Handheld Point of Sales Changing Restaurants

A few years ago in Europe a small restaurant chain made history. The future had arrived when they took their first order and sent it electronically to the kitchen. That simple act forever changed the future of high volume restaurants. Their little experiment was expand to over a dozen restaurants and netted them a 20% increase in revenue within months. The system paid for itself and created profits by decreasing table turn time by delivering orders to the kitchen in the blink of an eye and increasing the amount of time the wait staff could spend with their patrons.

Such a simple and wonderful idea has been slow to catch on. Many restaurants fear the initial cost investments and the technical nightmare of installing software on handheld devices. Several of major restaurant software manufacturers have released handheld versions of their software. Most of these lack the ease of use and installation needed to make them viable. There have even been a few attempting at making software that can recognize handwriting. Although the concept seems sound in practice it is far from easy to master.

Some time ago I was challenged to write a customer Point of Sale Software System for a customer. I spent a long time thinking about hand held PCs and how best to incorporate them into the package. Easy installation and the ability to run on almost any platform became my primary concerns. I soon hit upon a realization that I could create the application with an HTML front end. I had already created three versions of a Point of Sale system we used in house. I had created our Point of Sale System as an Internet application because we perform a lot of on-site service. Being able to access a customer?s bill and update it from right there at their location was a power we desperately needed. It also allowed for easy integration into our supplier network and allowed the owners to access company data from anywhere and since they?re always halfway across the country it solved a lot of problems.

Taking the tools I had already created and using them to construct a Restaurant Point of Sale was fairly easy and straightforward. There were tons of changes and modifications made and features added, but the core functions of selling a product and recording it are the same no matter what you sell. The end result was a Point of Sale Software Application that can be accessed and used on almost any platform system with no special software to install. The benefits to using this kind of model for software development are far too numerous for me to type. I think you can get an idea of the advantages to businesses of any size. Think of just a few of the advantages to a medium or large sized company. For a large chain of restaurants to be able to increase profits by more than 20% is a staggering figure and well worth the paltry hardware and software costs. With an Internet Based Application they can also increase profits by decreasing the time needed to install and manage software across all locations. Imagine being able to update the software for 400 locations instantly. Imagine how much would be saved by not needing to install software for the vast majority of the machines used for Point of Sales. The amount of money a large company could make just by streaming their technology and taking advantage of it is just staggering.

In all of this I forgot to mention the best part. Think about how cool it is to sit down and have a waitress take your order on a handheld. That?s just too cool and I love it. The same great software can also be used as a Kiosk where patrons enter their own order. I can see the day when you sit down in a fast food restaurant and a computer-generated face takes your order and a small robot brings it to the table or it gets dropped from a chute. Not all restaurants would benefit from all technology, but the advantages of hand held ordering are at the bottom line and a lot of restaurants are going to reap in the profits.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Hosted Point of Sale Applications

With Software as a Service becoming the motto of many of today?s large software companies it becomes obvious the power Internet Applications hold. Instead of selling a license to install software and risk a bad install software manufacturer?s can charge for access to the software online through a web browser. This provides so many benefits that I don?t think I can list them all.

*Hosted software is instantly updated to all users
*Has an install so easy you can just click a shortcut and you?re running
*Can provide guaranteed off-site data back up that was once only the luxury of super rich mega companies.

Those are just the icing on the cake. You can run a Hosted application on almost any platform. Suddenly Linux systems don?t require a specialized software install, just a web browser. The technical support required for a non-Microsoft operating system drops considerably. You also get the added advantage of easy access on handheld devices and mobile phones.

The easiest fastest way to create any tool for multiple platforms and not worry about technical support costs is to look for those companies making the leap to the next level of technology. Software companies that make Internet Based and Web Based applications are going to experience an explosion as the world moves to this advantage.

Many of the largest companies have already stated their support and intensions in this area. When looking for a software company to provide a point of sale system I look at how well it integrates into this model. Can the software be hosted on a single server and manage 100 locations? How easy is it to install on different platforms? Can I keep it backed up and updated quickly and easily? Will it lower my bottom line and increase my profits? Evaluate the arguments and you?ll see the advantages Hosted Applications can offer any size business.

The development costs for a Hosted Application are also significantly less. Instead of worrying about difficult installs for multiple operating systems (even Windows Apps have to be tested on Win98 and up) you can focus on writing towards the most currently accepted standards as determined by the W3C. Having only one standard to worry about removes the concern that different operating systems will require different installs and files. As long as you use a browser that follows the W3C guidelines, and the big ones do, then you?ve reduced development and testing time. This creates a better application that isn?t bloated with all the junk needed to make it run on a million different systems.

There may be some concern in using a Point of Sale system through the Internet, but SSL encryption and other security techniques are quite sound. Stealing information has been around long before technology and thieves will always pick away at the profits. The question is whether the risk is higher in using a Software tool that can be so easily accessed by not only your employees but by financial assassins that we all know are there. Security is an always will be a concern, but if your company is connected to the Internet in any way then any information on those networks is at just as much of a risk if not more of a risk than the information stored in a hosted application.

If your network is connected to the Internet then you?re already taking the same risks as someone using an Internet Hosted Application. Even systems on a closed WAN have their security risks. The benefits of using an Internet Hosted Point of Sale System far outweigh the risks. In business every dollar counts and when it comes to technology picking the right path can make a huge difference in your profits.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Integrating Point of Sales and Inventory

Keeping track of your sales and the cash flowing in is one of the most important features of your point of sale software system. However it is only half of the story, a good point of sale system doubles as an inventory management system. Tracking an item from the moment you order it to the moment it is sold makes point of sale software the single most important tool for retail business today.

Integrating inventory into your point of sale system can be a huge time consuming task. Many companies have thousands of potential inventory items; larger companies can have hundreds of thousands. The most important aspect is keeping track of the product from it?s creation to beyond the sale. Knowing who manufactured an item and their specifications for its use allows you to provide a service aspect to your customers. If today?s point of sale systems for larger companies didn?t track this then recalls would be almost impossible to issue and manage.

Employee theft is one of the biggest hits companies can take. Hundreds of thousands of dollars could escape large retailers through the sticky fingers of dishonest associates. New technologies being incorporated into the sales aspect are slowing moving over to inventory management and theft prevention. RFID tags imbedded in the products packing from the manufacturer can allow an entire truckload of incoming products to be counted and added to the inventory at record time. Sensors placed strategically can prevent products from walking out the wrong door unpaid and pay for the cost of system quickly with the savings from fewer thefts.

Any technology has its issues and inventory management can run into lots of bumps. In many cases inventory items can be purchased from multiple vendors and supply chains can change. Your point of sale software system needs to take these changes into account. Prices can also change sometimes on a daily basis. You not only have to keep track of the cost of the item and the price it was sold at, but you have to do this every time the item is brought into inventory. For large companies this can create huge amounts of data and the more data your system holds the slower it can become. So we tread this fine line between capturing the information and keeping ourselves from retaining too much data. Experienced data base programmers have tricks and methods to keep the actual amount of data retained to a minimum while still supplying the functions required in a point of sale system.

To any company that sells retail products inventory management is just as important as sales management. When shopping for a new point of sale software system I suggest you pay particular attention to the inventory and product management features. Having a system that performs a quick sale and manages the cash to the penny is great, but if it can?t help you track your inventory in a method that makes you feel secure then I suggest you keep looking. Finding the right software for your business can be a time consuming process but believe me when I tell you it is the single most important decision you can make.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Low Cost Point of Sale Systems and Software

Now the last thing I want is for this be a shameless promotion of the software we develop. But my position gives me a unique insight in the business models followed by different software companies. We produce a no cost point of sale software package and can testify that the free and low cost software model is a viable enterprise. Instead of focusing on selling the product and slowly building a user base and then relying on selling upgrades to continue the momentum we?re finding that charging a steady monthly fee for support and updates actually reduces customer cost and increases the quality of service we can provide.

Look at the commercial viability of Linux and you understand what?s going on. Free software is free to use, but if you need help (and everybody does) then support plans are available from industry experts for a monthly or single incident fee. By sending software out into the world you capture a large audience and can quickly establish a presence on the market.

Point of Sale systems can be especially expensive for small businesses and most resellers offer so many options that it can be easy to get lost. You not only have software to consider by the wide range of hardware available. We focused our products on two vertical markets; Computer Service & Retail Point of Sales and Restaurant Point of Sales. Both businesses can be very expensive to setup and maintain. Saving costs and increasing profits is vital and many software companies position themselves to provide Point of Sale Software that forces you into expensive service agreements and fees. Often times this goes beyond the reasonable fees assumed for support. A small business should not have to pay for an entire support division just for their point of sale software.

Business managers need to look at the lifetime cost of the Point of Sale Systems. Is the hardware efficient or overpriced and way too powerful for the task? Is the software streamlined for my vertical market? Will it increase costs and lower expenses? Will it provide statistical sales data that can be imported into accounting packages? What is the true cost and savings of the system? What kind of support is available and is it priced reasonably? If you can answer those questions and feel satisfied with the answers then you?ve found the right system for you.

So the price of the software is only a concern for those tight on budget for getting started. The real cost is in the efficiency of the software and the support network it provides. Take time and evaluate several of the tools available on the market for your point of sales system. Learn what makes each one special and has the features that most closely match your business. Find out what kind of support you get and decide if email only is really support. If every business took the time to evaluate their point of sale software and the true cost then we?d find a lot of companies changing software.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Multi-Platform Point of Sales

I love Microsoft and I love Windows. I hate to admit it but they make the best software you can buy. But when you can get a really awesome Operating System for FREE then as a business you have to look at the bottom line. I?m not saying Linux is an end-all be-all against Microsoft?s offerings, but I do think it can find its place in the world.

Let?s look at specialized computer systems designed for a single task like Point of Sale systems. These are computers that are completely unlike office workstations and home PCs. They serve a single task of recording the sale and movement of inventory and services rendered to your customer. They don?t need to have really good sound systems and be able to show video at ultra-pixel resolution. In the equine world they are the mules that carry the load. So often small and medium sized businesses are spending money they could save. Many large businesses have embraced alternate operating systems for a lone time and I hope the trend will continue.

One of the concerns many businesses have is in installing specialized software and going through complicated setups. There is now an emerging trend in software development that will get rid of many of these fears. Several Point of Sale applications have been released as Web Server based applications. This is not to be confused with an Internet Application although they are very similar which I?ll explain. A Web Server based application can be installed locally and an Internet Application is installed off-site and accessed through your Internet Connection. These applications can be found and used either way depending on the manufacturer?s sales model.

With Software as a Service becoming the motto of many of today?s large software companies it becomes obvious the power Internet Applications hold. Instead of selling a license to install software and risk a bad install software manufacturer?s can charge for access to the software online through a web browser. This provides so many benefits that I don?t think I can list them all. Hosted software is instantly updated to all users, has an install so easy you can just click a shortcut and you?re running and can provide guaranteed off-site data back up that was once only the luxury of super rich mega companies. Those are just the icing on the cake. You can run a Hosted application on almost any platform. Suddenly Linux systems don?t require a specialized software install, just a web browser. The technical support required for a non-Microsoft operating system drops considerably. You also get the added advantage of easy access on handheld devices and mobile phones.

The easiest fastest way to create any tool for multiple platforms and not worry about technical support costs is to look for those companies making the leap to the next level of technology. Software companies that make Internet Based and Web Based applications are going to experience an explosion as the world moves to this advantage. Many of the largest companies have already stated their support and intensions in this area. When looking for a software company to provide a point of sale system I look at how well it integrates into this model. Can the software be hosted on a single server and manage 100 locations? How easy is it to install on different platforms? Can I keep it backed up and updated quickly and easily? Will it lower my bottom line and increase my profits? Evaluate the arguments and you?ll see the advantages Hosted Applications can offer any size business.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Point of Sale Systems of the Future

Technology has been moving at an amazing avalanche pace. It continues to grow and develop faster than many companies can keep up with. We?ve come back to one of those lulls where companies are tightening their technology belt. It isn?t that these companies don?t appreciate the technology being launched; instead they?re waiting for the next round. Technology really does move in waves and businesses respond to these cycles. Advancements are made quickly, but it can take time to smooth out the problems that always arise with anything new. Businesses tend to watch new operating systems and software solutions closely before investing heavily in it. With the near release of Vista businesses are gearing back their IT budgets and preparing for the next wave.

The next year is going to be an exciting time especially since it?s been so long since Microsoft?s last Operating System Release. Each time I get nervous and remember back in the early days the trouble I got when I upgraded to DOS 4.0. Of course DOS 5.0 was close at hand and everything smoothed out. Still I wonder what new and exciting things that will happen. This power Microsoft yields over the entire Industry is well earned and no one with any respect for their accomplishments can deny Windows XP is all they said it would be (after numerous lawsuits, revisions, patches, updates and a whole lot of headaches). Today?s Windows XP is a lot different from the one they released so many years ago. A wonderful job has been done to make the application solid and secure with a wide range of features I really use. If we?re lucky Vista will only need one major service update to make it really good, but only time will tell.

The unfortunate side affect of Microsoft?s success is that their releases have a direct impact on the bottom line of a lot of IT companies. At certain times we experience this scary lull light the eye of a hurricane. On the bright side Vista is sure to super charge the IT Industry and generate revenue for a lot of companies outside of Microsoft.

So where does this whirlwind of waves hold for the future of retail software? Many companies are going to hold their budgets until Vista can prove itself. A small minority might venture to Linux and a brave few will dive into Vista with blind resolve. There are some software companies and software applications that have found a unique way to avoid the Operating Fears. Instead of developing software to run and be installed on multiple systems they?re finding Internet Technologies are allowing cross platform development people didn?t dream of five years ago. By developing software that runs through a web browser programmers can focus on writing their software to match standards created by the W3C. Instead of tying themselves down to one operating system they open themselves up to almost all of them.

As Internet Technologies continue to advance we?re going to find the spiral of technology spending will no longer rely so heavily on the releases of specific operating systems, but instead on a set of existing standards created by the W3C. Point of Sale Systems are one of the most common types of computer systems used in business. By leveraging the power of Internet Technology companies are finding software applications that are multi-platform, require no installation and provide dedicated back up services in addition to a wide range of other benefits Hosted Applications can provide.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Point of Sale Systems that Grow with You

Not all businesses grow up and become nationwide sprawl mall custom fair. But any solid business that can be replicated is a potential Star Bucks. I worked for a major nation wide retailer for three years. I actually didn?t work in one of their 400+ retail locations, but in one of the service centers that repaired the wide variety of electronics that company sold. They sold everything from washing machines to computer systems. I was a computer tech, beta software tester and the network admin for a location of seventy some employees.

While working there they spent a lot of time pounding in the corporate culture and the legend and myth of their humble beginnings. It was designed to brainwash us into loving the company and sharing in its success. They happened to be big on propaganda and a lot of silly micromanagement junk that almost ruined them during the time I worked for them.

Let me set the stage for you and tell you part of the corporate tale of this company that shall remain unnamed. They started as a music store up north a couple decades ago. Car stereos and music sales made for rapid growth. A second location was opened and also proved successful. Before long there was four locations and they expanded from stereos to all kinds of electronics and appliances. Then they sat stagnant for a while and one of the stores was wiped out in an unfortunate accident. Then without warning they bankrolled an ambitious expansion plan and a new corporate giant was born. New stores started popping up everywhere. They were growing at a breath taking speed and within a decade they had conquered America.

Move to 1998 when I had my interview and accepted a job that lasted three years and held so many responsibilities that many times I wondered if it was worth it. At this time a new fear was sweeping the nation and it went by the code name of Y2K. The company I worked for was in big trouble. Their point of sale software that had helped them create their empire had been developed without concern for Y2K. Limited tests showed that the software would fail in dozens of ways after January 1, 2000. I don?t know the final dollar amount of developing the replacement software but halfway through I remember the engineer leading the project saying they had hit Nine Million Dollars and it wasn?t even done yet.

I was lucky to be one of the beta testers and involved in the direction and development of the software. I learned a great many lessons during that crazy hectic time of insanity. The most important lesson is that when your business starts to grow it?s a whole lot cheaper to make sure your software is going to grow with you rather than to pay for it later. They survived the hit to their bottom line and the software, although buggy at first it was eventually ironed out and launched to all their locations before Y2K (but it was so close a couple people almost lost their jobs).

The Point of Sale software for any business is so critical that I can?t stress enough how much effort should be put into getting the right system. No one can foresee all the Y2K bugs out there and every software tool has its flaws. But businesses that don?t take their technology seriously are not the one?s that survive to the point where it takes almost ten million dollars to fix their mistake.

Please consider this article for publication in your newsletter or on your website. Permission is granted to reprint for free with author box and byline intact. Please send me a copy of your publication if you choose to include my article. TITLE: AUTHOR: Ed Duval URL: www.AndTechComputers.com

MAILTO: support@andtech2020.com

Author Box - ? Ed Duval (2006) Ed Duval is contract writer and software developer for www.AndTechComputers.com and Creator of the HotPotato Restaurant Point of Sale Software System. With over a decade of experience in software development he shares his unique insight on today's point of sale software systems.

Point of Sale: No Longer Just a Place Where You Take the Customer's Money

POS is the holy grail. One popular easy to implement system is Quickbooks. Quickbooks Point of Sale is the answer for those who want to move away from a calculator and regular, analog cash register. Microsoft Point of Sale is a more costly, yet friendly retail-management package for mom-and-pop shops. Point of Sale is a fairly ethereal concept, as we really do not know where exactly the "sale" is made in the buyer's mind. The point of sale is the most visible and important contact you have with your customers. It is similarly becoming more flexible itself. In addition to software, the location of your POS system in your business is important. Colorful logos and graphics should be used to direct the attention and improve message retention of the visitors and prospects. The touch screen point of sale is ideal for working restaurants and growing restaurants looking for a better restaurant register. What it comes down to is this: In a well-run establishment, the point of sale is more than just the place where the money comes in. Extending the point of sale is something retailers have been trying to do for years.

Few purchases can have as dramatic an effect on your retail or hospitality venture as a point of sale (POS) system. Be sure to invest in integrated business processing rather than simple exchanges of information in a basic cash register. Get the software component you need to streamline your business process and improve customer service.

If you?re involved with a business that holds inventory, that?s another area to be concerned about. How do you make sure that the inventory at each ecommerce site is accurate? Whether your establishment has a small gift shop or a larger sales item inventory, look for a point of sale module that makes sales inventory management easy. This will allow you to offer improved customer service by viewing real time inventory information.

The point of sale is the location where the transaction takes place. It is going to be a point where a whole new form of `marketing-at-retail' is set to emerge - in our service businesses and supermarkets alike. Keep in mind the important things to look for in POS. Protecting credit card tabulations at the point of sale is challenging. One of the biggest benefits of QuickBooks Point of Sale is that it integrates with QuickBooks Financial Software and merchant accounts to make this easier for you. Remember, choosing the right spot for a new point of sale is a key decision for a company. In summary, point of sale is giving way to point of service.

Before you purchase a POS system make sure to visit SoftwarePointofSale.com where you will quickly and easily find resources and information on point of sale systems, label printers, flat screen monitors, and other useful links that will help you make your decision.

Retail Point Of Sale

There are a number of channels of distribution available to the producer, which may be employed by him to bring his products to the market. Consumer goods may be distributed generally through channels, in each of which the manufacturers may use the sales branch or sales office as the additional alternative. One of the channels used is Producer-Consumer, where no middleman is involved. Sales are made from house to house or by direct mail. A second channel is Producer-Retailer-Consumer, by which goods may be purchased directly from manufacturers. Retail stores may also be opened by manufacturers by this channel. A third channel is Producer-Wholesaler-Retailer-Consumer, which is the traditional and most economical channel. Penultimately, there is Producer-Agent-Retailer-Consumer, in which many producers use manufacturing agents, brokers, etc. for reaching the retail market. Finally, there is Producer-Agent-Wholesaler-Retailer-Consumer, where the services of agents are utilized by the smaller retailers, who purchase from a wholesaler and sell to small stores.

A large number of channels of distribution are available to the manufacturer for bringing his product to the ultimate consumer. Efficient distribution at the least cost and attaining the desired volume of sale can be secured only after experience, study and analysis. The notice of the product, its unit value, its technical features, and its degree of differentiation from competitive products are the factors which may limit the number of potential channel alternatives.

A retailer, as the name indicates, does retailing, which is to say he sells to ultimate consumers. In the distributional hierarchy, retailers are below the level of stockists, distributors, and wholesalers. Sometimes, retailers are termed dealers or authorized representatives. The retailer often operates in a smaller territory or at his specific location; earns lesser commission compared to higher levels in the channel; he does not carry out stock holding and sub-distribution functions.

A stockist or distributor or wholesaler is also a large sized operator but not on par with the marketer or sole selling agent in level, size and territory of operation. Stock holding and sub-distribution, as per the policies laid down by the manufacturers or the marketers, are the main functions of stockists/distributors.


Point Of Sale provides detailed information on point of sale, point of sale displays, point of sale hardware, point of sale marketing and more. Point Of Sale is affliated with Affordable Point Of Sale Systems

Why Buy A Point Of Sale System?

Many retailers have built a very successful brand without a point of sale system. Whether they rely on pen and paper,or cash registers, credit card machines, and accounting systems, a point of sale system is sometimes merely an afterthought to a thriving retail business. Yet, retail is changing; competition is increasing, customers are revaluating where and how they buy, and point of sale systems have now become standard equipment.

Retailers who are considering point of sale know that critical business information is often lost in the disorganization of multiple systems, and redundant data entry. Employees too,lose productivity when they are faced with complex systems,inaccurate records, and confusing processes. Most retailers
know they need to eliminate disparate systems and
non-integrated components, but the time required to do so is often daunting to a busy retailer; some believe thy already have detailed knowledge of the business performance; albeit instinctual. In addition, retailers are hesitant to adopt a point of sale system, as they believe it will require outside service providers, lost historical data and sometimes, just too much of an investment.

Yet automation of the point of sale has tremendous benefits to the retailer including:

? Managed and visible inventory: stock to par levels, record and use sales and ordering information for immediate and future decisions, search, filter, and retrieve inventory information easily.

? Faster checkout: enable productivity with easily identifiable merchandise through bar codes and quick look ups, automated tasks and easily retrievable information lead the sales and checkout process.

? Improved customer detail: keep customer data on file, track purchases, enable target marketing, and reward loyalty.

? Reduced costs and increased revenue: easily identify operating cost, labor and shrinkage, quickly realize and track revenue increases.

Point of sale systems have grown beyond complex software systems with cumbersome hardware components. Rather they have become very easy to setup on your countertop and install. Most may be shipped right to you with the software and hardware peripherals already loaded, with simple wizards that
ease the task of entering inventory, store, and employee information. Most existing, historical sales data may be imported simply, and systems will now integrate with a variety of popular accounting systems, loyalty programs, and multiple credit card
processors. There are tremendous cost effective solutions suited to your unique business that enable you to set up quickly, and expand and grow as your business does. They may even provide you information about your business that your instincts did not.Take a look.
selling businesses
business for sale
 

Restaurant Point Of Sale

 In restaurant point of sale a product passes through certain distinct stages during its life. This cycle of stages is called Product Life Cycle or PLC. The PLC is normally presented as a sales curve spanning the products course from introduction to exit. Concept lies in the fact that each stage in the restaurant point of sale is characterized by a typical market behavior and consequently each stage lends itself to the application of a certain specific marketing strategy. Understanding the PLC concept and managing it effectively can help prolong the profitable phases of the life span of a product.

A typical product at restaurant point of sale passes through distinct stages during the course of its life. During the market pioneering stage, the product is in its introductory stage in the market. Here there may not yet be a ready market for the product. Sales are low; the product undergoes teething troubles; profits seem a remote possibility; demand has to be created and developed; and customers have to be prompted to try out the product. One of the crucial decisions to be taken at this stage is the pricing strategy to be adopted for the product.

The ease and speed with which competitors can bring out similar products is perhaps the most important factor in deciding the pricing strategy at this stage. Another crucial area demanding attention is market development and promotion. That?s where demand has to be created and developed. The firm has to invest heavily in promotion before it sees any returns.

During the market growth stage, the demand for the product increases and the size of the market grows. That?s when one has to stay ahead of his competitors and persuade the customer to prefer his brand. He cannot dictate the price to the customer; he cannot dictate the terms to the channel.

Point Of Sale provides detailed information on point of sale, point of sale displays, point of sale hardware, point of sale marketing and more. Point Of Sale is affliated with Affordable Point Of Sale Systems

Point Of Sale Software

The growth and survival of the business in the dynamic environment as of today depends upon the development of new software. Organizations must be always in the lookout of new opportunities and exploiting the opportunities by creating new software and services. Therefore, it is needless to say that new product development holds the key for the survival of an organization.

With so many new companies entering into the fray these days, it?s no surprise that there is a huge demand for Point of Sale Software. But sadly most folks that go into this venture don&39;t realize the importance of choosing a good piece of Point of Sale Software.

New software does not come about on its own. They are the result of the ingenuity of creative people in the organization. As such, it is obvious that point of sale software is the function of organizational creativity. In other words, it depends upon how creative an organization is in respect of new ideas because any organization can be as creative as its people.

Point of sale software just doesn&39;t cut it to use a pencil and paper to keep track of sales and expenditures. It will help you keep solid tracking of everything between what products are moving to how much you are spending on them. Point of sale software provides information and tracking that can define the path your business should take.

When talking about point of sale software, creativity is the buzzword. It may be viewed as new insights, which points to better ways of dealing with reality. It involves a departure from conventional thinking to non- conventional thinking. It entails establishment of a relationship between the hitherto unrelated things, ideas or concepts.

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Point Of Sale Systems

An organized enterprise does not exist in a vacuum. Rather, it is dependent on its external environment. It is a humble part of many systems, such as its own industry, the economy, and society as a whole. Thus, the enterprise receives various inputs, changes them somehow, and releases the outputs to the environment.

However, this simple model needs to be expanded and developed into a model of operational management that indicates how the various inputs are transformed through the managerial functions of planning, organizing, staffing, leading and controlling. Clearly, an open system model that includes interactions between the enterprise and its external environment must describe Point of Sale systems.

The inputs from the external environment may include people, capital and managerial skills, as well as technical knowledge and skills. In addition, various groups of people will make demands on the enterprise. For example, employees wants higher pay, more benefits, and job security. On the other hand, consumers demand safe and reliable products at reasonable prices.

It is up to the managers of an enterprise to transform inputs into outputs effectively and efficiently. Of course, the transformation process can be viewed from different perspectives. Thus, one can focus on such diverse enterprise functions as finance, production, personnel and marketing.

Communication plays a pivotal part in Point of Sale systems. First, it integrates the managerial functions. For example, the objectives set in planning are communicated so that the appropriate organization structure can be devised. Communication is essential in the selection, appraisal and training of managers to fill the roles in this structure.

One should never forget that the customer, who is the reason for the existence of virtually all businesses, is outside a company. It is through the Point of Sale systems that the needs of customers are identified; this knowledge enables the firm to provide products and services at a profit.

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Point Of Sale Hardware

The systems model of management demonstrates that communication is what is needed for executing managerial functions and for integrating the organization with the outside world. Point of sale hardware exactly performs this function with the help of Management Information System (MIS).

MIS can be defined as a formal system of gathering, integrating, comparing, analyzing and dispersing information internal and external to the enterprise in a timely, effective and efficient manner. MIS has to be tailored to specific needs and may include routine information, such as monthly reports, information that points out exceptions, especially at critical points and information necessary to predict the future.

Electronic equipment allows speedy and inexpensive crunching of gigantic quantities of data. The computer can, with proper programming, process data toward logical conclusions, classify them and make them readily available for a manager?s use. In fact, data do not become information until they are processed into a usable form that informs.

Information needs differ at various organizational levels. Therefore, the impact of point of sale hardware will also be different. At the supervisory level activities are usually highly programmable and repetitive. Consequently, the use of hardware is widespread at this level. Scheduling, daily planning and controlling of the operation are just a few examples.

Middle level managers, such as department heads are usually responsible for administration and coordination. But much of the information important to them is now also available to top management if the company has a comprehensive information system. For this reason, some people think that the computer will reduce the need for middle level managers. Others predict that their roles may be expanded and changed.

Top level managers are responsible for the strategy and overall policy of the organization. In addition to determining the general direction of the company, they have to do whole lot of other things. Hence, it is not easily programmable. Yet they can use the point of sale hardware to retrieve information from a database that facilitates the application of decision models.
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Why An Efficient POS (Point of Sale ) Cash Register System May Be The Best Investment You'll Ever Make

The Slope Report read, "excellent conditions". It was cold but sunny and the slopes were full of skiers and snowboarders. The powder? Perfect. I could see out the window a group of skiers were headed toward the lodge bar. Inside the bar they waited patiently as the bartender keyed in their seating numbers, drinks and bar tab. It took over four minutes for them to get their drinks; the same amount of time it took for them to decide on dinner at another pub.

Capturing the skiers during a weather-perfect season is simple. Capturing their food and beverage business isn't always so easy. It requires not only need a customer-friendly environment, but also a user-friendly POS (point of sale) cash register system for efficiency. Today's technology provides this...and more. POS cash register terminals that continuously synchronize with each other, endless report options, alcohol inventory controlled by bottle weights and computerized tap monitors, staff time and attendance, ski, school, and guest database management, and so much more are available. Let's face it. It takes more than cooperative weather to run a ski resort.

So, when choosing a POS software system, be certain to explore all the options. Cost is always a factor, but unless the software gives you all the management tools you need and is fully supported, an initially less expensive system can end up costing you much more. There are as many point of sale cash register systems available as there are skis and choosing the right one can be confusing and time-consuming. Aside from meeting technological requirements, your POS system must remain easy to use, with speed and accuracy. Customers, Employees, Managers and Sales Staff are all affected by a point of sale system. So, imagine first what you would like the ideal computer cash register system to do for your resort; make a list of features you hope to find. Chances are you'll find all of them on today's market.

One software company that stands out above the rest is a Canadian-based company called Tesoro Technologies, Incorporated. Wired or wireless, Windows or Linux, networked or independent terminals, their Volant? POS System is up for any challenge. Since 1993, Volant? System developers have been designing equipment that is "cash register tough and computer smart" to serve some of the biggest and best.

Snow Valley Ski Resort, located in Barrie, Ontario, wanted a POS system that could produce ID cards and time passes, manage a client database and ski school, as well as handling all their food and beverage and retail services. The geographical location had Director, Peter Haney, concerned at first. " Like most ski resorts, we are very remote. We needed a satellite tower and wireless system. We also looked at a lot of providers and found that most of the companies didn't offer the hospitality end we needed. Volant? is hospitality."

Tesoro had to install a fail-safe, independently running system for the remote summit area that could also be integrated with the high volume operations below. Using both wired and wireless network topology, their system has operated without software failure despite the unstable power and network issues. Snow Valley Ski Resort also utilizes the database of guests and 5,800 pass holders to generate email broadcasts, which enhances their marketing plan. "We're real pleased with Volant?. It's an entity that grows and evolves along with our business," says Haney.

In fact, Volant? has revolutionized the wireless POS industry. Their creative approach to wireless mobile computing makes Volant? the perfect POS software choice for not only ski resorts, but for other venues as well, such as stadiums, trade shows, casinos, arenas, race tracks and outdoor sales areas where conventional POS cash register systems aren't practical nor feasible.

Tesoro Technologies, Inc. may be at the forefront of a new generation of guest management technology, but they're still producing. Recent breakthroughs in point of sale development are allowing a full range of services and back office capabilities never before considered. For more information on how Tesoro and Volante POS systems can help your business, contact them through their website, www.volantesystems.com, or email them at sales@volantesystems.com.

So, when you're looking for a more efficient POS cash register system that can create "excellent conditions" at your resort, spend the extra time researching your options - it may turn out to be the best investment you're resort has ever made.

Your Business May Benefit From A Point of Sale System

Probably the most energetic and enterprising individuals live in the United States. So many Americans nowadays invest their savings with the hope that they will start a lucrative small business. They do it with hope and passion, powerfully attracted by the world of small business. Statistics show that in 2004 in the USA there were 24.7 million small businesses. What is more important is that for the last ten years, small businesses have supplied around 60-80 percent of the new jobs in the country. Before you decide to start a retail business, rent a space, or buy inventory, you should develop a business plan.

For this purpose, you may have to spend some time researching on the advantages of a point of sale system.

You will find out that on the market there are different versions of a point of sale system. However, probably the most approachable and easy point of sale system is the one that Microsoft offers. This point of sale system is based on the Windows framework. That is what makes this point of sale system approachable as most of us have grown up using Windows.

POS system is the abbreviation, which is usually used to refer to a retail point of sale system. A point of sale system helps small business, as well as large businesses, to rationalize their daily activities. A point of sale system can make even a large project easier to realize. A point of sale system will allow you to manage large databases in order to make your business more profitable. Some years ago, retailers used 10-digit registers, plug-in calculators, and carbon copy credit card receipts. This time is gone. Now, it is the age of point of sale system.

The contemporary point of sale system makes no difference with the regular personal computer. Point of sale system has every function that a desktop computer has and more. With a point of sale system, a businessperson will be able to ring up transactions, make payments, and manage inventory and print reports. Sales can be sorted and showed by day, by product, by cashier and by the hour. You can easily print labels for shelves, and price tags for products. Databases can be sorted like clients databases, department databases, item databases, and supplier databases. Even purchases can be tracked.

The point of sale system can be networked so that everyone will be able to share ideas, send messages and so on. In addition, if you wish receipts, labels and calendars can be designed. When you need them, summary sales reports, detailed sales reports and regional sales reports can be printed. Contemporary retail business is almost impossible without a retail point of sale system. It is hard for me even to imagine what business was when point of sale system does not exist.

Any operation nowadays will be very difficult to perform without a point of sale system. A point of sale system will save you all the paper work you are obliged to do. No matter if you are managing one store, ten stores, or one hundred you cannot miss to take a point of sale system.

Morgan Hamilton offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning sales. Get more information by visiting Point of Sale System