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Paypod™ Helps Sixth-Generation Family Bakery Pivot With the Times

Overview

Lewis Freeman knows that it takes adaptability to keep a small family business running successfully for nearly 200 years. As managing director of Dunns Bakery, the sixth-generation artisan baker is continuing a legacy that began when his great-great-great grandfather opened the first Freeman family bakery in 1827. Dunns is a London institution that provides cake decoration, patisseries, confectioneries, bread, sandwiches, rolls and salads to big crowds of regular customers.

When the UK’s first COVID-19 lockdown hit, Lewis quickly set up bicycle delivery to customers who were self-isolating and proceeded with plans for a second storefront shop. Despite subsequent local restrictions throughout the year, Dunns’ Muswell Hill branch opened for business in late 2020. It was even able to offer customers a safe and easy way to pay with cash, thanks to the Paypod™ pay station by CPI.

Food & Drink
,
UK

A Clean Start

Paypod is a hands-free payment automation solution that anticipated the need for cleaner cash handling long before the COVID-19 pandemic began. With the Paypod solution, all currency is exchanged directly between customers and the unit. Its note and coin recyclers accept cash and automatically dispense the correct change, so there’s no risk of contamination between money, staff and food. Cash transactions take place faster and more accurately without the processing fees associated with credit and debit cards. It even detects counterfeit bills. “The pandemic had been forcing us to encourage our customers to use plastic as much as possible,” Lewis explained. “The Paypod device allows us to accept cash in a more secure and hygienic way.”

Dunns Bakery Paypod

Not All Created Equal

The Dunns team takes pride in meeting customers’ high expectations. Lewis expects the vendors that he works with to do the same. He knew exactly what he wanted in an automated pay station: quality product, pain-free process and excellent service from initial enquiry to aftermarket care. After looking into manufacturers online, he spoke directly with a customer who provided a testimonial on the Paypod website, and then with CPI, to cement his decision. “Other companies really only seemed interested in selling machines, whereas CPI offered the whole package,” he explained. Paypod can be installed directly on or embedded into a counter or display in less than an hour, allowing retailers to upgrade their payment systems quickly and without hassle. “The embedded Paypod complements the ergonomic design of our counters,” Lewis said, “and the technical drawings that CPI provided our cabinet makers were spot on, so it fit perfectly.”

 

C2POS

 

CPI also worked closely with the POS supplier, C2EPOS, who created Dunns’ uAPI interface to integrate Paypod into the new system. Alternatively, Paypod’s POSlinq™ software easily connects with existing Windows POS systems and can operate independently from the POS if the provider requires. It records cash with 100-percent accuracy and manages transactions from start to finish.

We had high expectations regarding service, quality and performance. Paypod met all of them

Stress-free Cash Management

Cash registers can be unreliable and difficult to reconcile at the end of the day. Paypod makes accounting easier and supports your staff with secure, world-class technology. Dunns’ shop manager of 20 years, Rebecca Stapleton, realised the benefits of Paypod’s cash management capabilities right away. “Paypod has made cashing up quicker for us since there are no longer any counting errors, note disputes or discrepancies,” she said.

When it comes to something as conventional as cash, it’s not uncommon for people to be wary of new technology. Dunns’ employees range from veterans who have worked there for decades to students from local secondary schools. “We all love Paypod!” Rebecca exclaimed. “It significantly eases pressure on our staff and lets them concentrate on serving customers without worrying if their register will balance at the end of the day.” Dunns’ customers are loving Paypod too. “They are excited about it — especially the elderly, children and tradespeople,” Rebecca said. “We’ve had a lot of customers who have started to pay with a card, realized we are taking cash and then chosen to pay cash instead so that they can try it out.”

If Paypod was taken away, the customers would miss it, and we would miss it too

Highly Recommended

The results Patrick has seen with the Paypod system and the service he has received from the company have exceeded his expectations. “Our employees have more time now to engage with our customers to make sure they have a good experience and get feedback on areas where we could improve,” he said. “We’ve already recommended the Paypod solution to others many times!”

Lewis and Rebecca recommend Paypod from both a frontline and back office perspective. “It does what it says on the tin,” Lewis explained. “We had high expectations regarding service, quality and performance and Paypod met all of them.” “If Paypod was taken away, the customers would miss it, and we would miss it too,” said Rebecca. “Its impact has been huge!”