The use of ruggedized tablets as POS stations has, over the past few years, become a popular option for retailers and restaurateurs alike. Let’s take a look at four reasons why you should consider following the same approach.
1. Ruggedized tablets are “retail and hospitality hardened.” Unlike their consumer -grade counterparts—and as the term “ruggedized” implies—ruggedized tablets are designed to withstand the rigors of store and restaurant environments. For example, the construction of these units is such that they will likely continue to operate after they have been accidentally dropped by an employee or inadvertently knocked off a table or counter, subsequently hitting the floor. Similarly, ruggedized tablets incorporate components that render them not easily damaged by dust and/or exposure to extreme temperatures.
2. Ruggedized tablets have a lower total cost of ownership than consumer-grade devices. If you’re purchasing a tablet to enhance or accentuate your existing POS system infrastructure, it’s important to take into account the long-term cost of ownership versus up-front costs. When you consider the peripherals and the enclosure that need to be purchased in addition to the consumer-grade tablet, the up-front costs quickly begin to add up. Furthermore, with many consumer-grade devices, the batteries are not replaceable, which means you’ll be spending even more money in the long-run to replace not only tablets that have broken due to tough conditions, but also those with a well-worn battery. Often, business owners fail to recognize that while a ruggedized tablet may cost a little more up-front than a consumer-grade device, the long-term reality is that a ruggedized tablet will outlast and outperform a consumer-grade tablet.
3. Ruggedized tablets yield a higher return on investment (ROI) through bundling. Although ruggedized tablets are not always automatically configured to be utilized at POS stations, hardware providers often package them with some of the peripherals that are needed in order for the units to function as such. These requisite peripherals can include magnetic stripe readers, barcode scanners, as well as EMV-capable smart card readers that permit merchants to accept chip cards issued in keeping with the new Europay/Mastercard/Visa standard and fraud liability shift that goes into effect in October of 2015. Even if the necessary peripherals are not bundled with ruggedized tablets supplied by hardware providers, the units are often configured so that peripherals can be added later. In either scenario, the end-result is a better ROI.
4. Ruggedized tablets allow retailers and restaurant operators to maximize space usage in an aesthetically pleasing, ergonomically sound way. Many small stores and restaurants have limited counter space. With their smaller footprint, ruggedized tablets save counter space and there is also extra room to create attractive displays of small impulse merchandise, edible or otherwise, that can spur additional sales.
Consider, too, that for employees, completing customers’ transactions on traditional POS terminals in tight quarters can be a challenge. The greater their discomfort, the longer transactions will take and the greater the potential for error. With ruggedized tablets, this is not a concern.
Ruggedized tablets may not work for every retailer and restaurant operator, but for the majority of players, utilizing them in at least a portion of POS stations should continue to yield big benefits.
