Biometric technology could be used to improve the user experience in the world of payments, argues Visa Europe’s Executive Director of Innovation Partnerships, Jonathan Vaux. In a recent post on the company’s blog, Vaux outlines Visa’s exploration of the technology, with its impact on the user experience being a key concern.

Vaux notes that Visa survey data showed that about half of respondents expected biometric technology to “make payments faster and easier than traditional security methods,” and indeed, Apple has been keen to highlight the simplicity and ease of use of its Touch ID fingerprint scanning when it comes to authorizing payments through Apple Pay. Visa itself has been working with Safran on a biometric payment concept that could link shoppers’ biometric profiles directly to their payment cards, effectively letting them pay with a wave of the hand.

But, as Vaux observes, “[t]here is no one biometric solution that will work for every situation.” Authentication based on voice recognition might not improve the user experience in a noisy restaurant, for example, while a selfie-based solution might make users feel self-conscious in certain settings. That’s why “a holistic approach” is in order– “Biometrics work best when linked to other factors, such as the device,” Vaux asserts. It’s the same attitude being adopted by Google with respect to Android authentication, and it points to a better shopping experience for consumers in the future.

(Originally posted on FindBiometrics)