Banker S.A. January 2014 | Page 41

‘It is crucial that retailers begin aligning retail NFC within their IT strategy now in order to take advantage of the full potential of mobile commerce, and to make the mobile wallet a viable reality for customers.’ also be looking to upgrade devices to take contactless payments. Any investment in POS infrastructure today should include a roadmap for NFC enablement. Without doing so, retailers risk being left behind. They may also eventually be forced, by stakeholders and customers, to commit to future upgrades which would incur a higher cost than a planned, phased roll-out that takes into account existing POS evolution roadmaps. Technological innovation will play an increasingly powerful role in retail strategy. For the consumer, these new platforms will bring the attraction of greater convenience and better service. For retailers, where image, promotions, seasonal pull and loyalty are important, new mobile and POS devices and applications will drive footfal