In business, it’s all too easy to focus on the negatives—poor products, unhelpful customer service, or frustrating management decisions. Those stories get plenty of attention. But it’s just as important, if not more so, to recognise the positives: when a supplier delivers, when a partner goes above and beyond, or when a solution genuinely makes a difference to a community. At Verstech, we strongly believe in highlighting and celebrating those successes.
Our work often brings us into contact with charities and non-profit organisations across the UK. Supporting the voluntary sector is a value that comes from the very top of our company. Nick, our Managing Director, was heavily involved with the former Leuakiamea Educating & Fundraising Charity, and Kyle, our Operations Director, somehow finds time outside of a busy schedule to chair a thriving Sea Scout Group just outside Southampton. That ethos of giving back filters through everything we do—supporting groups that make a difference in their communities is something we’re proud to be a part of.
Recently, one of our client’s director’s became involved in a community project in Cornwall, just outside Penzance. The initiative was both humble and significant: reopening a public toilet block that had been closed when local councils decided that funding such facilities was no longer a priority. Across the country, these closures are becoming more common, with community groups stepping up to take ownership. Of course, maintaining and operating such facilities comes with costs, so many groups now have to charge a small fee for use.
In today’s world, especially when cash is increasingly scarce and the nearest cash machine may be miles away, card payments are not a luxury—they’re essential. The group turned to us for advice, asking how best to enable simple, reliable card payments without committing to expensive contracts.
Our research was thorough. We looked at several providers we’ve worked with before, including SumUp and Stripe. Both are excellent companies—Stripe in particular has been a long-term partner of ours and continues to be a pleasure to work with on other projects. However, neither these or the more ‘normal’ card providers, like Paymentsense, Cardnet, Elavon, etc could meet the specific needs of this project. Transaction minimums, ongoing rental commitments, or requirements for fixed WiFi connections were all stumbling blocks. For a small, volunteer-led community group charging just 50p per transaction, flexibility was key.
It was at this point that we came across Teya—and they turned out to be the perfect fit. Their solution was refreshingly straightforward: a card terminal with a built-in mobile broadband SIM for a one-off cost of just £89. No complicated contracts, no prohibitive transaction minimums, and transaction fees that were both transparent and highly competitive. The group took the plunge with Teya, and the results spoke for themselves. Over the course of Summer 2025, the volunteers processed around 1,200 transactions, totalling more than £2,500. Their transaction fees came in at under £40 – a really affordable fee for a community facility operating on a shoestring budget. Better still, the setup process was painless, the onboarding was clear, and the volunteers (many of whom had never used this kind of technology before) found the terminals simple and intuitive.
From our perspective, this was a perfect example of technology enabling community impact. Teya didn’t just provide a product—they provided peace of mind, ease of use, and a sense of confidence for the volunteers running the project. Their customer service was outstanding, and we were genuinely delighted with how smooth the process was from start to finish. It’s no exaggeration to say that without Teya, the project might not have been viable. Well done guys!
At Verstech, we don’t sell card terminals or merchant services – we’re not a financial services business. But what we do sell, and what we strive to deliver every day, is partnership. Our clients trust us not just for IT support, consultancy, or infrastructure projects, but also for our ability to guide them across the wider technology landscape. When a client comes to us with a challenge, we don’t simply shrug and say, “That’s not our area.” If we can help, we will. If that means researching, testing, and recommending a product like Teya’s solution, then we’re glad to do it.
Because this is what partnership really looks like: standing alongside our clients, solving problems together, and finding solutions that genuinely work for them. Teya delivered exactly what our client’s community group needed, and in doing so, reinforced our belief that the right technology, at the right time, can make a big difference.
We’ll certainly be keeping Teya on our radar for future projects, and we’ll continue to champion suppliers and partners who prove their worth. If you’re looking for an IT partner who goes beyond the expected, who looks out for opportunities to add value, and who believes in building long-term relationships rather than quick fixes, then we’d love to talk. At Verstech, we don’t just support technology—we support people, communities, and partnerships.
