Imagine starting your day at the office – your employee ID automatically grants you a discount when getting your morning coffee at the office's coffee machine and special rates at the vending machine when you get an afternoon snack later that day. Meanwhile, visitors can easily make purchases using their preferred payment method at these same touchpoints but at full price. This is the reality that modern payment solutions are creating today. For spaces that serve both regular visitors and one-time guests, the key to this seamless experience lies in hybrid payment systems that combine the universal acceptance of open-loop payments with the personalised benefits of closed-loop solutions.

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Where Public Meets Private: The Payment Challenge

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Semi-public spaces exist at the intersection of public accessibility and private membership. Corporate offices, travel hubs, co-working spaces, theme parks, and libraries all share a unique challenge: serving both loyal members and casual visitors with equal efficiency. Consider a co-working space where members receive free coffee, snacks and discounted printing as part of their monthly membership, while visitors with a day pass need to pay full price for all the amenities. These venues need payment solutions as dynamic as their customers, capable of delivering both quick, frictionless transactions and personalised experiences across all their self-service points.

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Learning from the Leaders

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Starbucks has mastered the art of turning a simple coffee purchase into a revolution in customer engagement. Their approach is brilliantly simple: regular customers enjoy the convenience of their Starbucks Rewards mobile app, loading funds and paying with a quick scan, while occasional visitors can still pay however they prefer.

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The brilliance lies in how this serves everyone's interests. Loyal customers get seamless payments and personalized rewards, while Starbucks gains valuable customer insights and guaranteed return visits. Their targeted promotions, powered by rich customer data, create a cycle of engagement that keeps customers coming back. The success of this strategy speaks for itself – by 2022, 10% of their sales were flowing through the app.

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A large European grocery chain takes this concept further, showing how sophisticated payment systems can transform customer engagement. Their system recognises different customer segments and responds intelligently – turning everyday transactions into personalised experiences. Rather than offering blanket discounts, they create targeted promotions that make sense for each customer type, from daily visitors to occasional shoppers.

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The Power of Both Worlds

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The future of payments in semi-public spaces isn't about choosing between open and closed-loop systems – it's about harnessing the power of both. Open-loop payments bring universal accessibility, allowing anyone to pay with their preferred method. Closed-loop systems enable the personal touch, recognising regular users and rewarding their loyalty. Together, they create an ecosystem where every transaction is optimised for the person making it.

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Making Complexity Invisible

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This is where XPP’s KUARIO transforms the payment landscape. Like Starbucks' digital wallet, KUARIO’s solution enables businesses to create personalised payment experiences. Combining powerful user segmentation with seamless payment processing across vending machines, coffee machines, POS systems, and multifunctional printers.

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With KUARIO, businesses gain complete control over their payment experience, along with valuable insights into user behaviour and preferences. They can create different user groups and customise privileges for each  – from employees to VIP visitors to occasional guests. An employee might tap their company ID card (linked to their KUARIO App wallet) or scan with their KUARIO App for discounted coffee and free printing, while a VIP visitor receives complimentary vending vouchers, and regular visitors simply pay standard rates. Meanwhile, the KUARIO Management Dashboard provides data on usage patterns and preferences, helping businesses optimise their services. One system delivers both seamless payments and the insights needed to make smart business decisions.

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But what truly sets KUARIO apart is its comprehensive approach to payment management. KUARIO handles all clearing and settling of payments through a single financial contract, removing the administrative burden from businesses. This means organisations can focus on what matters most: creating exceptional experiences for their customers, whether they're employees using the digital wallet for their daily coffee and printing needs or visitors making one-time payments at vending points.

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The Future is Seamless

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As our world becomes increasingly connected, the line between regular and occasional customers continues to blur. Semi-public spaces need payment solutions that adapt to this reality – solutions that combine universal accessibility with personal recognition across all their self-service points. Through innovative approaches to hybrid payments, we're creating spaces where every transaction, whether it's a discounted employee coffee or a visitor's printing job, feels natural, efficient, and perfectly tailored to the person making it.

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The key isn't just in the technology – it's in understanding how people move through these spaces and what they need at each moment. When we get this right, payments become invisible, and experiences take centre stage. That's the power of hybrid payment solutions, and that's the future we're building today.

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‍About KUARIO

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KUARIO is a comprehensive payment solution for public spaces serving both regular and non-regular users. By handling transaction clearing and settlement, KUARIO removes operational burdens and financial risks, allowing businesses to focus on what matters to them most: their customers, employees and growth. Its hybrid payment system combines universal accessibility through various payment methods with personalised pricing for defined user groups like members, customers and employees. This creates a seamless, flexible, and cost-effective payment ecosystem benefiting businesses, employees, and customers alike.

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KUARIO is part of XPP. XPP brings together the capabilities, experience, and expertise of KUARIO, Vayapay, Ginger, and Pecunda — merging strengths across higher education, corporate vending and catering, public spaces, urban mobility, and e-commerce to create integrated payment products that work smarter, faster, and more intuitively for your customers.

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For more information, visit www.xpp.nl/kuario.