POS Software



             


Friday, May 2, 2008

How A Web Based Point Of Sale System Can Help Increase Your Restaurant's Efficiency

Having the right types of restaurant operation equipment can significantly increase
your restaurant's efficiency by allowing you to do more in less time. Don't waste
your valuable time troubleshooting your clunky computers or fixing your cash register
that continues to break down. Investing in a POS (point of sale) system can help
you save time and money, allowing you to focus on what's important: your customers!


Also, a well implemented POS system can give you a new level of control over
your operations, increase efficiencies, boost profits and help you fine-tune your
business model. In addition to efficiency gains over your cash register, quality
POS software provides information and reports that can help you make more informed
business decisions.


And the best part is that Point of Sale is always changing and adapting to help
restaurateurs be more successful and efficient. The last couple of years have seen
the emergence of web-based point of sale. This new take on point of sale is starting
to gain momentum as people realize the benefits and security of the web.


With a traditional point of sale system, a back-office computer is required to
run your entire POS operation and to store your data. With this model, you run the
risks of losing all your data in the event of a natural disaster such as a flood,
fire, or earthquake; theft, and there's a chance of your hard drive crashing. As
well, it is your responsibility to back up and maintain your data - a very time-consuming
task that takes away from you running your business. You are also required to update
your system regularly when new versions become available. If that is not frustrating
enough, you also need to be at each specific location to access individual location
data and make changes to your menu prices, add discounts, and view revenue reports.
This is a huge misuse of your valuable time!


A web based POS system eliminates all the above problems by taking care of all
your data and storing it offsite. The internet is used to collect data from your
terminals and transfers it to a safe and secure place. Even in the event of an internet
outage, you can continue to keep your store operations running and the data will
be available when the power is restored. Investing in a POS system can help you
save time and money, allowing you to focus on what's important: your customers!
If you are a restaurateur with multiple locations, you should definitely consider
a web based POS system.


The first thing to do is find the right vendor: there are many of companies out
there selling web based POS systems that all claim to offer the best service. Do
your homework! Researching for the right dealer is a time consuming, yet necessary
task! Do not take any shortcuts on this extremely vital step - you will thank yourself
down the road. Make sure the company is experienced and has a reputable name. Ask
questions - do not leave anything uncertain. Ensure the company will be there for
you after the sale with ongoing customer support. Keep in mind that you are entering
in a long term relationship with this company, and it is important to know their
support system. As well, request a demonstration to see if this type of product
is a right fit for you. Lastly, do not hesitate to ask for references - you can
learn a lot from current users.


Some vendors can also customize software configurations to your specific restaurant
as well as provide seamless upgrades with no disruptions to your business. They
also back up your data on a daily basis so you can focus all your attention on making
your customers happy!


After making this very smart investment, you will realize what you have been
missing all this time! A web based POS allows you to access important reports and
data in real time. It enables you to run the POS system from any location with internet
access. You can download the latest sales reports and know what your top seller
is in a given time period. This means that you can work from home, on the road,
or if you really can't help yourself, on vacation! It will also allow you to view
reports for multiple locations, allowing you to see how each store is performing
and where/how your marketing dollars should be spent.


In the end, you will be able to access your store operations in real time and
manage multiple locations from the comfort of one location. If you are tired of
spending time managing your servers and compiling multiple reports into one, then
a web based POS system can be the thing to remedy your IT headaches.


Dan Mitchell works with Halo
Web Based
Point of Sale
to provide high-quality, cost-effective
POS Restaurant systems.
Feel free to contact Halo to find out how your restaurant can be more profitable

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Point Of Sale Display

Point of sale services mean advertisement services that an agency offers at
various points of sale like: shops, retail stores, restaurants, hotels, motels,
inns and casinos. This may refer to any kind of an establishment that deals in
retailing or even wholesaling. It may also be a counter of a shopping outlet or
other areas or points of sale or purchase.


These services are also offered by advertising agencies who seek to promote
their client by putting up stickers that have a logo or a sign of their company.
This also includes a message that has to be communicated to the audience. These
stickers or labels have a huge branding capability as they carry a message and
are concise. Moreover they can be easily lifted and used for a future reference
by the customers gathered at a single point of sale. They are small yet handy
and convenient at times. Woblers are used by stationery companies, companies
selling chocolates and candies and other things of beauty and value.


These woblers and labels contain graphic signage that is intended to promote
your company through information about an upcoming sale or an upcoming brand.
They can contain special and attractive offers, discounts, scratch and win
cards, etc. Thus point of sale techniques and tactics are a beautiful way to
convey the message to the customer and get imprinted in the mind of a potential
consumer. In order to be clear and lucid in the eyes of a new customer a new
brand has to be effective in its introductory offer and it becomes critical for
the brand to present its message clearly to the customers so that they decipher
the role and the product segment of the company without any qualms of
complexities.

Signarama can tailor the needs of a client and offer the best possible solution
to them for their marketing and branding needs. It also deals with traffic sign
posts and directional pots that are presented in a lucid manner so as to be
clearly decipherable. Traffic signs, direction tellers, illuminated signposts
are the top priorities on the lists of services demanded.


Table top advertising display and pop stands are also available in the
plethora of services offered by Signarama. Point of sale hotels and restaurants
use the table top advertising. Illuminated window signs add ambience to the
restaurant or hotel in hand and also present a great medium to showcase your
brand like an atrium. This offers instant brand recognition and patronization.
Interior hotel signs and graphics apart from table top display graphics are a
part of point of sale advertising display strategy. These bare a youthful,
attractive and a sinful resemblance and are used in casinos and bars.


Ted Turner is experienced brand development strategist using Toronto Signs
like Graphic Design - Storefront and Retail Signage -

Exhibits and Displays
- Promotional Signage - Interior Signage -

Point of Sale - POS
Materials to build brand awareness

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Thursday, May 1, 2008

Five Considerations for Point of Sale Hardware and Software

Whether you own an apparel boutique, gift shop, sporting goods store, or any other consumer merchandise outlet, deciding upon a point of sale (POS) system implementation can become a crucial factor that affects whether you store succeeds or fails. Here are five elements to consider before you buy:

1. Getting the Right Implementation Team

Out-of-the-box solutions may work for some enterprises, but most will benefit from a professional analysis and implementation. Companies that are experienced in, for example, Microsoft point of sale implementations can help guide you toward selecting the right hardware, as well as installing the underlying network and customizing the software.

2. Choosing the Software that Fits Your Needs

If you own a boutique, your software needs are different from those of a restaurant owner. Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (also known as Microsoft RMS or Microsoft Dynamics-RMS), for example, is tailored to small- to medium-sized retailers. It can automate inventory, automate purchasing management, and streamline transaction processing, while being scalable to meet your needs as your business grows.

3. Minimizing Disruptions

Implementing new hardware and software necessitates a certain level of disruption, but you should choose a solution that is specifically designed for easy implementation and adoption. In other words, your store should stay open for business and your employees should be able to quickly learn the system. Microsoft POS solutions, for example, utilize build-in wizards and intuitive user interfaces to make learning the system quick and painless.

4. Integrating with Other Software Solutions

Even if the software you select streamlines POS transactions, unless it's integrated with your other systems you won't get the most out of your investment. Ideally, your point of sale software should connect to your business information and processes and be able to communicate with, for example, Microsoft Office programs like Word and Excel.

5. Enhancing Marketing Efforts

The best point of sale software can become an important component of your marketing toolkit. Thanks to tracking features, POS software can enable you to launch highly targeted marketing to select customers, such as those who have purchased certain items in the past or those who have indicated a preference for certain merchandise. In addition, it should allow you to set up promotions and discounts, as well as suggest up-sells at the register so your employees can talk about the products to your customers.

Keep in mind that, when you select a point of sale software solution, you should be able to get all of the features you need. For example, you may want to quickly add new items to your database, or enable a matrix that allows you to differentiate between similar items (such as the same dress style) by attribute (such as size and color). Likewise, you may wish to print out customized labels for your price tags. Perhaps you need software that will work for multiple stores, or maybe customized reporting and metrics are critical to your business. The bottom line is that, with the right implementation team, point of sale software and hardware can catapult your retail business to the heights of growth and success.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Point of Sale Hardware and Software or Majon's Business and Entrepreneurs directory

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5 Reasons Why the Right Point of Sale Equipment Increases Profits

Whether you own a restaurant or a retail outlet, the right point of sale (POS) hardware and software can increase your bottom line. Here are five reasons why:

1. Return on Investment. While there are POS systems at many different price points, there are inexpensive software solutions that have great functionality, work with a wide variety of types of hardware, and can integrate with other business software. For example, if you are looking for pizza shop software, Point of Success is a low-priced restaurant POS software package that has a wide range of features. Similarly, Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System (also known as Microsoft RMS) is a cost-effective solution for a clothing boutique.

2. Enhance Customer Service. If you're a restaurateur or a retailer, your relationships with your customers are paramount. POS equipment can ensure that your employees can spend more time interacting with customers and less time entering information into equipment. Restaurant POS software, for example, allows employees to enter and track orders, so mistakes are minimized and customers aren't kept waiting. Similarly, retail point of sale software can give your staff immediate access to availability, prices, and the location of inventory. This means that your customers can get a high level of service, increasing the likelihood of repeat business.

3. Increase Efficiency. If you can increase the efficiency of your restaurant or retail store, you'll soon see increased profits through a decrease in staffing costs, losses due to errors, and improved accountability. Microsoft POS, for example, allows your employees to quickly and efficiently check out customer purchases with built-in credit and debit card processing. It also enables you to do everything from tracking work hours with a time clock to tracking cashier tasks. This kind of transparency enables you to make informed decisions about policies and procedures, as well as to track problems back to their source.

4. Lower Training Costs. With point of sale software and hardware, you have a standardized training approach for your employees. By customizing the software to correspond to your menu items, for example, a trainee can quickly and easily enter orders. That same software can print preparation tickets or display orders on a kitchen monitor. With pizza shop software, you can easily train delivery drivers to pick up delivery dispatches and note their availability when they return from deliveries.

5. Improved Reporting. One of the primary benefits of point of sale software is its reporting capability. Better reporting gives you the information you need to do everything from making buying decisions to preparing your tax returns. Reporting capabilities vary from software package to software package, and the type of business you have will most likely dictate the type of software you need. For example, Microsoft POS and Microsoft RMS both allow you to manage and track inventory, generate purchase orders, track customer purchase histories, and track employee hours. Microsoft RMS offers even more reporting options, including customized reports, the ability to track backorders and layaways, and the capability to manage account receivables of customers.

The importance of point of sale equipment and software can't be overstated. It may seem like a significant investment, but it will more than pay for itself with increased sales, efficiency, and reporting.

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies on the web. Learn more about Point of Sale Equipment or Majon's Business and Entrepreneurs directory

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