No commission on amounts under €15. This is one of the most important news arriving thanks to the agreement signed last January between Intesa Sanpaolo and FIPE (Italian Federation of Public Establishments) in favor of the 100 companies associated with the Federation that operate in the catering, entertainment and tourism sectors.
The guidelines of the agreement are already clear. The purpose is to favor digital payments and avoid that some merchants, due to too low amounts and high commissions, refuse customers the possibility of making digital payments and exploiting the advantages of electronic money. With the new arrival, however, the "No, otherwise we won't earn anything" may no longer be contemplated.
In fact, the agreement between Intesa and Fipe provides that the commissions charged to the merchants are totally zeroed for all POS transactions whose amount is less than 15 euros. In this way, customers will be able to pay what they owe and merchants will not see an important part of their earnings go up in smoke. The news will be valid for bars, restaurants and for companies active in the tourism and entertainment sectors. Intesa has also planned the launch of a new marketing intelligence platform, called InfoSales, through which merchants equipped with POS will have the possibility of viewing sales trends, comparing them with those of competitors and analyzing customers' purchasing behaviour.
On the financing front, the agreement also establishes the creation of investment programs with dedicated conditions and innovative ways of accessing credit. Finally, there is an extension of the expiry of the loan reserved for the creditors of QUI! Group, the giant of meal vouchers led by the entrepreneur Gregorio Fogliani which has gone bankrupt.
“FIPE-Confcommercio members, new Intesa Sanpaolo customers, will also be able to count on the Best Premium package – reads a note – which includes a current account with unlimited transactions, with the possibility of including additional products and services at advantageous conditions”.
Leonardo Marseille, director of Fidicomet- Confcommercio Milano commented: "We consider the drive to spread digital payments to be very important with the elimination of commissions for all Pos transactions below 15 euros: on the one hand, this will allow savings for businesses, on the other hand, the diffusion of electronic money for small amounts in line with what happens in more developed countries. And for a reality like the Milanese one, where the relationship between entrepreneurs in the sector and foreign customers is the order of the day, that's not much”.
Mauro Federzoni, regional director of Milan and the province of Intesa Sanpaolo: “We felt it was important to respond with an agreement dedicated to the specific needs of FIPE members since catering, entertainment and tourism constitute a strategic sector for Italy. As a banking partner we wish to contribute to the growth and development of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the area, offering innovative services and facilitating access to credit thanks also to the diffusion of a better financial culture".
