Don�t Show Me the Money - Shepherd Wins Contract for Card Payment Giant

14 November 2013 | Updated 01 January 1970

Shepherd FM will provide a range of facilities management services to a number of WorldPay offices across the UK, including sites in London (excluding the Walbrook), Gateshead and Cambridge. The £7.5m deal, which went live on the 1st November, has options to run through to 2018.

The total FM contract will see Shepherd FM work in partnership with WorldPay and its suppliers to develop a one team approach which encourages innovation and strives to eliminate inefficiencies.

Noel Clancy, Chief Executive of Shepherd FM, said: "Our ideal client is one who values business continuity coupled with a five-star customer experience. WorldPay scores high on both those counts and at a time when so many are focusing purely on cost, it has been refreshing to work with a client who understands value.”

Stuart Charlton of WorldPay said: “We were impressed with the attitude, professionalism and attention to detail demonstrated by the entire Shepherd FM team throughout the tender process. We have every confidence we can form a partnership and in doing so make our facilities best in class.”

WorldPay employs over 3,000 staff globally and processes almost half of all card transactions in the UK.

Almost three quarters (71%) of people in the UK are now expressing concerns or dissatisfaction with having to use or handle cash to pay for goods and services. Research* from WorldPay Zinc, the mobile pay-as-you-go Chip & PIN payment service, reveals that UK consumers are increasingly turning their backs on cash as a means to make payments, due to security fears and the inconvenience of withdrawing money.

WorldPay Zinc survey

According to a recent survey by WorldPay Zinc, half of people feel anxious when carrying lots of cash, rising to 54% amongst women, and over a third (37%) don't like visiting ATMs to withdraw funds. Nearly a third of consumers (32%) would 'feel much safer' if they didn’t have to carry any cash on them at all.

The survey of over 5,000 consumers found that cash is increasingly being viewed as inconvenient and unsafe, particularly for transactions over the value of as little as £10. Over half (53%) of consumers surveyed feel that they have more protection on purchases made with debit or credit cards as opposed to cash, thanks to the protections provided by the Consumer Credit Act and Chargeback schemes for debit card payments. As a result, consumers are carrying less cash on them than previously. 57% of people typically carry less than £20 on them, whilst two thirds (67%) have less than £30 at home. Almost half (44%) of people now use less cash than they did three years ago, with only 12% saying that they use more.

Geraldine Wilson, MD of WorldPay Zinc, said: "Consumers carrying less cash in their pockets may not cause an issue for larger high street stores but it has huge implications for small businesses and sole traders who often collect payment at their customers' homes or away from a fixed business location. Mobile workers need to recognise that consumers are falling out of love with cash and need to be able to offer a range of payment options."

* WorldPay commissioned research of consumer attitudes to payments in 2013. 5,176 online interviews were conducted with UK consumers (18+ year olds) during April 2013. Respondents were sampled from a range of regions across the UK. Research was conducted by Loudhouse, an independent research agency based in London.

Article written by Brian Shillibeer | Published 14 November 2013