Can Point of Sales Systems Really Enhance My Customer's Visit?

You may assume that your guest's experience at your restaurant may be enhanced by a point of sale system. Maybe you had not even though of it. However, the fact is that a good point of sale system can benefit the experience of your guests.

So often the salesperson tries to focus your attention on the benefits of their product with regard to your interests. But what about your customer's interest? Shouldn't you also be concerned about how installing a point of sale system is going to affect them?

Depending on the type of restaurant or bar you have certain benefits will be more readily apparent than others. On top of that, the method by which a guest's experience is enhanced may also change. But overall you can expect some or all of the following:

Remote Printing or Displaying Or Orders

There are varying degrees of this benefit depending upon your application. In Table Service you have the ability to have the order entered by the server and immediately printed on various printers in the kitchen. With some systems you can have up to 6 remote printers. This reduces steps to the kitchen and eliminates the requirement for the server to even go to the kitchen to deliver the ticket.

In a Quick Service environment you can also use printers to deliver orders to the kitchen but an even better solution is a kitchen video system. The orders get to the kitchen even faster as an item is sent to the monitor as soon as the next item is entered. With printers, the order does not start printing until the order is finalized. With a kitchen video system items can be set to go when the next item is entered, thus speeding up the process of order delivery even more.

Bars can enjoy increased speed of service through the use of remote printers. With some systems we can even use the printer next to the terminal to save on the cost of an additional printer. Drink orders can be printed on this printer and the drinks can be prepared and waiting on the server when they walk up.

For your customers, faster service means happier customers

Reduced Errors In The Kitchen

Printing or displaying the orders for the kitchen is also more accurate than hand written tickets. No longer will you have hastily scribbled notes to the kitchen that are hard to read, time consuming and the birthplace of guessing and eventual errors.

In multi-lingual situations you will be pleasantly surprised how quickly your kitchen staff will learn to read the tickets that come out of the printer.

You will also see how organized the tickets are and how special orders and modified items stand out with either 2-color printing on the tickets or multiple colored items on the displays.

For your customers, reduced errors means happier customers.

Quality of Service

In a Table Service setting, since the server is not required to walk to the kitchen to hand deliver the ticket they are able to use this time to prepare soft beverages and deliver them to the table quicker.

For Quick Service operations once the cashier is through with one order they may start another. The orders are separated and a specific number is assigned to each. This number helps track the entire order and keep items together for presentation to the customer.

In bars with a kitchen it would be ridiculous for a bartender to leave the bar to take an order to the kitchen. This would reduce customer service. Well, so is not serving food to your bar customers. By printing orders on a remote printer you are better able to serve your bar customers.

For your customers, better service means happier customers.

On-Line Credit Authorization

Some point of sale systems are able to process credit card transactions via a high-speed Internet connection. This reduces authorization down to as little as 1 - 2 seconds from up to 30 seconds for a dial-up connection.

On a standard credit card machine provided by most credit card processors each approval can take up to 30 seconds. Each swipe takes time. Each server waiting in line adds up the total time it takes to process a credit card for a customer. If you have 3 servers waiting on the same credit card terminal the 1st server waits 30 seconds, the 2nd server waits 60 seconds and the poor 3rd server waits 90 seconds to get their approval. Add the time it takes the server to walk back to the table and the poor customer has almost had another birthday!

For your customers, faster service means happier customers.

Processing Credit Cards At Multiple Terminals

Take the previous scenario and add multiple terminals. In our industry we recommend 3 servers per point of sale terminal. Therefore, if you have 3 server terminals you could have as many as 9 servers on the floor at one time. If they all try to access the same credit card terminal from the processor the wait could be intolerable for your guests.

Almost every restaurant point of sale system allows for credit card transactions to be swiped at each terminal. With most processing software you can swipe at every terminal at the same time and there is no additional waiting. If you are processing through a high-speed connection each terminal in the network can expect an approval in less than 2 seconds.

For your customers, faster service means happier customers.

Professional Appearance

DirecTouch Restaurant Point of Sale will produce a professional and neat guest check, ticket or receipt for the customer. Items will be detailed with pricing. Modifiers can also be printed to show preparation instructions. The taxes will be shown and broken out by type. The total will be displayed in bold lettering so that there is no confusion.

You will also be able to show the date of the visit, the server, cashier or bartender that served them as well as any marketing information you wish in the header and footer of the receipt.

This will assuradly be better than the receipt we get at our local Mexican restaurant which is simply a calculator tape with no description of the items we were served.

For your customers, a trusting customer is a happier customer.

Customer Reward or Customer Loyalty Programs

With Frequent Diner Modules you are able to reward repeat customers through either discounts on meals, free food or reduced prices on specific items.

These rewards are earned either on a points system or on dollars spent. The rewards are good off of their next visit.

Use these programs to directly market to your customers about specials, new items or even an invitation to come in for a free/discounted meal for their anniversary or birthday.

For your customer, a rewarded customer is a happier customer.

Split Checks

There are many times when the customer will not tell the server that they want split checks until the ticket is presented. Having an easy method of splitting these checks is essential to customer satisfaction. If the task is difficult then the attitudes of the servers will show through to the customer. Then the task itself will take a long time, really impacting the customer's experience.

Some,not all point of sale systems have extremely fast and easy method of splitting checks at any time the ticket is open. In a few simple touches, extra tickets can be added to the table and items moved to the proper seats. When done, the system will immediately print new tickets for each guest.

If the server rang the original order in separate seats then it is even quicker and easier to split the order.

For your customers, faster service means happier customers.

Split Items

Sharing appetizers should be encouraged by your servers even if the guests want to split the costs amongst themselves. This will create additional sales for the restaurant in enhance the guest's experience.

Some,not all point of sale systems can easily split the cost of an item and divides the cost amongst the guests that shared the item. If not all the guests shared the item, then only the guests who want to share the cost will.

For your customers, accurate pricing means happier customers.

Pricing Accuracy

Hand written tickets create errors. Using a calculator to compute tickets creates errors. For years, cash register salespeople have been taught that doing a guest check audit is one of the best ways to sell a cash register of point of sale system. Humans make errors. Point of sale systems don't.

What about multiple prices for the same item? Do you run a happy hour in your bar? How about early bird pricing in the restaurant? How do you know that the servers and bartenders are charging the correct price? Your point of sale system will set the price by the time of day for you. Your early birds will get their discount pricing.

The National Restaurant Association backs this up with surveys and documented evidence that says that the average loss due to human error on hand written tickets and calculator tape is 2% of sales. Do the math for your business with our Return on Investment spreadsheet. I'll bet the loses are huge if you are using hand written checks or calculators to compute guest checks.

For your customers, accurate pricing means happier customers.

86 Item Feature

Almost all restaurants run some kind of daily special or have items with a limited shelf life. Table Service applications sometimes have lunch or dinner specials that are added just for that day. Deli operations sometimes have a limited number of breads available by style. The 86 Item feature will count down these types of items until you are sold out.

Prior to running out of an item the terminal will display a numeric display on the button letting the server, cashier or bartender exactly how many of that item are left. When the item is sold out it will then display a symbol on the item button and prevent the item from being rung.

Customers who want a daily special that is out will be given the opportunity immediately to order something else rather than ordering the item and then being disappointed that it is not available.

For your customers, a satisfied customer is a happier customer.

Faster service, better service, customer rewards, accurate orders, fewer mistakes and satisfied customers are all benefits enjoyed by your customers simply by you investing in a point of sale system.

The fact remains that the investment is yours to make. The financial benefits are yours to enjoy from the return on your investment. But you are going to have the share the satisfaction with your customers and guests.

Jerry D. Wilson has over 25 years of restaurant point of sale experience consulting and helping businesses automate their processes, control their businesses and increase their profits. You may find out more about restaurant systems and how they can help your business by visiting DirecTouch Point of Sale. directouchpos.com

Why Use a Restaurant Point of Sale System?

When you are opening up a new restaurant - your very own restaurant - everything is exciting. You imagine all the people who will visit your establishment, and imagine the happy faces of happy customers and staff. You've worked hard, and you deserve your success.

But to see that success come to fruition, you need to manage your restaurant well, give your customers a good meal, provide friendly and efficient service, and make sure there is a hassle-free payment system. Three of these requirements can be helped by choosing a quality Point of Sale (POS) system.

A good quality POS system can help you achieve both more efficient service, and give you a smooth and easy payment system. At the same time, the information that the POS can provide can help you make better management decisions. There are many ways in which a quality POS system can help your restaurant. Let's look at a few of these.

1. A POS system can help you track your orders more accurately

A POS system can tell you what items were purchased, how many, and even when they were purchased. This can help you make inventory ordering decisions, up selling suggestions, and even better marketing decisions.

2. Process credit cards & debit transactions in seconds

If speed is of the essence, then a web-based POS system with integrated payment processing may be the best solution. POS systems with integrated payment processing can run from your existing "always on" Internet connection, and can process each transaction up to 30 seconds faster than a cash register with a stand-alone payment terminal.

3. Manage multiple locations from a single computer

Do you look forward to the hassle of running between locations every time a menu item needs to be updated, a price needs to be changed, or you just want to see the reports? No! Instead, look forward to doing what you do best - managing the business. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to change prices & add and remove menu options at all your locations, all at one time, even from home?

4. Handle gift card and promotions right in the system

Let servers and wait staff excel at what they do best - serving your customers. Your POS should be able to quickly and easily handle your promotions and rewards, without putting additional strain on your server staff.

5. Easier changing and modifying of orders, with less confusion

Have you ever been in a restaurant and experienced some confusion when you just wanted to change something on your order? Maybe you got charged for that appetizer twice, or didn't get charged at all for a drink. A good quality POS system can help make changing orders easier, and cause less confusion for your customers. It can also help increase the accuracy of your orders, and help you stay on top of your business.

There is no doubt that starting your own restaurant is an exciting, stressful, and somewhat expensive process. By choosing the right options at the right price, you can help increase your chances of success, and of having happy, repeat customers. Good luck!

Daniel 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.

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.

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.

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

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.

Cash Register

James Ritty might not have guessed that the cash register, which he invented in 1879, would change completely into some thing, which even he would fail to identify. He just wanted to devise a fool proof cash handling system, which effectively prevented his dishonest staff steal and pocket the money at his tavern in his Dayton, Ohio.

Early cash registers were mechanical machines, which did not issue receipts. The cashier would crank up the machine and press the total key to register transaction and that is when the cash drawer would open and a bell ring at the managers/owner?s office to alert him of a completed transaction.

But would it not be possible to open the register when there is no sale at all? These are day to day necessities and the manager or the owner would want to check or take away cash from the register even when there is no sale and the drawer can be opened by hitting the NS (no sale) key which opens the drawer after logging that the drawer was opened. Some models have special keys and latches for such instances.

Modern Cash Registers Whether you have a small business or a restaurant, modern line of cash registers will fit the bills for you. These computerized cash registers of the day can be attached to scales, check stands and bar code readers. Some specially ordered models have the capacity to be attached to credit card terminals and software such as EFTPOS. EFTPOS stands for Electronic Fund Transfer and Point of Sale, which handle transactions with customers. It handles electronic debiting of customers? accounts and crediting the amount to the merchants? account.

Pilferages with modern cash registers are not easy. These are highly protected. One example is alphanumeric passwords.

Accounting and Taxation Angle to Cash Registers It is mandatory for customers and merchants to maintain the receipts for some time while merchants compile tax returns. The point is, it is easy taking stock at the cash registers by the volume of sales rather than inventory. Bar code scanners such as EAN and UPC maintain logs for each item sold and totaled at the end of the day.

Top Manufacturers and Salient Features Japanese have pulled it off in this regard. Toshiba, Casio, Sharp and American companies like IBM, Wincor-Nixdorf and TEC are top selling models. Features keep changing but, Clerk ID System, Self Tax Computation, Memory Protection, Locking Cash Drawer Locking coin tray, multiple tax rates; thermal printers and pop-up rear display are only the most common features.

Have you seen a self checkout cash register yet?

Alan Ross is a regular article contributor on many topics. Be sure to visit his other websites Cash Register Resources, POS Cash Register and One Stop Information

Control Your Business With POS Software

Business has become competitive and complex these days. The branding, positioning, patronizing and believing are all aspects of a product which any business can scarcely ignore. However the controls do matter for effective monitoring and effecting the required checks and balances. This would become feasible when the information flow become smooth, error free, updated, relevant and conclusive to the run of business. Free POS software has become the most popular means of achieving this competitive edge.

A point of Sale system (POS) becomes essential to the business. The essentialities of staying put and even in competition is the ability to buy better, turn faster, market smarter with of course the ability to work efficiently forming the undercurrent. POS ensures all these. The system works on the principle that key to survival is profits and key to profits is awareness.

In today's times of automation, processed and classified information is a must given the complexity involved when managing a business unit. There are diverse departments in a business unit. Information trickling into and flowing out of these units are diverse and divergent. For effective monitoring and controlling, as also for coordinating and harmonization, it is imperative that information be without slippages, with of course, the inherent complexity. A search for appropriate software would not have come a day soon, what with multifarious attitude becoming a requirement.

Free POS software is the answer to the requirement and is hotly pursued by retailers. The software addresses the difficulty in handling finances which are ingredients to the success of any business. Moreover the software delivers the goods in less time. The software aids in monitoring and controlling inventory levels. This could result in better selection of merchandise and obviate out of stock situations. Merchandising efforts get stepped up when information related to customer purchase history is available. Indirectly sales become high and appropriateness of the software is realized.

The next area where free POS software is useful is in the critical and crucial area of customer service. Speed and accuracy are the watchwords for a business unit which free POS software takes sufficient care of. Commitments of special order get honored with timely monitoring.

Online enquiry systems facilitate ascertainment of out of stock items becoming available at other locations. Personalized service gets offered through procurement of customer specific information. Retailers can use POS software to manage stock levels at minimum and maximum so as to serve holding costs and costs of obsolescence. This would enable the retailer to balance inventory levels by deployments of stocks as a cost arrangement.

Manpower training and training of other sorts would get reduced upon using the highly functional and easy to use software. Double entries and errors of this type are reduced when the program's tight integration comes out effectively.

Free POS software does not require the user to have prior knowledge of say accounting or inventory. Information is required to be entered just once. The integration system ensures that it is placed at the placed needed to be. Workload gets reduced as also the associated costs.

The POS software helps managing profitability. The software is user friendly and is easy to learn. Integration with the required components of a system would make free POS software a coveted possession of a businessman functioning singly or as a part of a larger chain that aims in speedy, professional, personalized and accurate service. With free POS software having set in can a customer satisfaction and patronization be far behind?

POS software.

http://www.possoftwarefree.com