDQ Access Units is beyond me. Instead they are trying to cash in by totally revamping the pay station including a new size display. I'm told that Hamilton's upgrade is approx $6,000 for the chip readers. That's a huge difference from the $14,600 that ICS is quoting. At those price points, they'll drive operators to purchase new Hamilton units going forward.

You have summoned him...

 

[CheetahExpress]

Long story short, it's to meet PCIC compliance. As the credit card industry moves away from magnetic stripes, and focuses on chip cards or tap and pay, these card readers will be obsolete. Currently if a customer uses a chip card in an auto cashier with only a magnetic stripe reader, they can dispute the charge and the operator has no ability to refute it. That can get out of hand quickly once the consumers learn about it. I have had it happen a half dozen times already.

Why ICS can't come up with a new door which holds a different style card reader, and software update for the PDQ Access Units is beyond me. Instead they are trying to cash in by totally revamping the pay station including a new size display. I'm told that Hamilton's upgrade is approx $6,000 for the chip readers. That's a huge difference from the $14,600 that ICS is quoting. At those price points, they'll drive operators to purchase new Hamilton units going forward.

I just looked at the quote I received from our distributor and the Access Retrofit Kit - S Series was quoted at $11,495.00, which is a little over $3,100 less than the $14,600 they're charging you. Not sure who you're dealing with on this, but you might want to question them. The Refit Kit includes: "New Head Link, Control Panel, EMV Card Reader, 10.4" Touchscreen Display, New Fan and Heater Assembly, WashConnect, PCI Remediation & Nod32 Anti-Virus."