Most hospitality and retail businesses didn't choose a messy setup - they ended up with one.

A card machine got installed years ago. Then a new EPOS came in. Then the website was rebuilt by someone else. Then someone added online ordering, or a payment gateway, or phone payments… and suddenly you've got multiple suppliers, different support lines, and no one person accountable for how it all works together.

That's where we come in.

At Card Ease Tech, we carry out a completely free, no-pressure review of how you take payments and run your systems, and we do it across five key pillars:

Card Payments
EPOS / POS Systems
Websites & E-commerce
Remote & Online Payments
Independent Ongoing Support

The aim is simple: make sure everything is fit for purpose, identify hidden costs or friction, and show you clear improvements (if needed). If everything is already right, we'll tell you that too.

Card Ease Tech 5-Pillar Review Framework - showing Card Payments, EPOS/POS Systems, Websites & E-commerce, Remote & Online Payments, and Independent Support

Why this review is so helpful (and why most businesses never get it)

Most providers only look at their piece of the puzzle.

A card payment rep focuses on rates (often only the headline rate)
An EPOS provider focuses on selling software
A web agency focuses on design
A gateway provider focuses on integration
A "support" line focuses on closing tickets

But the real world doesn't work in neat boxes.

When your setup isn't joined up, the cost doesn't just show up as a line on a statement. It shows up as:

slower service at peak times
more mistakes and refunds
staff frustration and training problems
missed online orders
weak reporting (so you can't make confident decisions)
"rate creep" and quiet fee increases
finger-pointing between suppliers when something breaks

A proper review looks at the whole picture.

What "fit for purpose" really means (especially in hospitality)

A hospitality business is not the same as a shop. And even within hospitality, a busy pub is not the same as a restaurant, takeaway, hotel, or café.

So the first part of our review is not "selling you a system". It's understanding:

how you take orders (table service, bar service, counter, mixed)
your busiest times and bottlenecks
your menu complexity (mods, allergens, sizes, deals, bundles)
kitchen workflow (hot/cold/dessert/coffee stations)
whether you need handheld ordering or fixed terminals
how you currently handle refunds, tabs, tips, staff permissions
your online ordering and remote payment needs
what reporting you actually use (and what you wish you had)

Only then can we tell whether your current setup is working, or working against you.

The 5 Pillars Explained (What we review and why)

Pillar 1: Card Payments

Card payments are often where the "silent leaks" live. Even if your rate looks decent, costs can creep in through extras, penalties, and pricing structures that don't match your trading style.

We check things like:

Your true cost of taking cards (not just the headline rate)
Hidden uplifts, rate creep, extra fees, minimum monthly charges
Debit vs credit cost differences
Tips/gratuities handling (and whether it's clean for reporting)
Refunds and chargebacks - how often and why
Terminal suitability: bar service vs table service vs takeaway
Connectivity (Wi-Fi vs 4G failover, backup options)
Receipt choices: merchant copy vs customer copy, "no receipt unless asked"
Settlement timing: 7 days a week vs working days only (this affects cash flow more than people realise)
Support and replacement times when hardware fails

Outcome: clarity on what you're being charged, and whether you're set up in the fairest, simplest way.

Pillar 2: EPOS / POS Systems (Hospitality-focused)

This is the pillar that creates the most "hidden pain" day-to-day, because if EPOS is wrong, it slows everything down.

Here are the kinds of questions we work through with you:

Kitchen printing and workflow

Do you need printers in different sections (hot, cold, dessert, bar)?
Should each station only receive what they need to produce?
Are tickets clear and consistent (mods, allergens, table, course timing)?
Would kitchen screens (KDS) reduce paper, improve timing, and cut errors?
Do you need "hold / fire" functionality for courses?

Speed and usability at peak

Too many clicks to add common items or modifiers?
Slow menus, confusing layouts, staff struggling under pressure?
Can you build quick buttons for best sellers and upsells?

Staff control and accountability

Does each staff member have their own login?
Permission levels: who can refund, void, discount, open drawer, change prices?
Audit trail: can you see who did what and when?

Menu control

Are modifiers easy to add and control? (add-ons, removals, cooking preferences)
Can you handle bundles/deals (e.g., burger + drink) cleanly?
Are allergen notes and prompts easy and consistent?

Reporting that actually helps you

Do you get useful insights (best sellers, peak times, margin items, staff performance)?
Do you trust the reports enough to act on them?

Integration

Does EPOS connect properly to card payments (or are they separate)?
Does it sync with online ordering, booking systems, loyalty, accounting?

Outcome: a clear view of what's slowing you down, what's causing mistakes, and what would make service faster and smoother.

Pillar 3: Websites & E-commerce

A website that doesn't take payments properly is basically a brochure.

We check:

Is the site mobile-friendly and fast?
Are customers actually able to buy/book/order easily?
Is your payment gateway secure and set up correctly?
Are there drop-off points in the checkout journey?
Is click-and-collect / ordering integrated with how you run service?
Are you paying unnecessary monthly fees for tools you don't use?

Outcome: fewer lost sales online, simpler checkout, and a website that supports revenue.

Pillar 4: Remote & Online Payments (Phone, links, invoices)

This is where businesses often get caught out.

Many owners don't realise:

some providers apply uplifts for virtual terminal / phone payments
"keyed" transactions can cost more and be higher risk
taking card details over the phone raises compliance questions

So we look at:

Do you take phone payments, and are you paying extra for it?
Are staff trained to handle it safely and consistently?
Would pay-by-link (text/email) reduce risk and admin?
Would a pay-by-link app on the card machine be easier for staff and customers?
Are you doing deposits for bookings, functions, large tables?
Are you chasing invoices that could be paid instantly with a link?

Outcome: less friction, fewer payment delays, and safer remote payments.

Pillar 5: Independent Support (One point of contact)

This is the part people feel most.

Instead of juggling multiple suppliers and call centres, you get:

one person accountable
independent advice (not tied to one provider)
ongoing reviews as your business changes

Outcome: no finger-pointing, faster fixes, and someone who actually understands your setup.

Request my free 5-Pillar Review

The Card Ease Tech Checklist

(What we typically review during the free audit)

A) Discovery and "fit for purpose"

How you trade: bar/table/counter/takeaway/mixed
Peak-time bottlenecks and customer flow
Menu complexity and modifier requirements
Kitchen / service workflow and staffing
What you want your systems to do that they currently don't

B) Card payments and terminals

Statement review: rates, fees, uplifts, rate creep, extras
Settlement timing (7 days vs working days)
Terminal type: fixed, portable, handheld, multi-site
Connectivity resilience (Wi-Fi/4G backup)
Receipt settings (customer/merchant/no receipt unless asked)
Refund/chargeback patterns and prevention
Support speed and replacement process

C) EPOS / hospitality operations

Printer routing (hot/cold/dessert/bar) and ticket clarity
KDS screen suitability vs printers
Staff logins and permission levels
Void/discount/refund controls and audit trail
Menu build: modifiers, bundles, allergens, prompts
Table management, tabs, tips, splitting bills
Reporting usefulness and ease (what you use vs what you ignore)
Integration with payments, online ordering, booking, accounting

D) Website, gateway and online sales

Mobile speed, layout, and conversion
Checkout friction points
Gateway fees and suitability
Click-and-collect / ordering flow
Integration with EPOS and operations
Unused tools and unnecessary monthly costs

E) Remote payments and "get paid faster"

Phone payments: process, risk, extra charges
Pay-by-link by text/email
Deposits for bookings/functions
Invoice payment links and automated reminders
Staff workflow: easiest method under pressure

F) Recommendations and next steps

Clear list of issues found (if any)
What to keep vs what to improve
Options: lowest cost, best operations, best "all-round" setup
What a change would involve (including avoiding disruption)
Ongoing review plan (so it stays right)

What happens after the review?

You get clarity.

If everything is fair and working well, we confirm that and you carry on.
If there are issues, we show you exactly where they are and what your options look like.
If you choose to improve anything, we help manage it so it happens smoothly, with minimal disruption to your trading.

We're independent, so we're not tied to one provider or brand. That means we can recommend what's genuinely right for your business, not what pays us the most commission.

Why businesses trust this approach

Because it's honest, it's practical, and it's free.

We're not trying to sell you something you don't need. We're trying to make sure that what you already have (or what you're considering) actually supports your business properly.

Many of the businesses we work with found us after years of frustration:

being locked into expensive contracts
dealing with multiple suppliers who don't talk to each other
struggling with systems that don't quite fit
paying for features they don't use
missing out on features that would actually help

The 5-Pillar Review gives you the full picture and a clear plan forward.

Ready for your free 5-Pillar Review?

There's no obligation, no pressure, and no commitment required. We'll simply look at how you currently operate, identify any issues or inefficiencies, and provide you with clear recommendations.

If everything is already working well, we'll tell you that too.