The business world turns by the power of transactions.
When a business exchanges a good or service to its client for payment, a Point of Sale system (POS) is utilized to make the transaction possible.
Essentially, the POS is the mechanism, including hardware and software, that allows a company to conduct business. This system is more than just a cash register and ledger, however. A fully loaded POS system provides valuable business data that helps with efficiency and delivers insights into customer preferences.
In short, a POS system is the lifeline of a business.
As such, it’s important to understand which business-optimization features best support a business’s needs, plans for the future and existing capabilities.
Here are five things you should expect out of your POS system.
Tracking Inventory
At a minimum, a POS system processes payments and keeps a log of inventory.
The ability for the system with other planning software can open the ability to track sales and customer data in real time so that a business can get more streamlined with its inventory, what is selling the best and establish a purchase log.
This important integration brings data into focus that can take a business to the next level.
Customer Service
Your POS system centralizes business operations and will serve as a sidekick over the long-term.
Excellent 24-hour support from the vendor is an absolute must as questions and technical issues are sure to arise. In addition, as your business grows, so will the use of a POS system. As your company becomes a POS power user of advanced features, having customer support a text or phone call away is essential.
In the end, not having this support can result in the loss of revenue both in the short- and long-term.
User Friendliness
User-friendliness means that the POS system is both easy to set up and simple to implement.
When your company selects a POS system, training employees on how to use it should be seamless and basic enough that anyone with basic computer knowledge could use it.
Its interface should be intuitive and a pleasure to use. From tracking sales and inventory to managing staff, a POS system keeps these processes simple. It shouldn’t be something you pay for and is so difficult to manage that it isn’t utilized.
Customer Discount Calculations
Special deals, loyalty programs or bulk purchases require special pricing and can be valuable strategies to draw in customers.
When a consumer triggers a special price, most POS systems will track price variations and instantly apply a discount price. So, instead of a person being required to complete the calculation, this automation will kick in and increase efficiency. It will also help decrease miscalculation errors.
The Ability to Advance as Technology Changes
You’re investing in your business because you have hopes of a continued upward trajectory.
A POS system should deliver adaptability to your business’ changing needs. An easy set up may be exactly what you need at first, but an investment into an innovative system that is adaptable and develops as your company does is important also.
Keep in mind that technology changes, so the company you select should try to stay on the cutting edge.
A deep understanding of the benefits provided by an advanced POS system can chart a company’s future because they are designed to save time, increase revenue and deliver key data sets that are essential to business success.
We are able to set up systems, including POS systems, pretty much anywhere in the world through partners we work with, or via online applications. We also are an Intuit Authorized Reseller and resell POS systems.
If you are a business owner who has any questions about the best strategies, tools and resources to help your company grow, contact us today!
