Many business owners are looking for time-saving tips for point of sale systems. In today’s world of instantaneous gratification and streamlined shopping experiences, a slow POS can spell disaster.
Not only does a slow POS system simply waste time, but it slows down the customer experience, which can disenchant them from wanting to shop at your business again in the future.
The good news is there are plenty of options on the market that can speed up transactions and keep queue times low.
Better yet, these innovative systems are designed to integrate seamlessly into an existing framework. So, there’s minimal hassle involved in making the switch to a modern, easy-to-use POS system.
The benefits of investing in a new and easy-to-use POS system are felt by both customers and the business itself. Let’s explore these perks and how a POS system can save you and your customers time.
#1 Use All-In-One POS Integrations
One of the biggest perks of a modern POS system is the ability to integrate with other software to create an all-in-one view of your company.
An integrated system is capable of normal POS function, like processing payments and completing transactions, but it can also serve as your customer relationship management (CRM) platform, an inventory tracking system, loyalty program coordinator and so much more.
Sophisticated systems even include detailed analytics and reporting capabilities that allow a business to make better, data-informed decisions.
Having an all-in-one system provides a lot of convenience for a business.
Having an all-in-one system provides a lot of convenience for a business. All of your essential processes can be handled from a single machine; there’s no juggling between multiple screens. It’s also helpful for customers.
Imagine a shopper with a question about the availability of an out of stock item.
A cashier doesn’t have to make a call to distribution or the back-of-house to check inventory, they can access it right on their screen and answer that question promptly.
This all-in-one, complete view can really simplify running a business.
You can see all dimensions of the operation in one location, which makes it much easier to determine how smoothly the company is running and even detect potential problems that need to be remedied before they evolve into a bigger issue.
#2 Invest in Faster Employee Training
The older POS systems, which you still see on a lot of store counters, were once cutting-edge systems with interfaces designed to function like the latest computer systems. But, as computer technology sprinted ahead to the future, POS systems crawled.
Thus, these outdated dinosaur systems have become very counterintuitive and challenging for beginners to learn.
Some systems have a very sharp learning curve that even experienced cashiers struggle with sometimes.
New POS systems, on the other hand, are designed with modern technology in mind.
A lot of point-of-sale software is run through tablet computers, which are easier to use and almost universally familiar to employees.
Thus, there’s no sharp learning curve, and new employees can learn the systems very quickly. There are fewer roadblocks that halt the transaction process, so customers experience seamless checkout every time.
A lot of point-of-sale software is run through tablet computers, which are easier to use and almost universally familiar to employees.
#3 Start Accepts More Payment Types
Once upon a time, businesses only had to worry about the three C’s of payment types: cash, cards, and checks.
Now, mobile payments and NFC (near-field communication) transactions have really begun to explode in popularity.
Business Insider speculates that by 2020, 56% of in-store customers will be using mobile payments. This means there is a very short window (that is getting shorter by the minute) for businesses to adapt and invest in the POS technology capable of receiving and processing these payments.
Mobile payment apps (Google Wallet, Samsung Pay, Apple Pay, etc.) are on the rise because of the supreme convenience they offer.
Shoppers can pay with just a quick tap on their phone. Alternatively, NFC-enabled devices can just be held up the POS system’s reader to complete the transaction instantaneously.
There’s no swiping, inserting or having to deal with making change. These abbreviated transactions help keep lines short, which means businesses can service more customers in an even amount a smaller amount of time.
#4 Offer Integrated Online Ordering
One of the best ways to save you and your customers time at the point-of-sale is to enable shoppers to complete the transaction online and pick up their items in the store. Starbucks and their mobile app have raised this to an art form.
Their customers can create their order online, pay from their device and then just walk into the store, grab their items and go.
This means no waiting in line for that customer (which can be a nightmare at a busy place like Starbucks).
For Starbucks, this saves a lot of time and hassle because fewer people are physically lining up to place orders. Because the entire transaction is completed online, the employees don’t have to spend any time swiping that customer’s card or giving them change.
Thus, they can spend more time completing drink and food orders and helping other customers.
#5 Use Cloud-Based Technologies
Cloud technology has also begun to appear in POS system technology.
In terms of better time management, this feature is hugely beneficial to business owners.
With a cloud-enable POS system, you can access your company data and software anywhere, at any time (as long as there is Internet access).
You can check in on store sales from a beach in Maui or approve an emergency store transfer on your day off.
Access to this kind of information used to require a manager or owner to be in the store at a computer physically.
Now, with smartphones and mobile devices, we have access at all times. This kind of feature is a favorite of those owners that never want to be too far from their business and operations.
Conclusions
If your business is still operating with an outdated POS system, it is imperative that you begin thinking about investing in a new one. If your business is on a budget, there’s a lot of affordable POS options that cater to small businesses.
You no longer have to break the bank to invest in a new POS machine. Try eHopper POS for Free!
So, there’s no reason for continuing wasting your time, and the time of your customers, by continuing to rely on a slow and dated system. If you’re ready to increase your businesses’ sales by saving every-valuable time,