What to Expect in POS Packages?

Point of sale (POS) systems help in running hospitality &retail business operations efficiently. They can make or break a business as an ineffective point of sale (POS) system not only affects operations but also frustrates your service staff. Therefore, it is essential to understand what you are getting in the point of sale (POS) bundle. Ideally, point of sale (POS) vendors provide point of sale (POS) solutions in packages that would suit your business requirements and the size of your store. There are many hardware components other than just the point of sale (POS) terminal or computer that the vendors provide in the package. Therefore, instead of just looking for cash registers for sale, you can ask your vendor to give you an idea of all the components they would offer based on the type of business you are into.

POS packages


Before listing the usual items that come in the POS packages, let us discuss what a point of sale (POS) system is.

Let’s begin!

What is a point of sale (POS) System?

The place in a store where customers make payment for the item purchased and receive a receipt of purchase as a proof of transaction is the point of sale (POS) or point of purchase. To enable the transaction process, a set of hardware and software is used, the combination of which is known as the point of sale (POS) system.

Fun Fact – Australia has the highest usage of point of sale (POS) devices per capita across the globe. Australian consumer has access to more than 940,000 point of sale (POS) devices Australia-wide in June 2021.

Having said that, it is essential to instate that a point of sale (POS) system does more than just process payments like:

1.     Inventory Tracking and Management - With a robust point of sale (POS) system, retailers can track their inventory across multiple stores at multiple locations. These systems can track the availability of stock in each of the stores. Retailers can therefore find the availability of the products that the customers are looking for and re-stock the products that are highly in demand.

 

2.     Enhanced Customer Experience – Retailers can provide an enhanced customer experience using a point of sale (POS) system. Not only can store assistants look up the products the customer is looking for in seconds but there are stores with self-service kiosks for customers to search for the products they are looking for on their own. Not only this but point of sale (POS) systems also helps in storing customer information including their purchase history which can be beneficial in offering them personalised services in the future.

 

3.     Can Operate from Any Location – Modern-day cloud-based point of sale (POS) systems allow business owners to access business data and operate their stores from any location, through any mobile device.

 

4.     Better Security – A powerful point of sale (POS) system not only offers secure payment methods to the customers but also helps business owners protect their valuable data by storing them in cloud storage. This prohibits data breaches. Also, cloud-based systems can be operated without an internet connection. Therefore, all your transactional information will be securely stored and synchronised when your device is connected to the internet.

 

5.     Precise Reporting and Analysis – Business owners can be assured of accurate sales reports by implementing a strong point of sale (POS) software.

 

6.     Speedy Service – Point of sale (POS) systems not only speed up the transaction process but the product return process is also quick and hassle-free.

 

 Coming to the main topic of discussion, let us find out what POS packages usually offer.

1.     POS Hardware – The point of sale (POS) hardware is the tangible solution that enable business operations in a retail setup. These include:

 

·       POS Terminal – The heart of the point of sale (POS) system that functions as a cash register is the POS terminal or computer. However, the latest point of sale (POS) systems are mostly cloud-based and can be accessed on iPads or tablets Therefore, you can look for tablets or iPad compatible bundles instead of the ones that come with desktops.

 

·       Receipt Printer – As the name suggests, receipt printers are used to print transaction receipts for the customers. These include all the purchase details like date and time of purchase, name of the product, price break-ups, and the total amount paid by the customer. This not only maintains transparency but also helps customers in case of any return or exchange of products. The popular type of receipt printer is the thermal receipt printer. Usually, vendors provide thermal receipt printers with thermal receipt rolls. Thermal receipt papers are chemically treated papers that facilitate printing through a heat mechanism.

 

·       Cash Drawer – Usually connected to the POS terminal, the point of sale (POS) cash drawers open and close when a command is sent out to it from the computer through the point of sale (POS) software. It is essential for storing cash and other important bills and receipts.

 

·       Barcode Scanner – As the name implies, barcode scanners are used to scan barcode labels from products and fetch product information. This expedites the checkout process in a retail store and also helps in managing inventory.

 

·       Payment Processor – Most point of sale (POS) hardware come with card readers that can read both debit and credit cards. At the same time, a good payment processor offers customers multiple payment modes to facilitate the checkout process.

 

2.     POS Software – The point of sale (POS) software essentially runs the entire point of sale (POS) system and is primarily categorised into two – frontend and backend. Where frontend transactions take place on the frontend interface, usually on the desktop or tablet or iPad screens, backend processes are done on a separate browser or specially provided application window. Both the frontend and backend interfaces are connected and synced to facilitate business operations.

 

Point of sale (POS) software stores data in two ways-

 

·       On-site – Also known as the traditional point of sale (POS) software, this software stores data on local servers and runs on closed networks.

 

·       Cloud-based – These are web-based and run on cloud service. Therefore, data stored online on a cloud server can be accessed from anywhere with an internet connection. Cloud-based point of sale (POS) software is also known as software-as-a-service (SaaS).

Other components that POS packages generally include are-

3.     Self-service Kiosks – These are the touchscreen devices that we usually see at fast-food joints and are a type of point of sale (POS) hardware. Customers can place and pay for their orders on their own using these devices, enabling contactless and improved customer service.

 

4.     Digital Scales – These devices are useful while charging items by weight and can be a helpful addition to your point of sale (POS) bundle. Digital scales calculate the amount owed by the customer based on the weight of the items. You can configure the software connecting your scale to your point of sale (POS) system to make corresponding changes to your inventory.

 

5.     Routers – Even though routers are not ideally point of sale (POS) hardware components, you cannot run a point of sale (POS) system without a stable internet connection. This is why some point of sale (POS) companies sell routers. It is a one-time cost and is less expensive than opting for a separate internet connection; especially for smaller spaces.

 

6.     Modules and Ethernet Switch – Traditional point of sale (POS) systems come with in-built functions that require modules to support extra features. At the same time, Ethernet switches are an extension to routers that allow more than 3 printers to connect.

 

While hunting for your point of sale (POS) system, consider the following essential aspects –

1.     The type of hardware your business needs.

 

2.     You have chosen a powerful software for your system that would handle all your business needs. Know that businesses may or may not require hardware components but will definitely require a robust software. For example, if you own an online store, you would not require any hardware components. But, if you run a physical store or a physical and online store, both, you would require both hardware and software components.

 

3.     Your point of sale (POS) bundle should offer wireless tools that are compatible with mobile devices.

 

To pick the right POS package, you need to choose the right point of sale (POS) vendor. To do so, choose a POS company that offers –

1.     On-site Training – An established and efficient point of sale (POS) vendor will conduct training on how to use the point of sale (POS) system for your staff and management. This training is usually done in one or two sessions.

 

2.     Installation and Setup – Once you have decided the components you would require in your POS package, your vendor should do the installation for you so that you do not get entangled in the installation and setup process.

 

3.     Support – This is one of the most important factors that one needs to consider while choosing a point of sale (POS) company. Your vendor should provide phone or online support whenever you require assistance so that your work never gets hampered due to any kind of technical glitch.

 

Conclusion

If you are hunting for the best point of sale (POS) systems in Australia, visit POS Plaza- your one-stop shop for all point of sale (POS) needs. Get in touch with our expert who will assist you to pick the perfect POS package to suit all your business requirements.


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