The POS system is the heart of every retail store. That’s why it’s important to exercise great care in shopping for new POS hardware and software. Let’s take a look at four must-have features that should be a part of any retail POS system you’re seriously considering.
Ruggedized mobile tablet POS component.
Ruggedized mobile tablet POS hardware (i.e., hardware designed to withstand damage from heavy commercial use) isn’t necessarily a replacement for traditional, stationary POS terminals. However, it’s an essential part of a retail POS system because it enhances customers’ shopping experience.
How? For one thing, employees can utilize ruggedized mobile tablets to accept payments anywhere on the sales floor, preventing long lines from forming and getting customers out the door faster. Ruggedized mobile tablets can also be used to ensure that store associates have the resources to assist any customer that approaches them with a question about an item or needs recommendations. Tablet-wielding employees are able to instantly access the retail POS system, sharing information regarding various products and their availability. They can also accept orders for, and arrange delivery of, out-of-stock items.
Scalability.
It’s more than likely that as your business grows, you’ll want and need to extend both the hardware and software components of your retail POS system. However, doing so will be difficult—if not impossible—unless you choose both hardware and software that can be expanded to suit the changing needs of your business.
Spot-on inventory tracking and control.
Software that enables precise inventory tracking and control is an essential part of any retail POS system for two key reasons. First off, such software enables store owners to make inventory-purchasing decisions faster and with greater accuracy. What’s more, many inventory management solutions can be programmed to generate re-orders when merchandise quantities have been depleted to pre-defined levels.
Because of these capabilities, orders need not be based on guesswork and hearsay. Instead, they are formulated in tandem with historical, SKU-level sales data. This, in turn, ensures that retailers have on hand the right merchandise, at the right time, in the right quantities. There are few, if any worries about disappointing customers and losing their loyalty, or about being saddled with excess inventory that merely sits on store shelves or racks, gathering dust and impeding profitability rather than moving out the door.
Labor scheduling and tracking modules.
When a retail POS system includes an integrated time and attendance module along with a time and attendance tracking module, it’s easy to instantly view all labor- and scheduling-related information in one place. It’s also a snap to compare store traffic patterns with staffing levels on any particular day and during any individual shift.
With the software as a “base,” this data can then be leveraged to determine exactly how many store associates are needed to cover a given shift. There will never be too few—or too many—employees on hand to satisfy the needs of a store and its customers at any juncture. Additionally, no unnecessary labor expenditures will be incurred.
What’s more, the time and attendance module of a retail POS system can be configured so that store associates cannot clock in during hours when they have not been assigned to work, nor clock out early while still being paid for working an entire shift. Employees also cannot “beat the clock”—and the system—by signing in and out for each other. The end-result: further savings on labor.
Admittedly, some features found on the average retail POS system can be considered “nice to have,” rather than imperative for every merchant. However, the above four features fall into the latter category. Now that you understand why, you’ll be able to select a retail POS system that will truly benefit your business today and in the future.
