The rise of cashless generosity: Ingenico’s Donation Totem paves the way in Hungary

It has been one year since the launch of Ingenico Hungary's new Donation 'Totem'. Although initially designed for church donations, it expanded to other areas, supporting the growth of 'cashless generosity'.

Ingenico Country Manager, Andras Bakonyi, looks back at the success of this innovative solution and shares key learnings from his experience. 

The need for digital donation solutions

Digital payments are today an integral part of our lives with contacless payments, in particular, having gained in popularity thanks to their convenience, security and speed. In Hungary, the number of cashless transactions is steadily growing, with cash now accounting for 42.9% of payment transaction volume. Its share of the total volume of payment transactions is expected to continue to decline as card transactions grow further in popularity.[1]

While this technological leap is transforming the way we carry out transactions, it has impacted traditional methods of charitable giving.

Recent research by Visa, found that nearly two-thirds of Hungarians donate regularly and that seven out of ten of those who donate regularly believe that paying by credit card makes support easier and simpler. The majority of donors currently donate via bank transfer or cash, but nearly half said they would use a credit card if given the opportunity.[2]

Today, it is therefore crucial to consider the need for contactless donation solutions to ensure the continued support for charitable causes.

I find the user experience easy and intuitive. On the colour touchscreen, donors can freely enter the amount of the donation and their PIN code. All types of contactless payments are accepted: bank card, smart devices, Apple and Google Pay. The solution can also be customised visually, through adding stickers to the plastic structure and displaying branded imagery on the touchscreen. As no internet connection is required, the device can be placed anywhere, even for just short periods of time.

Besides the solution itself, it is important that Ingenico offers the Donation Totem as part of a flexible service package, which includes all the necessary tools and software, its remote access and the SIM card required for communication. This means there are no significant upfront costs for charities, as they do not need to purchase the solution.

You can find out more about the Totem on our dedicated website: Ingenico Donation Totem (adomanyozototem.hu)

How successful is this solution today?

Whether it's an event fundraiser, a cultural centre or a community church, Ingenico’s Donation Totem makes it convenient for anyone with a smartphone or payment card to contribute. One year on from its launch and the solution is now in use by over 50 organisations in Hungary, from small charities and churches to Hungary’s ambulance service and the country’s largest children’s hospital.

This growth has been supported through Ingenico’s new partnership with Change Hungary. Together we launched a fundraising terminal programme, helping to promote the Totem and increase its distribution. A successful collaborative campaign was also run from September to October, involving Change Hungary, VISA and the National Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SINOSZ), aimed at promoting contactless donations while supporting charitable giving.

One solution and various use cases. Let me share with you some key learnings…

A key finding is that location is of top importance for the success of the Totem. Devices should be located in a frequently visited place. We tend to put them in corners, out of the way to protect them, but actually by having them in corridors they are more visible and therefore more effective.

The other learning I want to share is the importance of communication. As donation is on a voluntary basis, we tend not to promote it enough. However, from my experience the owner should talk about it as much as possible in order to raise awareness. We have analysed the performance of all of the Totems in Hungary and found that the highest performers communicate to their followers through multiple channels: online and at the location with roll-ups, posters, flyers, etc. This works, people got used to it and we have very good feedback from such places.

Last, but not least, the user experience! It must be seamless. When a donor goes through a hassle-free, secure and fast donation experience, they will be happy to give again at other opportunities. Donation no longer has to involve the embarrassment of asking for change when giving a large note.

I am proud to see that at Ingenico, our expertise in payments has had such a positive impact on people’s lives. Making payment transactions easy encourages donors’ generosity. I hope that during this season of giving, charities and organisations can benefit from the solution, to bring in their much-needed donations over the festive period.

Sources:
[1] Ingenico analysis 2023
[2] VISA campaign (2023), ‘Learn to Give’, available at: https://www.visa.hu/tanulj-meg-adni.html