Barclays 2013 Annual Report Download - page 35

Marco Tripoli is a charismatic ladies’ fashion designer and
boutique owner in South-West London. He uses a
Barclaycard ePDQ terminal in his shop to take payment by
credit or debit card.
Marco’s tiny shop in Barnes is bursting at the seams with unique
handbags, jewellery and clothes – around half of which Marco designs
himself, the rest arriving twice weekly from all over Europe. His brand is
built on a few key selling points: commitment to quality, sustainability
and affordability, and a unique approach to customer service.
When women fall in love with a bag or dress at Tripoli’s, they’re not
constrained to a quick decision in a cramped fitting room. Thanks to
his Barclaycard ePDQ terminal, Marco can give his customer the option
to try before she buys, in the comfort of her own home.
“Many of my customers pop in on their way back from dropping the
kids at school and if they like something, they’ll take it with them to try
on at home,” says Marco. “That way, they can see how a dress looks
with their own shoes and accessories – or how one of my handbags
complements an outfit.”
After closing for the day, Marco calls personally at each of his
prospective customers’ homes. If they’ve decided against an item, it
goes back to the shop with him. And if they’ve decided to buy, Marco
simply uses his ePDQ terminal to take payment by credit or debit card.
“This works really well for people who have children and can’t come
back to the shop in the afternoon. It’s convenient for them and a much
friendlier way to do business. In fact, technology, often considered to
be faceless and impersonal, actually allows me to have a far more
personal service with my customers.”
Marco also uses his flexible payment machine at events all over
London. At a recent local fair, ePDQ helped him sell 45 tote bags -
purely thanks to the convenience of paying by card.
Marco is proud of his service-led, community-centric approach. 5% of
his net profits go to a local charity that helps the elderly and disabled -
and many of the small businesses in Barnes promote each other’s
services whenever they can.
These traditional, ethical business values are reflected in the high level of
personalised support that Marco’s had from his dedicated Barclaycard
account manager, Andy.
“He’s extremely proactive and offers advice whenever he can. He
recently recommended that I use an accounting package to manage
my daily expenditure and it’s saved me £200 a month in accountancy
fees. He really does go over and above what you’d expect.”
When Marco’s machine broke down the night before a big event in
Wimbledon, he simply called Andy and another one was flown
immediately from Scotland to London. “It arrived 15 minutes before the
event started,” says Marco, “You just can’t put a value on service like that.”
Payment flexibility
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