You might be running a successful restaurant or pub without the use of a point of sale. Or perhaps you own a clothing store or a stationery supply shop. And you might think, since you're doing so well without one, you simply don't need it.
Or maybe you're just starting a new business and wondering if you should invest in a POS.
In this article we share with you some benefits of using a good point of sale. Note, not all point of sale systems are created equal. Some come with plenty of benefits, but the price tag is far too fat. Others might be cheap at face value, but are thin in functionality and can't help your business run smoothly, costing you in the long run.
Read on to see why TallOrder POS will greatly benefit your hospitality or retail business, with a perfect balance between cost and functionality.
Happier customers
Customers are the LIFEBLOOD of your business and you know it; that's why you pride yourself on exceptional customer service.
Thus far you're doing a great job.
But a phenomenal point of sale system like TallOrder will help you streamline many of the processes in your business, which leads to more profit.
Why's that?
Well trained staff members who can efficiently handle a good POS move quicker. Customers like that, because service is faster, making them happier.
Happy customers are repeat customers who tell others of their positive experience at your establishment.
Easier payment management
Cash is king, yes, but the way you receive cash these days makes all the difference to the client.
If you can't offer a wide range of payment methods you'll lose customers.
A good POS lets you process cash and card sales easily.
It also lets you add an ecommerce aspect to your business.
That's a great benefit, especially in a day and age where people are scared to leave their houses.
If you offer an ecommerce solution along with quick deliveries you'll carve out a space for yourself where your competition might be lacking.
But a POS doesn't just leave you with cash and card payment options.
A good point of sale comes with the ability to accept ewallet payments, which is fast becoming a popular payment option in South Africa. Can your POS handle ewallets? It should.
Better market orientation
One of the most overlooked aspects in business is market orientation; the act of aligning your business to better serve the niche you're in.
For instance, if you run a takeaway restaurant and you're trying to push vanilla soft serve, but your point of sale system reveals that your chocolate soft serve sales are through the roof, you can align your marketing campaigns to sell more chocolate soft serve.
In a month from now it might change, but you'll always be able to see what your top sellers are, which means you can adapt to market demands.
That's what a POS allows you to do. It comes with analytics reports that detail where your sales come from, making it much easier to align your establishment.
Easy remote management
Because TallOrder is a cloud-based point of sale system, managing all aspects regarding orders, payments and stock levels is effortless, even when you're not at your business.
All you need is an internet connection and access to your TallOrder admin dashboard.
You can access your TallOrder admin dashboard through mobile, tablet or desktop, which means you can do it from your desk or while lying in front of the TV.
Fewer errors
If you're using a DIY duct tape system to manage your restaurant or store, you know that there are any number of things that can go wrong anywhere.
You might have a sharp brain and you never get anything wrong, but there are many other links in your business chain, like waiters, cooks, sales people and / or managers.
It's impossible and unrealistic to expect all of those links to remain 100% strong 100% of the time.
A good POS gets you closer to perfection by centralising and consolidating many of the aspects your business needs to function well. That takes pressure off the links and puts everyone on the same page all the time.
That means, even if you sit with error prone staff, the likelihood of errors happening is drastically reduced.
Easy inventory management
Keeping track of inventory can be a daunting task. (This is more true for restaurants than for retail stores.)
If you're doing it without a POS you're a genius.
However, as mentioned before, you're not the only link in your business chain.
If someone in your business forgets to order an ingredient it can not only create unhappy customers, but bring to a screeching halt a large part of your operation.
A POS lets you keep track of menu items at the ingredient level, ensuring the chef never has a reason to stand around waiting.
Less theft
It's not always possible to tell whether an employee has a propensity for theft.
And finding out whether you're being stolen from can be a difficult task. Proving it can be near impossible.
Because a POS keeps track of every transaction in your business, you can pick up on theft easier.
You can keep an eye on no-sale button presses, discounts and refund processing.
And because your staff members know you're able to track everything, they'll think twice before they steal, and toe the line for fear of having to face punishment.
Smoother comms
Want a misunderstanding in the kitchen to create fuming customers? Don't use a POS.
Miscommunication is kept to a minimum with a POS because waiters place the order directly at the workstation. If you've set up your restaurant with tablets, even better. The waiter punches in the order right from the tablet, which is sent to the kitchen.
The chef knows what the customer ordered from the waiter, putting everyone on the same page, ensuring a smooth transition from a full tummy to an open wallet.
Better staff management
Restaurants and bars are known for high staff turnover. It's part and parcel of the food and hospitality industry.
But a POS can alleviate much of the pain with having to manage staff and schedule management, reducing confusion.
More loyalty
One of the best ways to get customers back to your business is by offering a loyalty programme.
But creating and managing a DIY loyalty programme can be tricky, if not nearly impossible.
A POS comes with a built-in loyalty programme that makes it easy to entice customers to keep returning to your place.
More time
A simple cash register does not come with all of the above features and benefits, which means it just won't be able to help you save time.
A POS, on the other hand, because it's loaded with sensible features geared towards making your business run smoother, WILL leave you with far more time.
You can use that time to brainstorm your next marketing campaign or to come up with an incentive for customers to keep returning.
In conclusion
You might have a thousand reasons for not using a POS in your business.
But a good point of sale will not only save you an immense amount of time in management, it'll also help you drastically increase profits.
Get a quote today and start enjoying the benefits of using TallOrder POS.