Enhanced PCI security lands Access a third keyboard roll-out from Clarks
Access IS has won an order for 1250 custom point-of-sale keyboards from Clarks.
The keyboards will be deployed in all of Clarks’ 550 UK and Ireland stores. This is the third occasion that the company has provided POS keyboards for Clarks stores. Clarks began using UK-manufactured keyboards from Reading-based Access IS in 1998 and Access has remained their main supplier of these devices since that time.
Commenting on the order, Access IS Managing Director Roger Wylie said ” We are proud to have been selected by Clarks to supply their POS keyboards for the third time. Our products have proved to be exceptionally reliable in Clarks stores and their replacement in 2004 and again this year has only been brought about by the enhanced security standards relating to acceptance of chip enabled payment cards. Otherwise I am sure that the existing keyboards would have had a substantially longer life.”
Clarks staff will benefit from the familiarity of the keyboard whilst the hardware has been updated with a USB interface, MSR swipe reader and Access developed an OPOS driver software to make the keyboard plug-and-play compatible with Clarks’ updated IT system. The MSR reader will be used for non-chip card enabled transactions that may be presented by international customers.
The keyset is arranged to give prominence to the major functions used during a transaction. Individual keys are customised in colour, with function keys arranged in a column on the right hand side of the keyboard that mimics the point-of-sale screen layout functionality. This speeds up transactions and improves the accuracy of data entry, so customers are served more quickly and effectively.
The keyboards take up minimum counter space. They are built around rugged steel chassis and each key-cap is manufactured using a two-shot moulding process. This means that the readability of key legends is maintained throughout the life of the keyboard. “I may have retired before these get replaced,” commented Wylie.
