In an increasingly digital world, more and more companies have been transitioning from cash registers at checkout counters to point of sale systems. A POS system can help increase customer satisfaction and boost sales with features like inventory management, loyalty programs, email marketing campaigns and more. For this reason, it’s important to do your research before making a final decision.
It’s important to understand all of the different options available to you before choosing a solution. Not all of the thousands of retail Pos systems available today are created equal. In fact, many provide unnecessary increases in cost without any returns on investment.
Here is an overview of five things that you should consider when choosing your next Retail Point-Of-Sale Systems (POS).
What’s your business model?
When it comes to choosing the right system for your business, understanding what kind of retail business model you have is essential.
This doesn’t mean that if you have a small food truck you are limited to one system over another. There are Pos systems available on the market today designed for virtually every retail business model, but knowing where yours falls will help you narrow down your options.
By learning more about how your business operates, what its strengths and weaknesses are and what attributes of a POS system would benefit your business, you will be able to make a more educated decision.
The main categories of retail businesses include:
- New or high volume stores. These types of stores would typically benefit from systems that have been designed with larger companies in mind and could offer the full package from hardware to software.
- Convenience or limited service stores. These types of stores would typically benefit from a system that is user friendly and requires very little training to operate since employees may not be in the store long enough for extensive training sessions.
- High or low margin stores. A high margin retail business model will require a POS system with features such as inventory management, pricing, promotions and more.
- Specialty or service stores. Speciality and service retail business models have a very large inventory to manage, so the right system will be equipped with an easy way to add items along with features such as selling by multiple units instead of quantity.
Who is your staff?
POS systems come in many different forms – from ‘free’ systems to those that require employees to be trained and certified.
Knowing who is going to use the system and how often will help you make a unique connection with your POS system. Certain unique options for specific hardware or software may not be available if there is little training involved in using it – for example, cashier screens that add additional security options or customer facing screens that allow you to quickly interact with your customers.
The frequency of use is also important – if employees are using the system very often it’s best to choose one with an ergonomic design so as not to cause back, neck and wrist pain. This would require training sessions on a regular basis which may cause staff to grow tired of the system faster.
What does your customer want?
POS systems are designed to benefit both you and your customers.
When choosing a POS system, consider its impact on the overall shopping experience by asking yourself these questions:
- Will the design be suitable for my customers?
- How will it affect their shopping experience?
- Will my customers have to wait longer because of a slow system or one that is not user friendly?
- Is the overall design aesthetically pleasing and compatible with my brand?
You want to choose a POS system that will enhance your customer’s shopping experience – something they won’t be bogged down by.
How does your competition operate?
It’s always a good idea to view things from a competitive standpoint.
Having an understanding of how your competition works is important when choosing a POS system. This means you may have to visit their store in person or even browse their website, depending on what type of business you are running.
- How are they operating?
- What are their strengths and weaknesses?
- Is there something they are doing that you cannot do with your current system or would like to incorporate into your business?
Knowing what works for them will help you choose the features of a POS system that will benefit your business.
Where will equipment be housed?
The location where your POS system will be housed may vary from business to business, so this is an important factor to consider before choosing a system.
- Are you going to house it behind the counter or within reach of employees?
- Is there a room for storage and other equipment that may need to be accessed by employees?
- If you choose to house it behind the counter, will customers be able to see the screen or interact with it in any way or not?
If customers can see or interact with your POS system then they may become annoyed and affect their shopping experience so address this beforehand.
Also consider:What type of equipment will you need to purchase in order to use the POS system?Will this equipment be compatible with your current hardware or will upgrades have to be made?