There
is Point of sale systems around for hundreds of years, but most of the time
they were been like a cash drawer and calculator until now. But the huge leaps
in technology have taken place and the humble till a long way forward in the
last few years.
Today,
epos package can do much more. They
can do many functions such as data on sales, tracking stock levels in your
inventory and even finding the best sales person.
They
not only have features that come in with technological advances but also the
price of a pos system is more affordable by lifting some strain from smaller
businesses.
A
till is now became the corner stone of a business, means if it falls short then
it can also send your business into disarray. So it is a key constraint to
choose a system that really works for you. There are some key points that have
to be considered when trying to find the right till that suits your business
needs.
Cost consideration
While
choosing a till you need to look at your budget. A till off-the-shelf may set
you back a thousand pounds in lump sum. A new electronic point of sale systems
can be run on small devices like an iPad with subscription to software as a
service plan. Most of EPOS system providers offering free trials giving a
business more breathing room to find the best system and service to them.
Managing Customer
Expectations
The
most common and biggest challenge faced by
new businesses is to deal with their
customer’s expectations for the newest technology. If customers are feeling
happy to pay with their mobile or contactless card as they are doing with
supermarkets and retail giants and if you could not process their payments then
it is harder to hold your regular customers.
As
there is a decrease in the customer loyalty across the world, convenience is the
key. Being a small business you need to make your customers experience as
painless as possible. It is not only in case of payments where EPOS benefits
customers but also in loyalty schemes too.
It
is common that small business often rely on dedicated customers, so offering
loyalty cards to say thank you can go a long way for using their business. The
cards may often get lost or discarded, but the new EPOS can even digitize the
loyalty cards, which make your customers will never go unrewarded.
Caring Your Staff
A
smart epos package does more than a standard till, it has many added features
that can be combined into the till to make your staff’s job easier which
reflects in the quality of their work. Some EPOS systems are integrated with
stock taking, tracking orders by table and also staff sale statistics. These
features help you manage your business with more ease and automate jobs some to
remove human error.
Most
importantly, free up your staff by automating simple processes to add an
invaluable human connection. In the increasingly anonymous digital world, there
is a scarcer of genuine human interaction than ever before. So, empowering your
team to do the things that cannot be done by the computers. There can be some
emotional connections with customers which can be offered only by staff members
which can take a long way.
Your Business
Location
Standard
off-the-shell tills are used more of a norm among start ups, particularly in
areas where WIFI connections are not reliable. With the latest developments in
EPOS systems some companies are offering smart tills that can work offline
without internet. The details are recorded and updated later when an internet
connection is established. This provides more security and also more freedom as
a business owner. These types of systems are perfect for festivals, markets,
pop-up shops and any other outdoor sales.
Tailored To Your
Business
Every
individual business is unique from their ethos, space, people and working
style. You need to be careful while choosing a point of sale system which suits
best for your business as there is no till which is perfectly suits for every
business. Consider larger off-the-shelf payment systems if you have a business
with more space, while others can choose smaller options like the new breed of
tablet based till systems with limited counter space.
You
need to consider the design of the product as it will be a focal point in your
store. It should reflect your brand and match the style of the rest of your
store. Most till software are customized to suit your individual needs and also
your product range. If you are an eco focused brand then you may look at
options that can offer you emailed receipts which not only minimise the need
for so many annoying scraps of paper, but also capture customers’ details for
future communication.
Not Just A Till
All
aspects of your business can be managed by the new breed of EPOS system as it
has the flexibility to allow you to keep track everything from cash flow to
stock your items. It can also collect data and ready to analyse you everything
from your best selling products to seasonal trends. As technology moves
quickly, you should aim for a till that can future proof and allows you with
the latest updates and developments.
Check
for the monthly subscription options and commitments. Also make sure regarding
the technical support issues and software updates.
In
order to effectively manage your business some systems can also provide
integrations with other applications into your till. Some of the applications
like online accounting packages like Xero and Exact can be used to provide real
time data which is helped access your account and thereby avoiding human
errors. It also helps you to freeing up your time and allows you to concentrate
on managing your business.
Choice of Freedom
By
having so many options and flexibility with the kind of your business in many
ways, it is easy to choose a till that suits your business has never been
trickier. Therefore, it is vital to take some time to think about your business
needs. Select an option that gives you freedom and the tools which can help you
focus on the growth of your business.
Choosing a right epos package will always help you grow
in your business, but you need to be careful while choosing an EPOS provider
and the option to have for your business.