Are you a retailer wanting to work when and where it suits you? Are you frustrated with your point of sales system? Do you want to be able to get ‘live information’ regardless of your location? Now you can with cloud-based technologies that are changing the retail world as you know it. Now you can take point of sales transactions to the next level with Electronic Point of Sale (Epos) software.
Traditionally, point of sale retail management systems allowed you to check out customers by ringing up sales, and accepting payment via credit cards using hardware such as cash registers, weighing scales, with customers in front of you and using local servers. Using cloud-based or internet-based Epos software, data can be processed instantaneously using a Web browser on any of your devices, so long as you are connected to the internet. Also, customers are not limited by platform or operating system. They can use the Epos software such that even if the internet is down they can still access their data using an online back office system.
How it works
a) Ring up sales, add items by scanning a barcode, tapping the device or doing a name search.
b) Customise a customer’s order, e.g., soft eggs, hard-boiled eggs, and do add-ons, such as extra bacon.
c) Wirelessly send orders straight to the kitchen printer.
d) Print customizable receipts instantly. In other words, customers get digital receipts with your contact information in their emails.
e) Epos systems link processes together immediately. For example, when an order is placed, it is linked to payment and stock replenishment simultaneously.
f) Customers can pay cash and you can wirelessly pop open the cash drawer. It is credit card and PayPal-friendly and customers sign your ipad and you send a digital receipt.
g) Manage your inventory including individual ingredients, pricing and quantities so you will know when to order.
Advantages
– Orders get processed faster.
– Checkout is faster.
– Eliminates the possibility of forgetting the orders.
– Stock can be automatically re-ordered.
– They can be an effective form of advertisement.
– Real-time reporting allows you to get an instant report of staff performance or sales anytime from any place.
– Instant decision-making
Disadvantages
– Cloud Epos relies on a heavy internet connection which can become problematic when the internet is down.
– Fees for software vary by provider.
