Thanks to this agreement, Fipe members will be able to make use of Nexi's digital collection solutions on preferential terms, thus guaranteeing themselves the opportunity to exploit all the potential offered by digital payments - from high value-added services, allowing businesses to expand their customer offer, such as food delivery, e-commerce services and loyalty programs, up to the most advanced POS terminals, thus providing greater security, increased speed and higher levels of convenience.

The partnership aims to provide tangible support in particular to cafés and restaurants that in Italy represent the second largest category in tourist services and that in the last two years, according to Fipe data, have recorded a sharp decline in volumes compared to the pre-pandemic period. In 2021 the loss recorded in the industry compared to 2019 was €24 billion (-28%) and €32 billion in 2020 (-37.4% vs 2019), with a significant impact also on employment (205,000 fewer people employed at the end of 2021 compared to 2019).

"The implementation of digital collection solutions allows merchants to offer high added-value services that can increase revenue and boost customer satisfaction and loyalty - commented Enrico Trovati, Merchant Services & Solutions Director at Nexi - In addition, it allows the needs of a growing number of consumers to be met, consumers who according to the latest data from Milan Polytechnic are more and more likely to pay using digital instruments that, in terms of number of transactions, have increased from 3.1 billion in 2016 to 5.2 billion at the end of 2020, with the first half of 2021 recording a 23.1% growth in the amount transacted compared to the first half of 2020 and +41% in the number of transactions."

According to Nexi's latest data, a growing number of Italian merchants are also choosing to accept digital payments - the value of transactions recorded from merchants under agreement with the PayTech, which together with its partner banks manages around 1 million merchants in Italy, increased by 16% in 2021 compared to 2020.

"Digital innovation is undoubtedly one of the levers to be exploited for the relaunch of the hospitality industry, among the hardest hit by these two years of pandemic and restrictions. The agreement with Nexi takes us in this direction - said Roberto Calugi, General Manager of Fipe-Confcommercio - because digital payments are an essential part of the innovation process. It is not just a question of making a payment method available to customers, but also of implementing new services with the aim of increasing customer loyalty and business volumes. At the same time, it will also be possible to combat the phenomenon of the so-called no-show, when customers book a restaurant but do not arrive to honor the booking. With regard to digital payments, the agreement with Nexi is also a cultural challenge focusing on the future of hospitality businesses without, however, overlooking more practical aspects such as making solutions available to our members at favorable conditions - and this all the more appreciated at a particularly difficult time for our industry".

Thanks to the agreement, from today Fipe member companies will be able to take advantage of Nexi's best digital collection solutions:

- Incasso Senza Pensieri Ristorante: a remote collection tool that allows bookings to be accepted with the maximum guarantee of payment even in the event of cancellation or no-show by customers.

- Izicap: an app that enables merchants to activate customer loyalty programs and promotional campaigns in order to increase their business.

- Easy Calendar and Easy Delivery: solutions allowing users to create an online digital shop in which to offer products and services to their customers in a few clicks and without the need for any technical know-how.
With Easy Delivery it is possible to create online menus and receive orders directly, manage home deliveries or takeaways and receive payments digitally or upon delivery/collection. With Easy Calendar it is possible to have one's calendar online and accept reservations for services based on availability, allowing customers to pay in advance or directly at the store.

- SmartPos Cassa Plus: device for accepting payments that enables merchants to benefit from the provisions of the tax credit law (which grants a refund on commissions of up to 100% for businesses with revenues up to €400,000 and a tax bonus of up to €160 for those who purchase, rent or use advanced collection instruments connected to Electronic Cash Registers).

- XPay PRO: A checkout /payment gateway page to accept online payments on e-Commerce sites featuring over 30 payment methods. Available through an exclusive offer for FIPE members only.

Lastly, Nexi and FIPE will promote a series of initiatives aimed at raising awareness and informing member companies on the value and benefits of digital payments. During the year events, seminars and webinars will be organized and a newsletter will be sent out with news on the latest developments related to digital payments.