Point of Sale is a system that is used throughout the restaurant and retail trade. This is a computerized system that allows business owners to track sales, cash flows, inventory of food and can simplify accounting simplification. Beginning an owner of restaurants and cafes, you always in need of the best opportunity to approach the use of different ways and create an attractive atmosphere for customers, so everybody prefers only your restaurant.
The high capacity of Point of Sale (POS) terminals will allow you to avoid giant queues and maximize the profit of the institution. However, you can turn a small business into a profitable and highly professional business, if you are using the Point of Sale (POS).
Why is it good for your business?
The high volume of cash and credit cards that pass through the restaurant every day make the POS system necessary. The POS system not only tracks every amount of your sales but also act as credit card processors. This will allow you to more securely check credit cards for both the client and business. Servers are responsible for all their sales, and it is impossible to verify the checks on the computer if you do not have a password. This helps to reduce theft by employees. It’s great if the program has additional opportunities to encourage guests like:
• Useful options – personal discounts, sales in debt, an opportunity to take into account personal wishes and preferences of each guest
• Integration with other programs – mobile loyalty applications, mobile payments, a non-card system of bonuses
Benefits of using POS:
The main advantage of Restaurant EPOS system is that it can track everything from eating food to the most popular menu items. Since the POS system acts as a clock, it can also help in the compilation of a payroll. This can save you a lot of money in your account. Along with daily operations for restaurant management, the POS system can organize a profit and loss account and a sales tax. Using a POS system in your restaurant and Café, you will get the two main benefits:
- Simplification of communication between the kitchen and waiting staff.
- Orders pass through the computer, directly to the kitchen printer.
Disadvantages of using POS:
The most obvious drawback of any POS system is that it is a computer and is subject to all the same technological whims. If any failure occurs when you do not have a backup, then you are at risk of losing all your data, not just sales, but profit and loss statements and salary statements. Important things that the IRS might want to consider on some day. So, there’s always a backup option.
Warranty issues:
Do you remember, you all money that you saved in accounting? The POS system does not have the same lifetime as the old-fashioned cash register. You will need to replace the parts, update the software and, ultimately, completely replace it with a new model. The smart iPad POS system comes with a limited warranty and technical support, but like all other parts of the equipment, problems always begin after the warranty is over. For this problem, you can always buy additional technical support.
If you are planning a very small operation, such as a bagel or sandwich shop, you may not need a POS system during the opening, especially if you are not going to take credit cards and there are many places that still do not accept plastic. However, if you have dreams of expansion or franchising, then you can expect to purchase POS at your initial costs.
Helpful Hints:
1. To speed up the work of the waiter, it helps the touchscreen monitor with keys of popular dishes and drinks that is a larger size or a bright color.
2. Want to save space? Use the POS-terminal – a monoblock unit combining the display and the system unit. The mobile POS-terminal on the tablet saves the most space. While using, you can take orders on the barrack or in the hall.
Large terminals are used for large restaurants with an active flow of customers. More compact devices, for example, a mobile terminal that is taken to small establishments, like the cafes, coffee houses, bars, bistros or street food Point of Sale. The following are the main feature of POS that show how it is useful for your business
1. High reliability and performance
2. All components are compatible with each other
3. Extremely short terms of repair and after-sales service.
Front-office – face to face with the buyer
Basically, the POS system is the automated system of sales working on the basis of fiscal registrars. It allows you to organize the work of the cash zone with maximum comfort for the seller and the buyer. In the front-office the point of sales consists of two subsystems:
1. The center is the system unit. This is a control computer, adapted for sales conditions. A touch or non-contact display is connected to it. In the second case, a programmable POS-keyboard with 30-90 keys is used.
2. Periphery – scanner, scales, fiscal registrar, cash register, buyer’s indicator (monitor), bank terminal.
The POS program and Back-Office
In your POS-system, you can install any program of your choice. Focus on software that will be convenient, understandable for you and your employees, but more importantly, it will perfectly fulfill the tasks of rapid accounting and detailed reporting. The POS-system is automated and integrates for back office due to the following reason.
1. Front-office – cash desk, barrack, waiter’s terminal
2. Back-office – warehouse, accounting, personnel department, marketing department, administration of the institution.
The POS-program works in the terminal interface and admin panels. The exchange of information between these functional units is continuous, through a cloud server. It is also considered as a mobile program for sales that helps to see the productivity of each employee. The administrator will be able to draw the right conclusions and develop an effective system of staff motivation with the help of Coffee Shop POS. So, you should try advanced level ordering system for your coffee shop.
What is more important when choosing a POS system for your business:
● Long, reliable data storage: With access delimitation, the owner and authorized representatives have the right to access the data. A person can determine the level of access to data, taking into account the duties of the employee.
● Easy to learn: The program should be understandable and convenient so that the initial development takes no more than 15 minutes, and full development – no more than a 1 day.
● Order processing – (minimum time): Mostly, the POS program performs after input of the initial data and most of the input operations are carried out with the help of clicks.
● The ability to quickly change: Include the data on the price, the composition of the dish, remove it from the menu or add again
● Built-in loyalty programs: In which the discount, bonus, special offers, and promotions.
Choosing the correct Point of Sale system in restaurants and café will help to overtake competitors that already at the start, due to the speed and quality of service of the guests of the establishment. So that the staff makes fewer mistakes as well as correct them, so the guests feel comfortable.
