How EFTPOS Air makes running a multi-service mobile business easier

David Cook started a relocations business to help customers save time and eliminate stress with a range of services customised to meet their needs. “Let us take care of everything,” he tells them.

At the end of every move, he checks in on a job well done and takes payment with the handy no-hardware mobile app, Westpac EFTPOS Air.

What we’ll cover:

• How David Cook started a unique 5-star mobile business
• The way Westpac EFTPOS Air improves business cash flow
• Why customers are amazed by the convenient tap-to-pay mobile app

 

Being able to accept credit and debit card payments with tap on phone technology has been a game changer for successful mobile business owner David Cook.

 

The Gold Coast-based entrepreneur runs all-in-one moving company Cook Relocations, which offers six services, including removals, bond cleaning, storage, packing materials, pressure washing and handyman services, on the Gold Coast and in the greater Brisbane area.

 

With 5-star Google reviews and big-name clients like Sotheby’s and Meriton, his mobile business assists everyone from families moving to a new house, to businesses changing location, or cashed-up retirees transporting antiques and fine art.

 

While he relies on members of his handpicked team, which ranges from 15 to 30 depending on how busy the schedule is, to deliver premium services, it’s Cook who’s always on hand to check on a job well done and manage the payment process.

 

“We pride ourselves on offering superior, old-fashioned customer service that’s personalised to customers’ needs,” he says. “They deal with just one person making all the arrangements instead of having to co-ordinate multiple suppliers.”

 

Because he’s meeting with multiple customers daily in different locations, using a mobile payment option that’s simple, easy and secure, with no need for additional hardware, makes perfect sense as a payment solution. 

 

“Having a point of sale (POS) machine that has to be plugged in to be charged may work for office-bound businesses, but Westpac’s EFTPOS Air app means I can accept credit and debit cards, as well as Apple Pay and other digital wallets and wearables, using tap on phone technology at any location. ”^1,2

 

The ability to preload products and services for simple selection makes transacting on the go straightforward, while the dashboard helps keep track of sales and service history.

 

Cook also appreciates the security of EFTPOS Air as all payments data is fully encrypted in the same way as it is for an EFTPOS machine – so he can assure his customers that their personal details are protected.

 

Says Cook: “Clients think being able to use a mobile app for card payments is amazing. And it allows for safe, effortless payment on completion of the job.”

 

In this Q and A, Cook shares some take-outs from his mobile business experience, including the challenges of moving a sofa that was too big to fit in the lift into a 37-floor building.

Why did you set up your mobile business?

My uncle has 20 removal trucks in Melbourne, so I have been around the business for over 30 years. I also have a background in real estate and sales.

 

I started Cook Relocations because I saw a gap in the market, and I’ve put my skillset to work.

Moving is very stressful and time consuming and people can spend hours trying to work out what packing materials they need, or co-ordinating removalists, cleaners, storage and more.

 

Cook Relocations’ all-encompassing service means customers can have as little or as much help as they want.

 

We just booked a relocation to Emerald (in central Queensland) that included packing, moving, a bond clean, carpet clean and transporting the client’s car. We look after all sizes of jobs ranging from $500 to $25,000, based on the customer’s needs.

 

If you have a typical four-bedroom house and you’re time-poor, we come in with a crew of three, to complete a standard move and pack everything in four to six hours. Our mobile business service eliminates the hassle of two to three weeks of running around like crazy.

What does a typical day in your mobile business look like?

From the time I get up at 6am until I go to bed at 10pm I have a to-do list that has dozens of items and it’s full steam ahead.  The phone rings all day with contractors, real estate agents and private customers.

 

Every day there are challenges to solve but it doesn’t matter if something goes wrong, you solve it. Sometimes we arrive on a job and it’s pouring down with rain, for example, but instead of walking wetness into the house, we use special floor coverings.

 

We live by our mottos. No damage at all. Let us take care of everything. Let your next move be memorable for the right reasons.

 

How you conduct yourself is also very important. You don’t get a second chance at a first impression. Everyone who works for me wears a uniform and looks clean and tidy.

What are the most difficult items your relocation business moves?

We take pianos up and down stairs all the time. One lady had a grand piano we had to move past a chair lift with half an inch of space on either side. Another couple owned a really big three-seater leather sofa – in fact it was around three metres long – that they wanted to move into their apartment on the 37^th floor.  It was too big to fit in the lift and it took a team of four two days to get it up the stairs. We are a solutions-based mobile business.

How has using Westpac EFTPOS Air as a payment solution helped your mobile business?

Having multiple jobs running on a daily basis, the ability to seamlessly take payments on the go has been a game changer.

 

After payment is made via Westpac EFTPOS Air, I get the money in my bank account the same day.⁴ As an SME business, cash flow is key to a smooth operation. I was with another payment provider who wouldn’t credit the money until the following day, or until the Monday, if I took payment after 3pm on Friday.  

 

The application process was so easy, too. I opened a business transaction account, then filled out an EFTPOS Air application, and I was online in 45 minutes. But if you do need any help, the 24/7 assistance is there through a support line.

 

The payment fees are also competitive  . There are no monthly fees or set-up costs – you just pay a 1.4% surcharge per transaction³, which helps with cost control. 

What future plans do you have for your mobile business?

I want to have five or six trucks in multiple locations, 10 teams of cleaners and storage solutions across Australia. Our trucks are fitted out with high-end packing blankets, trollies and dollies, allowing us to facilitate any job on the go. Our packing materials are sourced from recycled sustainable materials to help reduce our carbon footprint.

 

Our goal is to grow to the industry leader in the moving industry so that, when people think of moving, they think of Cook Relocations.

 

Apply directly for the Westpac EFTPOS Air app.