Tablet POS solutions are the new hybrid way of managing your business’ technology. The key is knowing what to look for when finding the perfect tablet solution to add to your arsenal of technology.
It’s not always just about the most stylish, updated piece of technology; it’s about what’s gone on behind the scenes to test the hardware for its endurance and knowing what peripheral capabilities the technology has. These are the key elements to look for during your tablet POS journey.
Capabilities
The best first question to ask yourself is, “What do I want to use the tablet for?”. Tablets offer the best in every world. You can use them as checkouts, handle inventory management, client lookups, reporting, and more. Some even provide a fixed base that makes them both mobile and stand-alone. With so much flexibility in the capability of these devices, you will definitely want to identify this before looking into the best options for your business.
POS
When it comes to a front-end POS solution, you need the capability to not only check out customers but also to look up items, process returns, and review reporting. Being able to check out customers from anywhere in the store will minimize your lines and customer waiting times, especially if you create a separate return area handled by tablet devices.
As you walk around the store stocking shelves and organizing products, you may have clients coming to you with product questions. Have all the answers at the tip of your figures as you look up items on your tablet solution.
Do you have an online store as well that shares your inventory? Get real-time data on your tablet POS solution so you can know what’s been bought online or if you need to restock any items.
Warehousing
Need to manage inventory in your warehouse or back of house? Use your tablet to order new stock from your vendors, manage new inventory shipments coming in, and price out merchandise. All can be done from one mobile solution that makes every aspect of inventory management smooth and efficient.
Range
Every business is a different shape and size with different types of wall materials. You will need to ensure your tablet POS solution can make it through the dense material building out the shape of your store and that the remote signal can reach every corner.
Ensure your current solution has a strong enough mobility option to incorporate tablets into the fold. Then, take into consideration where you will need to take this tablet POS Solution: checkout, throughout the aisles, into the back for inventory and warehousing, outside of the brick-and-mortar.
Battery
Aside from the device connecting in every part of the business, you also need to make sure you do not have to run back to the charger throughout the day. The longer the battery life, the smoother your workday will run.
Did someone forget to put the tablet on the charger the night before? Not a problem when you have a device that can charge in a fraction of the time as other tablet options. Quick charge and long life is the recipe for a great tablet POS solution to bring into your business.
Sizing
When it comes to tablets, just like any technology, there are always a plethora of sizing options to choose from. When selecting your tablet POS solution, you want to keep in mind it is a mobile technology. You and your staff are not going to want to carry around a large and heavy device, but you also want it big enough to show customers’ product details and checkout amounts, and your staff doesn’t want to strain their eyes as they manage stock.
Review your options and work with a company that has a variety of sized tablets, ranging anywhere from 7.5″ to 11″ screens.
Peripherals
You’ll also want to consider what peripherals you want added to the unit. If you have a card scanner or RFID reader, that may add to the overall size and weight of the tablet. But if you add a hand or shoulder strap, this may relieve some of those weight worries.
Ruggedization
Lastly, and arguably one of the most important elements to consider: ruggedization. You need to know what your tablet POS solution can withstand and that it was properly tested for all environments.
So what does being ruggedized entail? It has to do with the device’s ingress protection (IP) rating. This rating is a way to show the effectiveness of a device’s enclosures, meaning how strong your tablet POS solution can stand up to elements like dust, moisture, liquids, accidental contacts, and sometimes pressure. The first number identifies how it stands up to solids, the second is liquids, and the third is an optional number of pressures. A good IP rating is anything over an IP65.
When it comes to selecting the best tablet POS solution for your business, you must have all the basic information upfront. Gather the knowledge needed so you can identify exactly what you want to modernize your business technology.
