Payment services provider First Data has established an alliance with hospitality and travel POS solutions provider MICROS-Fidelio to deliver a solution which allows foreign currency EFTPOS payments within Australia.

The alliance claims to have delivered an Australian-first platform with the ability to provide currency conversion options.The solution, called dynamic currency conversion, allows hospitality operators to offer foreign credit card holders the option of charging their payments in their home currency at the POS.  According to the providers, this is an attractive offering to foreign travellers as it allows them to keep track of their expenditures against their card credit limits in their home currency; minimising the impact of exchange rate fluctuations between the time of sale and the time the purchase is billed.

Australian seafood restaurant Doyle’s was the first site to go live with the system. Doyle’s Seafood Restaurants proprietor, Peter Doyle said, “Implementing this system has allowed Doyle’s to reduce costs, increase revenue and offer far faster bill settlement to customers at its multiple sites.”
 
“The alliance with MICROS-Fidelio and delivery of this solution reflects First Data’s continued focus on driving competition by giving merchants access to cost-effective, highly productive electronic payment options and business-building EFTPOS systems, ” said Greg Nash, managing director of First Data International in Australia, New Zealand and South Asia.

“The combined strengths of MICROS-Fidelio and First Data creates a platform for the delivery of an integrated EFTPOS solution that delivers wide-ranging benefits and efficiencies to merchants in the hospitality and hotel industries.”

Stefan M. Piringer, president of Micros Fidelio - Asia Pacific, said, “Partnering with First Data was the critical part of making this alliance truly work for our customers. The industry wanted a solution that enhances workflow, staff productivity and customer service.” 

First Data plans to integrate with the full suite of MICROS-Fidelio products to enable transaction processing initially in Australia, with a view to rolling out the solution in Asia Pacific within the next three years.