In the past, most businesses relied on a cash register to complete transactions. Cash registers require manual input and are prone to human error. While cash registers can track what has been sold and how much has been sold, the features pretty much stop there. With a modern point of sale system there are much more advanced features. A POS system uses hardware and software that is able to process transactions, track employees, management inventory, collect customer information, and much more.
Keep reading to learn why POS systems are superior to cash registers and why now is the best time to make the switch.
Improved Efficiency
One of the greatest things about a POS system is that it increases efficiency for everyone. Business owners, employees, and customers all benefit from the existence of a POS system.
For employees, who are the main system’s users, benefit from a POS system because they no longer have to manually input data or memorize prices for each item the store sells. Unlike a traditional cash register, a POS system can log the prices of items. Some systems also offer quick keys that can be used for easy entering of your store’s most popular products.
The efficiency of the system translates to improved customer service. Employees are less likely to be frustrated and customers don’t have to stand in long lines because of a slow cash register.
Decreased Amount of Errors
Cash registers are prone to user error. The more typing a cashier has to do, the more likely it is that they will make a mistake when inputting a price or a product code. On the other hand, POS systems rarely have errors, and when errors do occur, they can be quickly fixed without much hassle to the employee or customer.
A smaller margin of error means money saved, and more reliable financial tracking. Manual input through a cash register can result in the under- or over-charging of customers, both of which have their drawbacks.
Quicker Service
Customers dread standing in line. In fact, lines are one of the reasons why so many consumers have turned to online shopping and never looked back. Old cash registers take time to operate. The cashier has to input each product’s code and price, which can take a few minutes, especially for large purchases.
With a POS system, sales are much quicker. In fact, it takes the system’s barcode scanner about a third of a second to scan a barcode. This speeds up the entire transaction process. In turn, your cashiers can complete sales more quickly, which is a bonus for customers as well.
With faster and more efficient customer turnover, your business is more likely to process more customers each hour, which can give the company’s sales revenue a huge boost.
Inventory Management
Aside from benefiting the transaction process, POS systems also offer other notable features. With a modern POS system, you can enjoy the benefits of real-time inventory management.
It’s critical to know your store’s stock on a regular basis. But, more often than not, inventory management is weeded down to an employee physically reviewing current stock levels and making note of it on paper. This is not only laborious, but it’s also time-consuming and open to human error.
Inventory management is crucial for both small and large businesses. With a POS system, all stock can be scanned when it’s delivered, which then enters the items into a database. From there, the POS system can add or subtract inventory items based on future delivery and sales.
With proper inventory management your business can:
- Make more informed purchasing decisions
- Ensure popular items are always in stock
- Run sales on items that aren’t selling well
Real-time Reports
POS systems also offer customizable reports. You can get data for which items are selling the best, how many items are sold during peak hours, and even which employee is making the most sales.
Accurate reporting is key to a business’ success. These numbers can be used for improved inventorying, purchasing decisions, and even employee recognition. The numbers can also be used to determine areas where spending can be decreased.
Marketing Data
There’s no wrong or right way to collect customer data, but wouldn’t it be nice if you had a system that could do it for you? The most common sense way to collect customer data would be at the point of sale. POS systems are designed not only to process sales but also to keep track of customer data.
For example, with these systems, you can track the name, date of birth, email address, and contact information for each customer. In turn, this data is logged and can be used to create personalized marketing campaigns. For example, using the data you could send a birthday discount to all customers with birthdays in a certain month.
Personalized marketing is a crucial way to keep customers coming back to your store. Return customers are what help to keep your business afloat!
Conclusion
Cash registers get the job done, but there are more efficient ways to process sales. If you haven’t yet invested in a POS system, don’t wait any longer! Give your customers and employees the opportunity for more efficient and quicker transactions.
