The payment technology industry is evolving rapidly, so it's understandable that some consumers are unsure as to what solutions are out there in the market and how they work. Those that accept these payments, whether they are restaurants or retailers, should have no such excuse. Unfortunately, some organizations have not followed necessary steps during the adoption process, which has resulted in confused employees and frustrated customers.

Apple Pay has been live for almost two months, but not all reported participants have done their part to make the transition from traditional methods to Apple Pay seamless. When Tim Cook first unveiled Apple Pay at an iPhone event in September, McDonalds was listed as an early adopter of the technology, but the popular fast food restaurant never told its employees. At the very least, any training they received did not resonate.

According to an article in Business Insider, a number of Apple Pay users are taking to the internet to express frustration with McDonald's for not preparing employees for the launch of the technology. The popular Apple news site Mac Rumors' forum has been active with such complaints as of late, including one made by a user whose story was printed in Business Insider. 

"I just got my new Gold iPhone 6 Plus (128GB) yesterday," the forum post says. "I went to McDonalds, excited to purchase lunch using my new device. The lady at the front gave me my total, and I said 'I'm going to pay using my new iPhone'. She immediately gave a very confused look and told me I could pay using cash or credit. I said that Apple Pay is an NFC-based feature and should work with any NFC terminal. She told me to wait just a moment while she spoke with her manager. At that point I was rather embarrassed and told her I'd just pay with my card."

This situation is not uncommon, and it's unfortunate for merchants who should be taking advantage of the benefits of Apple Pay, which has been referred to by many as the safest way to pay. In an era dominated by news of major data breaches, places like McDonald's should be jumping at the opportunity to protect customer information with innovative payment methods. This shows that it's not just about implementing the necessary technology. Training is a crucial part of the process as well.

Working with a merchant account services provider can ensure you not only obtain the tools you need, but are well informed on how to use them as well.