Software and web Developer
Operating a retail store calls for a range of administrative, management and marketing skills. From ensuring that there’s enough inventory to putting together monthly sales reports, these skills are necessary in ensuring that your store runs smoothly. Having an efficient point of sale (POS) system can go a long way in making sure that all your operations are running smoothly. In this article, we speak to two industry experts who’ll share tips on what you must have in a POS and how to choose the best option for your retail store or restaurant.
A point of sale system, or POS, is the place where your customer makes a payment for products or services at your store. Simply put, every time a customer makes a purchase at your store, they’re completing a point of sale transaction. The POS serves as the central component for your business; it’s the hub where everything—like sales, inventory and customer management—merges. As evident as the benefits of a POS system are, we found that 56 percent of single-store retailers are still not using one. Instead, we found, many are still using a combination of manual methods, cash registers, QuickBooks and Excel for bookkeeping. So why have retailers not taken that step to POS yet? To begin with, implementing new technology—especially technology that’s central to your business process—can be scary and overwhelming. Retailers need to consider the negative consequences of failing to have a POS in place.
Why we needs POS System?
Every POS system comprises of software and hardware components that make running the daily operations of your business easier and faster. It’s important to understand what POS software options there are and what each have to offer. “Flexibility is key. Ensure your POS vendor works with the payment processor/gateway of your choice, so that you can control cost. If you’re already using applications important to your business, make sure the POS can integrate with them seamlessly, so that you can continue using them.”
These are the common physical components required to get your POS up and running.
Barcode scanner: Automates the checkout process. Scanning barcodes pulls product info and adds it to the checkout total. Barcode scanners can also integrate with inventory management systems to automatically adjust stock levels.
Credit card reader: Since the EMV payment standard went live in 2015, secure and EMV-compliant credit card readers are a must-have. Non-compliant retailers face potentially huge losses on account of fraud liability.
Receipt printer: Email and text receipts may be gaining popularity, but paper receipts remain essential for providing customers with a quick snapshot of their purchase or returns.
Cash drawer: It may fade away in years to come, but cash is still king. Until then, you’ll need a secure place to store cash for transactions. Another benefit of cash: there are no associated credit card fees.
