ProPOS - Network of POS Professional

Point of Sale (POS) Hardware

2011-11-21T06:16:00.000-08:00

Point of Sale (POS) Hardware refers to all the physical components that make up a Point of Sale (POS) system. POS Hardware includes Computers, Receipt Printers, Cash Drawers, Touch Screens, Customer Displays, Card Readers, POS Keyboards and Portable Terminals. These are required for the efficient and smooth running of any point of sale system.

The point of sale hardware required to set-up an effective point of sale system depends on a number of factors, which include: the size of your business, the payment options, required number of point of sale terminals and so on. By taking these factors into consideration, you will be able to identify and acquire the right point of sale hardware for your point of sale system.

Once you have your requirements clearly defined, you can approach a programmer to custom code the point of sale software for you or you can approach established software vendors that can help you acquire the right POS software for your business. It is important to select a software package that is compatible with your hardware for your system to run smoothly.

With some Point of sale solutions there might be a need to set-up a local area network, which interlinks the POS terminals and the server. This set-up is very common in very large organizations and supermarkets that serve hundreds to thousands of customers each day. However, for a small business, a computer with the POS software installed will work perfectly.

It is important to approach a knowledgeable and experienced software developer or I. T.

support personnel for advice on the best software and hardware to use for your POS system. Input from retailers already using a similar solution will also help you better understand how the whole system works and the implementation process.

It is highly recommended that you purchase your equipment from suppliers that are willing to provide technical support to help you set-up the system and effectively manage it. This will same you a lot of time and money in the long run. Every system has its own strengths and weaknesses but you will need to find a solution that closely matches your functional and security requirements.

If you are looking for a cost effective and easy to manage point of sale system for your business, then Exit Retail Solutions can help you get your business set-up. Click here to find out more about their Point Of Sale Software solution.

web based POS Vs Desktop based POS

2011-11-13T23:17:00.000-08:00

A good POS (point-of-sale) system can increase sales, provide the information you need to make financial decisions and help you provide first-class customer service. POS systems consist of hardware and software or a web-based program. There are some things to consider when deciding between a software-based or web-based POS program for your business. Both systems should run off a regular computer that is running an operating system like Windows or Mac OS X and the difference can be subtle at times.

Older systems were all software-based and were imperfect in their design. Modern software systems have come a long way now that they are written like software and less like a function-specific operating system. The older POS solutions were limited to basic sales functions and did not leave room for addition sale options, like placing an item on layaway. Those older systems can still be found, but are slowly being phased out because of the advantages of the modern solutions. Convenience and broader potential are the biggest differences and are what make sales transactions in our day such a smooth process.

These are the major advantages and disadvantage of both types of POS systems:

Web-based POS

Advantages

The provider will back-up all of your important information on their server so you will not lose anything due to a computer crash or theft.
You can access reports, inventory and other information from any computer with an internet connection.
You do not have to purchase expensive POS software.
Most services provide free updates so your POS program will never become outdated.
Web-based POS programs are easy to upgrade. You can add features or work stations to fit your business as your business grows or during busy seasons.
The provider can address technical problems instantly over the web by accessing your account and fixing problems remotely. Some even offer 24/7 support.

Disadvantages

Web-based POS providers charge a monthly fee.
You have to have the internet connected to your retail workstation.
Some providers require you to use their hardware, which can be expensive.
If you lose your Internet connection, you will not be able to access the program.
Some providers charge a startup fee.

Desktop-based POS

Advantages

There are no monthly fees associated with the software.
The software-based POS does not require an internet connection.
You can use any hardware that is compatible with the software.
Software-based programs are generally easy to set up and use.

Disadvantages

Some manufactures require you to purchase updates to keep your software current.
You cannot upgrade the software. As your business grows, you will have to purchase new software or more licenses.
You cannot access reports, inventory and other information from any computer with an internet connection.
If you need technical support, you have to email or phone the manufacturer and relay the problem to them.

POS System: What to Look For?

2011-11-13T23:12:00.000-08:00

Whether you are looking for a web-based or Desktop-based POS system, you will want it to be a complete package. It should not only improve customer satisfaction, but also meet your needs as a retail business. The following criteria are what we looked for in these systems to meet both points.

Hardware
A complete solution should include a PC or module, display, keyboard and mouse, high–quality cash drawer, barcode scanner, credit card reader, receipt printer and label printer. Top manufacturers will customize the system to fit your business. Some companies have specific packages of hardware, while others offer each piece separately. Either way is fine as long as it meets your needs.

Inventory & Other Features
Whether it is software- or web-based, you want a system that will help track, organize and supply your inventory. Organization plays a major part in your employees' ability to locate items in the system, which in turn speeds the checkout process. Many also provide built in options for layaways, multi-payment plans and gift certificates.

Customer Tracking & Labels
For some businesses, it can be quite beneficial to be able to retain customer information for future transactions. Some software will also allow you to track customer's lines of credit so that they can buy now and pay later. Stored customer information can also speed up shipping by having labels with a customer's address all ready to go. Most POS Systems will print shipping labels, but only select systems will also do price tags, shelf tags and customized labels.

Employees & Security
All the information on POS systems is important. You will want one that has multiple levels of security access and password protection. It is also convenient when you can use your point of sale system for clocking in and out, tracking commissions, tracking employee hours and similar benefits.

Help & Support
The best manufacturers provide training through videos and manuals. Providers should also offer technical help through FAQs and online tutorials as well as 24/7 phone and email support. Aside from learning how to use them, POS systems can have issues just like any piece of equipment, so find a company that offers excellent tech support and a warranty.

The combination all of these features together gives you a solid POS system that will make your customers happy, help you manage your inventory and sales transactions, simplify your business and generally improve your speed and efficiency. The key is to find the one that best meets the needs of your company and clientele.

point of sale terminal on an Apple iPod Touch® or iPhone®

2011-11-13T23:06:00.000-08:00

The quick and easy way to connect Apple iPod Touch® & iPhone® with Restaurant Pro Express™

The award-winning restaurant point of sale software, Restaurant Pro Express™, has the ability to seamlessly integrate with next generation mobile computing devices offering the ability to perform all the primary functionalities of a stationary point of sale terminal on an Apple iPod Touch® or iPhone®. Our mobile POS solution is a reliable yet affordable option that is ideal for hospitality environments that want to perform tableside ordering.

Mobile POS solutions can provide a variety of benefits including:

Streamline order processing

Eliminate or reduce losses due to inaccurate order entry

Prompt wait staff to upsell or cross-sell

Increase customer throughput which leads to higher table turnover

Reduce customer wait times

Offer the ability to expand seating by taking orders outdoors

Broadcast messages to each server

Restaurant Pro Express™ Mobile gives servers the ability to take orders tableside, split checks, and securely process credit card payments through an attached encrypted credit card reader. The mobile POS solution also supports various taxation, discounts and happy hour pricing.

Easy to use, Restaurant Pro Express™ mobile requires little training time and offers the ability to quickly integrate pre-existing inventory and menu items. Our mobile POS solution works in conjunction with a traditional POS terminal and synchronizes in real time, so servers can place orders tableside but also view their open tabs and make changes at the POS station. Restaurant Pro Express™ is ideal for a variety of hospitality environments including restaurants, bars, nightclubs, stadiums or any environment where wireless POS capability is needed.

Cash management systems

2011-11-13T22:57:00.000-08:00

Cash management systems are something that a business cannot do without. These systems comprise software solutions and services designed to manage liquidity, account balances, payments, and other business functions related to money. Money is the fuel that makes a business run in the corporate highway. If a business runs out of cash, it may leave the company stranded on the side of the corporate road. The last thing any owner would want is to walk for hundreds of miles and watch competitors pass by. This is where POS Windows systems come in.

Point of Sale (POS) systems are computer hardware and software networks that record sales of retail goods. They are typically found at counters in grocery stores and boutiques. POS systems are virtually cash registers. They are, however, based integrated to a computer which gives the store owner or manager more leverage on supervising the vast amount of data about the business. For instance, POS system terminals can be networked to other terminals and to a server in another location. In addition, it can be expanded with handheld devices that are linked wirelessly.

The biggest advantage of a POS system over a traditional cash register is the sophisticated and fully-detailed sales reports it provides. POS systems allow one to analyze sales in different ways. With several POS systems available on the market, it can be difficult to choose which one is appropriate for a business. Here are some ways to follow on purchasing a POS system for a particular business.

Establish your Budget

Purchasing POS Windows systems can be quite an expensive affair. The price can be anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000 per station, including the scanners, software, installation, training, support, and additional costs for integration into the company's existing systems. Make sure to allot a reasonable budget for the purchase so you will not be putting too much strain on your company's finances.

Identify Business Needs

Determine any particular needs of your business. This can help you narrow down the search as there are literally hundreds of retail software packages available today. Some software systems are designed for specific businesses such as boutiques, restaurants, and gift shops. There are others that are specifically designed for fast-moving retailers with thousands of daily transactions.

Ask Suggestions

When choosing POS Windows systems, it is also important to consider your customers. Ask customers about the aspects that they want the business to improve on. Customers can give a high-end perspective and deliberation on their shopping experience. Use their suggestions as basis on how you can choose a Windows-operated POS system for your business.

Point of Sale System: Offering You Complete Control of Your Business

2011-01-18T21:48:00.000-08:00

A business owner is known to have two primary goals in establishing his business. The first is to increase profit and sales and the second is to decrease cost and expenses as much as possible. These two goals can be accomplished with the help of a point of sale system. With the system around, you can have complete control over the entire operations of your business. Every task can also be performed in a quick manner. With a POS system, you can make your business obtain a competitive edge over other similar businesses in the industry. Through this, your ultimate aim of increasing your profitability can be easily reached.

Choosing the perfect point of sale system allows you to generate a number of accurate sales reports. Since one of your major goals in setting up your business is to ensure that you increase your profit and your sales, then the reports provided by the system can work perfectly for you. It will be very useful in terms of making your business perform well in the market. Since you will be able to generate accurate reports, the process of decision-making can be made easier. The sales reports you generate out of the POS system is very useful for you to find out which of your products are selling and which are not. In this way, you can take an immediate action as to what you should do to ensure to improve the performance of your products that remain unprofitable. One way of grabbing the attention of the public is through gift cards. The POS system will also be of great help to you when it comes to this. It will help you keep track of the gift cards and find out if such are indeed useful in increasing your sales.

The point of sale system is also very useful in allowing you to achieve your aim to reduce your costs and expenses. Since the system allows you to manage inventory and stock requirements, you will be on your way towards reducing the cost of your business. You are also allowed to obtain a clearer view of all levels of your stock. You can then control your expenses, thereby keeping the costs at a minimum.

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By Jordan Laurent

Improving Sales in Any Industry Through POS System

2011-01-06T06:12:00.000-08:00

In the business sector, the POS system is an efficient way in order to increase sales in any kind of business. Early cash registers were the first ones which are applied by most groceries. An early cash register were designed using a coding device wherein the products sold would be listed using only the amount of products. Traditional trading was obviously not effective because the commodities sold are not listed and the number of items which are taken from the original stock is not computed. After a couple of years, more companies have provided various systems for cash registers. At that point in time, cash registers already have a coding scheme for each product and the machines were able to list down all the products sold. However, since most companies have a lot of cash registers, printing and listing of products would not only be challenging but also quite expensive.

Today, most cash registers are changed to modern POS system which is computer based. There are now new forms of hardware which are used for registering items such as scanners and infrared sensors. Cashiers would not need to list down the products anymore since the machine would be the one to record and commute all the commodities sold for each customer. The need for an auditor or an accountant would also be inappropriate since the modern POS system is connected through a database through the use of LAN or a Local Area Network. All the registers and terminals are then connected to a main drive which would list down all the commodities sold, compute for monthly and daily sales as well as backup in case of a system error. Most POS Machines are also connected to remote connection and the data in a grocery or in a restaurant can be sent to either a laptop or a web based database. All the products would be registered through the POS system with the use of a serial code which would be passed to a sensor. The prices of commodities can also be changed either through a remote connection or through the database.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Laurent

Because A Restaurant Is Not Only About Good Food But Good Service Too

2011-01-06T06:08:00.000-08:00

Restaurant POS is the widely-used tool by most proprietors to carry out business transactions. It is commonly wireless handheld devices or touch screen terminals operated on computers. Because it can keep track with the detailed report of real-time transactions, it is very helpful for the activities that happen in a restaurant in a daily basis.

Restaurant POS systems are generally designed for a variety of customers and can be prepared by the end users to comply with their needs. It is flexible enough to serve diverse clients for different business transactions. Because not all custom solutions are complete with the function that every client needs, some write their own qualifications for a system and send them to vendors for possible realization. There are also instances when POS systems are being sold and backed up by third party distributors while there are also those who directly sell the system.

Among the things that standard restaurant POS software can do include printing guest checks, printing orders to kitchens for preparation and also processing of different forms of payment cards available. It can also run detailed reports essential for the inventory, billing and accounting purposes. Additionally, some of the systems do employ wireless pagers and computerized signature capture devices. These procedures make transactions much easier as compared with the manual processes that one will have to endure with taking down notes and labor-intensive inventory. There will also be fewer chances that one will commit human error since POS system is very accurate with its functions such as billing, accounting, inventory and stock control management.

There are a lot of advantages that can be listed from restaurant POS. Apart from the fact that it can actually make the tasks quicker and easier, it enhances hospitality management because of the fast payment procedures that is essential for the customer. It will greatly help for them to give the restaurant two thumbs up for giving good service. Everyone should know that running a restaurant business is not only about preparing good food for the customer but it is also about how well the business serves.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Laurent

What You Should Know About POS Software

2011-01-06T06:07:00.000-08:00

The same with the system, POS software is simple to learn. Majority of the POS sellers will instruct personnel on how the system functions. Installing and maintaining the software is trouble-free. It can be incorporated into other applications so that all aspects of the supervision of commerce can be seen in one main place. This further gives the consumer better hold of the business. Might as well, one can learn it him/herself since there is a guide along with the purchase of the software. Aside from the manual given to the user, technical support can also be asked through phone call.

Using POS software, it is easier to follow through the customer's personal information, personnel payroll, client billing and shipping, inventory management as well as the vendor listings. One can also keep track of the everyday listings and daily sales report of the business as well as the period where there is more number of customers coming in of the establishment. It is also good that POS system can assess the most in-demand products that are being purchased by the regular clients.

Deciding on what POS software to choose shall be based on the complexity of the business as well as the cash you have on hand. You can choose to purchase a custom POS package or the one that is available off-the-shelf. In many points, both of the packages have their share of advantages and disadvantages. Assessing the two, the custom solution is better since it is almost complete with the functions that are needed for your business; only that it cost higher than the off-the-shelf package. The latter, on the other hand, is cheaper but it lacks some important custom modules that can be found with the custom solution.

As you choose, certain aspects have to be looked into regarding the system. Such include billing and invoicing, stock control and accounting. The billing function of the POS software is essential to the accuracy of all the transactions being made as well as the efficient and quick payment processes. The accounting function ensures updated sales report and money matters. The last is the stock control system that shall integrate with the accounting and billing functions. This integration allows accuracy to the stock control. These functions signify that the management of the business can be done automatically.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jordan_Laurent

The Darker Side of Cloud Computing

2010-01-21T23:35:00.000-08:00

We've been hearing about "computing in the cloud" for some time now. Sounds fluffy... peaceful... idyllic... effortless. Wake up, people! Cloud computing is just another term for outside your control.

by Matthew D. Sarrel

Cloud computing is a marketing buzzword that's thrown around an awful lot today. A vague (but useful) definition is that cloud computing refers to data, processing, or experiences that "live" out there somewhere in the cloud we call the Internet. Everyone's got something going on in the cloud these days: collocating or hosting Web or e-mail servers, social networking, software as a service (SaaS), even infrastructure as a service (for example, off-site online storage). Cloud computing is becoming very popular, primarily as a money-saving technique—cloud services don't require expensive in-house hardware, software, and staff. In addition, cloud services are usually available for a small monthly fee rather than a huge up-front expense, which makes them even more attractive from a budgeting standpoint. Like many things that seem to have only an upside, cloud computing makes me nervous.

The cloud is burgeoning. Businesses are using Salesforce.com for CRM; Zoho, Microsoft Office Live, and Google Apps for office productivity; Intuit QuickBase or a hosted Microsoft SQL Server for databases—and the list goes on. More features, less expense, and fewer IT resources? It almost sounds too good to be true. And it may be. Much the way in the early eighties we asked "Where's the beef?" we should now be asking "Where's the security?"

To secure data, you need to understand something I like to call the data life cycle: How data is collected, entered, processed, transmitted, stored, reported, and exported. Any one of these stages may contain multiple vulnerabilities, some ubiquitous and some particular to your environment. To assess the security of corporate data, you'll have to understand the risks that apply to each stage of the data life cycle. You will be able to take proactive steps to prevent data from being compromised by understanding the integration of security risks, business processes, and the data life cycle.

By now you are probably beginning to see the downside to cloud computing—it's difficult enough to protect data that doesn't leave your control as part of ordinary business, but in the cloud you've relinquished control. Depending on your contract, you may not even own your cloud-resident data! And worse, there are clouds within the cloud—your provider may subcontract with another provider for data storage, and that provider might also subcontract for data storage management. Your provider may not even be able to tell you where your data is, or even which country it is in and whether the laws that apply to you regarding data security and breach disclosure even apply in that twice-removed jurisdiction.

Gartner published a great report in early June that is the industry's first attempt to identify the security risks of cloud computing. In it, Gartner urges something that we at PC Magazine have been advocating for decades: full disclosure (aka "transparency") with regard to security practices and procedures. The reasoning is simple: If your provider can't tell you exactly what it does to protect your data at each stage of the data life cycle, then how good a job do you think that provider is doing?

What other recommendations spring from Gartner's findings?

Apply internal risk assessment and controls to all externally sourced (cloud) services.

Assess all legal, regulatory, and audit issues associated with location independence and service subcontracting.

Demand transparency. Anything less is a deal breaker! Don't contract for IT services with a vendor that refuses to provide detailed information on its security and continuity management programs.

Yes, cloud computing is a set of powerful technology solutions that are here to stay. It provides cost savings that may temporarily blind you to the risks. But don't dive in simply to save money and time. Evaluate each service's security the same way you would evaluate off-the-shelf hardware and software. Ask tough questions about data security. If your provider refuses to answer, or his answer doesn't adhere to your current security policy, look elsewhere. I've sat through countless vendor meetings and I guarantee you this: Every time a security concern is dismissed as "taken care of" without explanation, it's a potential problem.

Thanks to pcmag.com

Restaurants Sue Vendors After Point-of-Sale Hack

2009-12-13T23:33:00.000-08:00

When Keith Bond bought a computerized cash register system for his Broussard, Louisiana, restaurant, he thought he was modernizing his restaurant. Today, he believes he was unwittingly opening a back door for Romanian hackers who have now cost him more than US$50,000.

December 01, 2009 — IDG News Service —

When Keith Bond bought a computerized cash register system for his Broussard, Louisiana, restaurant, he thought he was modernizing his restaurant. Today, he believes he was unwittingly opening a back door for Romanian hackers who have now cost him more than US$50,000.

Bond's is one of more than a half-dozen Louisiana restaurants that have sued the makers of their point-of-sale system, alleging that the companies that made and resold the systems are the ones who should be responsible for fines levied by payment processors following the hack.

His story reads like a warning for small businesses, who in connecting their businesses to the Internet, have also become prey for sophisticated cyber-criminals.

Bond says that systems at his Mel's Diner, Part II, were hacked, along with several other restaurants in the region, sometime around March 2008. Investigators told him that the systems were compromised by Romanian hackers who used the devices' remote access software to steal credit card numbers from the systems. This software let Bond's reseller, Computer World, provide remote support to the systems. The criminals took those credit card numbers and then used them to make fraudulent purchases throughout the U.S., he said.

In the class-action lawsuit, Bond and the other plaintiffs allege that their point-of-sale systems were out of compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS), which defines how secure the big credit card companies expect their merchants' computers to be. Bond and others blame the maker of his Aloha point-of-sale system, Radiant Systems, and its Louisiana reseller, Computer World (Computer World is not related to IDG's ComputerWorld magazine).

After the hack, Bond had to spend close to $20,000 to audit his systems. He was then assessed tens of thousands of dollars in fines and chargeback fees generated by the 699 credit card numbers that were stolen from his three point-of-sale devices.

"Our clients are restaurants," said Bond's lawyer, Charles Hoff, in a statement. "They are food experts, not technologists. When major players in the hospitality industry such as Radiant Systems and its distributors say their software and business practices are PCI-DSS compliant, our clients trust them."

The class-action lawsuit was filed in October but was not widely known until the privacy blog DataBreaches.net disclosed it last week. Another similar lawsuit was filed against Radiant and Computer World in April by plaintiffs in Georgia.

Citing company policy, a Radiant spokeswoman declined to comment on the lawsuits, but in an e-mailed statement, she said that the company believes that the allegations are without merit. "These customers were victims of criminal acts almost two years ago. Unfortunately, in today’s world criminal acts like these are not uncommon in the restaurant industry," the statement read.

Bond doesn't buy that. "You're buying an expensive point-of-sale system," he said. "But when you're compromised, Visa and Mastercard come after the merchant. There's no level of responsibility with the processor, the reseller or with Visa Mastercard. So the merchant is the person who is suffering."

The lawsuit claims that Visa warned Radiant and Computer World that they were not PCI compliant the year before the hack, but that merchants were never notified of these problems, even though they were the ones who ultimately had to pay big fines.

That's a real problem, said Avivah Litan, an analyst with the Gartner research firm. "Merchants should be notified directly when Visa or MasterCard issue alerts about non-compliant software," she said in an e-mail interview. "Restaurants are in the business of selling food; they should not be expected to be experts in the intricacies of credit card processing certification processes, especially when they are not even privy to most of the communications surrounding them."

Radiant warned about the problem, according to a security alert posted by a San Francisco Bay Area Radiant reseller. The alert warned Aloha users to disable a Remote Desktop feature on their equipment if it's not being used to provide remote support to the point-of-sale system. The plaintiffs in Bond's lawsuit say they received no such alert. Computer World did not respond to a request for comment on this article.

According to Bond, Computer World used this Remote Desktop feature to access his systems. To make matters worse, Computer World had set up his and other restaurants with the same default password: "Computer," Bond said.

Restaurants file lawsuit against payment terminal vendor after customers have identities stolen

2009-11-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

A group of US restaurants have filed a class action lawsuit against a point of sale vendor after customers had their identities stolen after using uncompliant terminals.

According to a report on Finextra, seven restaurants in Louisiana and Mississippi are seeking millions of dollars in damages from vendor Radiant and its distributor Computer World after hundreds of their customers had their identities stolen as a result of payments terminals that were not PCI DSS compliant.

One of the attorneys acting as a legal advisor to the restaurants in the lawsuit, Charles Hoff, said in a statement that a special investigation by the United States Secret Service found that Computer World, the exclusive area distributor of Radiant Systems' ‘Aloha' POS software violated PCI DSS provisions.

Hoff said: “When major players in the hospitality industry such as Radiant Systems and its distributors say their software and business practices are PCI-DSS compliant, our clients trust them.

“When those claims of compliance and proper security practices turn out to be false, the restaurants are left to suffer huge financial losses due to financial penalties imposed by the credit card companies. Their reputations are tarnished. We're determined not to let Radiant and Computer World simply walk away from their responsibilities.”

The plaintiffs said that they were sold earlier model POS systems despite being told they were new. In addition, Computer World is accused of violating PCI standards by using a remote access system that did not have adequate security patches, using the same password for at least 200 operators, and failing to remove prior sensitive customer credit data upon installation of Radiant POS systems.

As a result, the lawsuit's plaintiffs are alleging that Radiant Systems' negligence and failure to either instruct or monitor Computer World's actions led to systems being compromised, leaving customers vulnerable to identity theft and fraud.

The suit also claimed that and Computer World were warned by Visa in 2007 that their programs were non-compliant, although the restaurants were not aware of this when they signed for the Aloha system.

It is seeking compensation to repay the penalties levied by the credit card companies and costs to track down and repair the POS system problems.

Thanks Dan Raywood, www.scmagazineuk.com

November 27, 2009

Use the Right POS System for Your Business

2009-11-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

A Point of Sale (POS) system is indispensable for any type of retail business. It is a combination of specialized hardware and computer hardware that allows staff members to enter customer purchases, manage inventory, take credit card payments, track expenses, generate reports, and much more. Whether you’re running a convenience store, restaurant, flower shop or specialty store, a POS system can help perform many different processes to maximize your efficiency.

Some of the chief benefits reported by businesses that use such systems include:

- More accurate and more detailed information - Greater productivity - The ability to share reliable information with product suppliers and other partners - The ability to operate on a leaner stock

Choosing a Point-of-Sale System Shopping around for a POS system for your business is no easy proposition. First, you must know your business very well and have a solid idea of how things run and what information will be most helpful to you. If that wasn’t enough of a challenge, comparing systems requires in depth knowledge of computers, networks, software features, and more. The market is flooded with POS systems of all complexity levels and price ranges. Knowing what to look for and where to start can be very difficult. Below are some guidelines to help you get started.

Identify Your POS Needs Identifying your point-of-sale needs can be as easy as finding out what your competitors (or other businesses similar to yours) are using or as difficult as performing an in-depth study of every transaction you process. It is a good idea to talk to your employees and your customers to get feedback on what kinds of features would help. For example, you could ask customers questions such as “do you ever shop with us online?” or “would you be interested in a frequent shopper program?” Also, keep in mind that even if there are software packages designed specifically for your type of business, they may vary wildly and you still need to research the features to determine what’ll work best for your business.

Establish a Budget A great way to narrow down your options is to establish a budget for your POS system expenditure. When doing so, remember that you will need to invest in a server (unless the system will work with your existing one) retail software, accounting software, terminals (how many will you need?) Talking to other business owners is a good way to get an idea of the range of what’s out there in terms of price.

Research the Market You may have initially taken a look at what’s available on the market in order to get an idea of what exists and in order to help you establish your budget. Now it is time to do more in-depth research and narrow down your choices. Once you find a system or two that seem to be the right fit for your company, you should research the providers. Make sure you are dealing with a reputable company known for providing outstanding service. Also, ask for and call references.

by Adriana Noton

2009-11-24T23:25:00.001-08:00

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A Guide to Restaurant POS Management Software A Guide to Restaurant POS Management Software

2009-11-24T07:48:00.000-08:00

Learn the types of restaurant POS software that will help your business grow and save your money on costly mistakes by purchasing the wrong POS software.

A lot of people may thing that the restaurant business is not worthy of investment and would rather venture on a different business. Although, a growing number of POS software, specifically designed for restaurants, that can help an owner with nearly every aspect of running his business. And there’s more good news: most of this software is affordable for smaller retail establishments that operate only a few restaurants or even a single location. The various software products currently available can help your business:

1. Greatly increase profits|Double your profits|Increase your profits
2. Lower food costs
3. Streamline staff scheduling
4. Improve table and customer management
5. Improve customer reservations system
6. Gain complete control of inventory
7. Design menus

Cost out your recipes:

Providing accurate recipe cost to your customers can get your business on the fast track to success. With the right figures, it’ll be easy for you to identify your most profitable items as well as items that aren’t cost-effective. A right POS software program eliminates human error in this crucial area.

Tables and reservation management:

A restaurant reservation POS software can help reduce no-shows, take reservations from your website, canceled reservations, differentiate VIPs from regulars, take customer information and more. It can also help you maximize table management and improve your guest management.
Control and track inventory

In order to minimize waste and to avoid running out of necessary ingredients, a restaurant owner needs need to have full control of his inventory management and keeping track of goods.

Recommended:

The best contacts and resources to help you make the right choice for your restaurant POS software are available at POS-For-Restaurants.com

Correct ordering and purchasing:

Look for a POS software that streamlines the ordering and purchasing process, giving you more time to concentrate on revenue-generating activities.

Designing menus:

Making menu designs can help boost your customer volume by creating designs that would attack more visitors. But designing your own menu is hard and time consuming, especially if you do not have the necessary skills it requires. You will then need to hire a graphic designer and pay each time you need a new design. By purchasing a POS software that lets you create menu designs, it eliminates the need of hiring a professional designer! You can make your own menu designs depending on your restaurant’s theme, holidays, highlighted menu, etc.
Employee scheduling

Manual management of staff schedule is very time consuming and could even result to mistakes such as understaffing or overstaffing. So for a restaurant owner, this task can really cause a serious headache.

A few helpful advice for making the most of this Guide:

* If you are operating more than one restaurant, test-drive the software in one before implementing it system wide.
* Many restaurant software programs have powerful reporting features. Use them to analyze your sales, your customers and your menu. Make changes based on what you learn.

How To Stop Losing Sales At The Point of Sale

2009-11-24T06:52:00.000-08:00

I am fortunate to live in a Southern California beach town. I have surfed most of my life because of my close proximity to the ocean. Unlike how it is portrayed in the movies, California beaches get cold in the winter, requiring surfers to wear wetsuits this time of the year. I needed a new wetsuit this year and my shopping experience at the local surf shops left much to be desired because of their point-of-sale systems. They have the technology to provide outstanding customer service, so why aren’t they using it?

The town I grew up in has a small main street with over ten surf shops selling the same merchandise. This makes it very convenient for me to run down during my lunch hour and grab whatever I may need very quickly. On this occasion I needed a specific size of wetsuit so I made a few phone calls to make sure they had my size. I found two stores right across the street from one another that had my size. The first store couldn’t tell me the color of the wetsuit. The other store told me they had one in black after they put me on hold and physically checked. When I asked each of them if their other store locations had any in stock, rather than looking up stock balances on their point-of-sale systems, they gave me the phone numbers to the other stores and told me to call myself.

Feeling confident, I headed down during my lunch hour to buy my new wetsuit. When I walked into the first store, they had my size, as they told me they did on the phone, but the only color they had was red! Their point-of-sale software couldn’t give them that important information and so they couldn’t relay it to me. I shot the sales person an unhappy look, and he simply said, "I know". So I left that store with my $400.00 and walked across the street to the second store that had my size and in the standard black color that I wanted.

I found the wetsuit in the second store right away. The time limit on my parking meter and lunch hour were expiring so I was in a hurry. I took the wetsuit to the first counter and the clerk told me the system was down; and then asked if I could move to another checkout counter. At the next one, the girl said the receipt printer was out of paper and she didn’t know how to replace it. At the third counter, the clerk could ring me up but only if I were paying cash because they were trying to fix a credit card machine batch error. Each of their checkout counters are in different places throughout the store, so at that point I was done. They also lost a $400.00 purchase due to their point-of-sale system.

Walking back to my car, I decided to quickly check a smaller store on the same street. Rather than searching myself, I simply walked up to the counter and asked them if they had the black wetsuit I wanted in my size. The clerk looked it up on the screen and then brought it back to me while I never left the counter. That’s service! Their point-of-sale system was quick and efficient. Since I’m in the point-of-sale industry, I also noticed that they had up-to-date hardware, software, and credit card processing. The efficiency of their point-of-sale system made it easy for me to buy and earned them the $400.00 sale.

Driving back to the office, I wondered how many times sales simply walk out of stores because of their point-of-sale systems. The products most retailers sell aren’t unique so the emphasis should be on customer service and making it easy for a customer to buy. Otherwise, a customer can simply walk to another retailer and buy the same item. Follow these tips to insure your point-of-sale system isn’t costing you sales.

Training – Training your front line employees on the proper use of the point-of-sale system should be a top priority. This training should include all aspects of the system that allow them to serve the customer more efficiently. Most clerks seem to know just the basics, and any anomaly forces them to stop production (sales) and wait for help. Just think about how many times you’ve been in a line and are forced to wait while a customer pulls out a coupon, is exchanging merchandise, or is trying to buy an item without a barcode. And these are just the basics.

Cashier training should also include advanced functions such as checking stock levels for in-store customers as well as call-in customers, checking stock levels at other stores, initiating a store transfer, searching for merchandise in the system, ringing items with missing bar code tags, and any simple hardware malfunctions that may occur (these would include changing receipt paper, rebooting a computer, and so on).

Accurate Inventory – The accuracy of the point-of-sale information is only reliable when the users are reliable and disciplined. Unreliable information is an indication of an undisciplined user. How many times have you heard store employees say "the system shows we have one, but I’d call first to verify."? Or worse, a store tells you the system confirms they have several, and you make the trip, only to find they have none.

To insure accurate and reliable on-hand inventory levels within the point-of-sale software, the user must:

1. Perform a regular physical inventory. These should be performed quarterly as part of the auditing process when preparing quarterly financial statements.

2. Cycle Counts - If a quarterly inventory process is too much of a challenge, perform cycle counts within the best selling departments or vendors lines.

3. Do not allow employees to sell goods classified with a miscellaneous SKU (Stock Keeping Unit). Inventory levels will never be adjusted properly.

4. Scan the bar code of every item sold. Entering an item number manually into the system will never account for size and color based items. An item UPC (Universal Product Code) bar code is different for each size and color.

5. Insure the store locations are communicating with each other flawlessly. Whether your system is a real-time configuration or a polling configuration; proper communications will either make or break the reliability of the point-of-sale information. Sales, returns, receiving, adjustments, and transfers all affect stock levels. A store location can never know if an item is in inventory or has sold out unless it is communicated to them.

Modern Hardware – You should pay attention to the aesthetics of the point-of-sale hardware just as you would to any other store fixture. You will interact with customers more at the cash wrap than any other area in the store; so make sure to make it a pleasant experience.

Most name brand hardware today is a bargain compared to a few years ago. It also gives your store an updated appearance. Although it will cost slightly more than "cheap" hardware, it will more than pay for itself with the reliability it offers. Modern hardware also requires less real-estate at the cash wrap; touch screens and flat screens don’t require a mouse and take up less space. An all-in-one type of unit offers all of the components, including the computer, built into the monitor.

The best part of name brand point-of-sale hardware is that it works reliably. POS hardware companies have industrialized their computers and peripherals to meet the rigorous demands of the retail environment. These types of computers and printers will cost more, but their duty cycles vastly outperform any comparable consumer level device. Consumer level computers are not designed to operate non-stop for 12-24 hours per day.

Integrated Credit Card Processing – Save yourself and your customers the frustration of those little grey boxes. Anytime you can minimize devices or suppliers, your quality will always improve. Most point-of-sale systems today offer a credit card processing feature within the application. Using the software versus dedicated hardware allows you to speed transaction times, reduce costs for paper and dedicated phone lines, decrease training confusion, reduce theft, and free up valuable counter space. It’s a winner on all levels.

Easy To Load Receipt Printers – The days of 2-ply and 3-ply receipt paper are long gone. Most point-of-sale software today allows you to recall a receipt onto the screen for reprints. If your software has this feature, dump the slow dot-matrix printer and get one of the faster thermal printers on the market today. In addition to being fast and quiet, they also offer lower paper costs and can be loaded with the press of a button. When the paper runs out, cashiers simply press the open button and drop in a new roll. Anyone can learn this within seconds, and they will no longer have to wait for a manager to perform the old task of threading multi-part paper through the maze of spools.

Having a point-of-sale system and using it strategically are two very different things. Rather than using the point-of-sale system as a glorified cash register; use it to provide superior customer service. The difference will earn you the sales that are walking out of your competitor’s doors.

POS restaurant system software to run your coffee shops

2009-11-24T06:13:00.000-08:00

Restaurant POS are an important aspect of point-of-sale technology. Systems like pizza POS software, restaurant point of sale system, restaurant POS system, point of sale bar, restaurant software, fine dining restaurant have been making the complicated hospitality management as easy as typing just a few words into a computer—that’s all it takes. Manual order taking and passing it on to the kitchen is sometimes becomes a cumbersome job and then bringing the food to the table is again time consuming. All in totality will take at least half an hour. restaurant POS system has made this work easy task. Here you will have touch screen menus, remote ordering and printing, automated billing, and guest account organization and staff supervision at your fingertips.

We believe in running our organization smoothly and have introduced three different Restaurant POS systems that are for our front-office, back-office and kitchen administration. To provide the fast customer services and order management of a restaurant, the track number of the customer can be easily kept in track. Our system basically consists of administration software that has electronic menu screens and order processing through monitors. The Restaurant POS system has given us the organized running of the restaurant with an accurate record of minute-to-minute activities on any particular day. The restaurant software is very helpful in storing the information in single database on timekeeping, inventory, stock management, security and there are other activities too, to keep the restaurant open and running.

Being having different departments, our restaurant POS system require input and output devices as in any other computer system. The keyboards , touch screen and line displays as input devices, while others use electronic cash registers as both input and output devices. According to the customer demand, the restaurant POS system used by us acts as sophisticated cash registers with printers and monitors in different, but convenient locations and connected through an interface to the server at the back office.

We have a careful consideration of different activities that are needed to be controlled by the restaurant point of sale systems in a food establishment. The restaurant POS system launched by us has now been used in almost every restaurant and retail store for employing hospitality in one flavor or other. There has been a great advancement in computer technology and pizza pos software that has made it possible for smaller retail outlets and fast food restaurants to compete on a level playing field against large corporations with out breaking the bank.

Allowing many of the smaller retail chains to purchase the retail software systems, restaurant point of sale system software, pizza pos software, bar POS, restaurant POS system, point of sale bar, restaurant software, fine dining restaurant has come down in price over the years to an affordable level. Easy to manage, modular yet simple and easy to update, Restaurant POS software is designed allowing smaller restaurants and shops to install basic systems and software functionality with the ability to upgrade by switching on built in modules as and when business dictates.

Using Point-of-Sale Data to Improve Profitability

2009-11-23T03:57:00.000-08:00

Not long ago I made a trip over to the local Radio Shack to purchase an electronic plug for my cassette recorder. As I paid for my item the retail clerk asked me for my name, address, telephone number, birth date, and even my email address (something every retailer should be asking for today!). Although I felt a twinge of discomfort giving out my personal information, I went ahead and gave it to him and went on my way.

Driving home I reflected on Radio Shack’s checkout process and was reminded of the power of information gathering at the point of sale. I had just given Radio Shack three ways to contact me, not to mention, information on what I had purchased. In the hands of a skilled marketer, this information is powerful.

Database Marketing
The recent economic slowdown has brought increased competition to small businesses. And with that, retailers across North America have described their sales as "flat." Small businesses should be looking for low cost, high impact marketing activities to drive prospects to their business. One of the most effective and cost-efficient ways to add profits to the bottom line is the use of database marketing, which uses information collected at the point-of-sale.

Using personal data, purchasing data, and contact information from a customer database, a retailer can make offers to customers for complimentary products and services and engage in loyalty marketing activities. Database marketing has four key elements, (1) gathering customer data, (2) building a customer database, (3) creating targeted offers for specific customer groups, and (4) tracking results to improve responses.

Step 1: Gather customer data. The easiest way to begin this process is to develop a simple form for customers and salespeople to fill out every time a customer purchases a product or service. Include personal information such as names of spouses, children, profession, and birthdays, as well as, product information such as manufacturer, make, and model.

Step 2: Build a database to store your customer information. Start simple using off-the-shelf software such as Microsoft Access. Later on you can begin to modify the database to either include different types of information or to print special reports.

Step 3: Start sending offers and personal messages to your customers. Don’t wait until you have a large mailing list. Begin sending notes to customers right away thanking them for their purchase, to celebrate birthdays, share holiday messages, and inviting them to come in and take advantage of special offers.

There is an old saying that goes, “Business goes where business is invited, and stays where it is appreciated.” A personalized invitation to drop by the store to take advantage of a specific incentive is sometimes all that is needed to keep your customers coming back into the store. Instituting a program of personal, hand-signed notes that coincide with birthdays or special events addressed to the customer's significant other that offer gift ideas, can have surprising results.

Step 4: Track the results of your database marketing efforts. By knowing who you sent offers to and who responded will help you identify your best customers, allow you to more effectively allocate your marketing dollars, and help you tweak your marketing pieces to get higher response rates.

What Information Do I Collect?
It’s important to determine in advance the type of information to collect. To do this, make a list of common special offers you might be presenting to your customer. For instance, if you sold a product in the health industry and many of your customers have lower back problems you could joint venture with other businesses to develop special promotions on products that help to relieve lower back pain. To capture the fact that your customer experiences lower back pain, simply place a check box on your form that says, “Do you experience lower back pain?”

If your customer has small children, consider presenting follow-up offers for products targeted for small children. Imagine being a consumer and receiving a letter from your business with an enclosed birthday card for little Joey who just turned eight years old and a discount offer for a basketball hoop or other relevant products. You think to yourself, “What a great gift. Joey would love that!” This is the power of database marketing.

Collecting Accurate and Consistent Information
Database marketing all starts at the point of sale. Without accurate, complete, and consistent data this type of pinpoint target marketing can’t be done. To ensure that your information is accurate and consistent, help your customers fill out the data collection form and review each information form for completeness.

You might experience a hesitancy from your customer to give out all their personal information, similar to how I felt at Radio Shack. However, after explaining that the information will only be used to send out special offers during important events, is completely confidential, and will not be shared with anybody else, you’ll find that most of your customers won’t have any problem giving out their personal information.

Cost Effective Loyal Customers
Marketing to your current customers is one of the most effective and cost-efficient strategies you can do to reduce your marketing costs, enhance your customer / retailer relationships, and produce long-term loyal customers who, over a period of months or years, become your biggest source of referrals.

Thanks to David Frey, Marketing Best Practices Inc.

Cash Register vs. Point of Sale (POS) System

2009-11-21T04:20:00.000-08:00

What is POS?

POS stands for Point Of Sale. This is a system that is used throughout the restaurant, retail and Entertainment Ticketing industry. This computerized system allows business owners to track sales, cash flow, Inventory and can help simplify your bookkeeping effectively and enormously. Sales per Till, Salesclerk wise sales, Printing the Kitchen Order tickets to Kitchen directly or Bar can be done effectively and Make things easier and faster means.

Lets Discuss POS's Pros and Cons of Restaurant Industry to begin with.

Why it’s good for a restaurant?

The high volume of cash and credit cards that pass through a restaurant each day make a POS system a necessary. Not only does a POS system track every penny of your sales, many POS programs also takes credit card and work with Credit Card processors. This makes swiping credit cards more secure for both the customer and the business. Servers are accountable for all their sales, and it is impossible to alter checks in the computer unless you have the Administrative password. This helps cut down on employee theft.

What are all the Benefits?

One benefit of a POS system is that it simplifies communications between the kitchen and the Sales Clerk or Waiters. Orders go through the computer, directly to the kitchen printer or Bar Printers. Another benefit of a restaurant POS programs is that it can track everything from food usage, to the most popular menu items. Because the POS system acts as a time clock, it can also help prepare payroll. This can save you a lot of money in your bookkeeping department. Along with the daily operations of running a restaurant, a POS system can organize profit and loss statement and sales tax.

What are all the Cons of POS?

The most obvious drawback to any POS system is that it is a computer, and subject to all the same technological whims. If it happens to crash and you don’t have a back up, then you risk losing all your data, not just sales, but profit and loss statements and payroll statements. Important stuff that the IRS may want to examine some day. So, always have a backup. So Every Piece of Data need to be maintained in a planned and organised manner for later examination by you or by Income Tax department.

A good POS company can help you out in right planning and backup schedules to manage the data in a secured way.

What is the ROI (Return on Investments)?

Return on Investments are High because It saves :

1. Lots of Waiter or Sales Clerks in managing the KOT (Kitchen Order Ticket)

2. Planned Chef Work is very much possible because immediate printing of orders to the Kitchen or Bar.

3. Tracking sales and analyzing sales to plan the happy hours to boost sales based on hourly sales done.

4. Payments are Tracked properly and End of the Day report will help to analyze more accurately the sales and returns.

5. No need to remember Code number for all products since it does show all products based on categories or directly.

6. It makes life simpler for a Restaurant Owners

Where to find them?

There are many POS distributors. Here is just a partial list of those that carry restaurant-specific POS systems:

ProPOS.net - Very User Friendly POS for Restaurant / Bar / Fast Bar - with Touch Screen

Dineware POS - Restaurant POS

Aldelo For Restaurants Pro - POS Solution for Table Service & Quick Service Restaurants

Finally: Time is Money ! For sure You save alot of Money at the end of it!!!

New POS System To Help Control Liquor Inventory

2009-11-18T22:05:00.000-08:00

Staff can free pour but our wireless pourers send a signal back to your POS system every time a drink is poured. Powerful POS based variance reporting of pours vs inventory lets you know where and when a loss has occurred. Every ounce of alcohol that flows through you bar is compared to your POS records.

Bar, Pub or hotel owners can manage liquor costs down by tracking their liquor inventory in real time.

Compact wireless pourers are simply mounted on bottle tops
Removes the need for manual liquor stocktakes
Automated variance alerts are sent to your PC or mobile
Powerful reporting lets you check the location and timing of each variance
Data can be aggregated at local, regional or corporate level.
All pourers are rechargeable with a long battery lifelong
Pourers can be calibrated to pour 30ml, 1/2nip or 15ml
Simple button can switch pour sizes

About Vectron Systems

Vectron offer a complete range of beverage dispensing technologies with easy POS integration: our compact wireless pourers, flow meters and ETN's.

Vectron POS is a complete solution with fully integrated and configurable applications. Our systems cover every function required to manage today's pubs, hotels and bars. With fully integrated modules for bar, bottleshop and restaurant, owners can connect and manage all your business activites. Email Vectron on sales@vectron.com.au or see http://www.vectron.com.au

News from pr-canada.net and Thanks to pr-canada.net

Don't Count Button Presses

2009-11-17T21:50:00.000-08:00

When designing a Point of Sale system, it's easy to count the number of times the user must touch the screen to accomplish a particular goal. For instance, the process of tendering an order with a credit card requires the user to interact with the computer (e.g., through touching) a countable number of times.

Working to reduce the number of button presses is certainly a worthy goal. The problem comes when designers or well-meaning company representatives use that count as a measure of speed. And things go from bad to worse when button press counts—and the desire to minimize them—becomes one of the primary drivers of the design.

When designers start letting button press counts drive the design, it invariably results in a host of undesirable side effects, many of which actually slow things down. Here are a few side effects I've observed::

Too many buttons on the screen, making it harder to learn and harder to find what you're looking for.
Buttons and other controls that are too small (and too close together), making the user have to slow down to avoid touching a nearby button.
An inflexible design that requires shifting of on-screen elements when company offerings change.

It's critical to remember that speed of service is driven by many, many factors. I did some keypress analysis for one fast-food company and discovered that the number of screen touches accounted for less than 10% of the variance in order times. That means that over 90% of what made an order faster or slower came from factors other than the number of keypresses. It's attention to these factors that will do the most to increase speed of service.

Thanks www.posdesigns.com

POSIFLEX Technology Inc. to invest US$ 10 million in India

2009-11-09T22:57:00.000-08:00

Acquires Protocol Solutions To grow POS sales in the unorganised retail sector

POSIFLEX Technologies Inc., a professional POS (Point of Sales) hardware solution provider worldwide, today announced the acquisition of a majority stake in one of their leading distributors in India, Protocol Solutions a bangalore based company. With this, Protocol Solutions will now be called POSIFLEX India, thereby making a direct presence in India. POSIFLEX products are widely used by the largest of retail outlets in India, making them the second largest in India next to IBM according to IDC report.

This strategic move will help shorten the lead time of delivery and provide satisfactory service to customers, to increase brand awareness and expand market share. On the strength of acquisition, POSIFLEX will not only acquire the existing channel resource, but also give access to the Indian software development industry to bundle with hardware of POSIFLEX. It is expected to offer low TCO (Total Cost of Ownership) solution from India to global channels eventually.

On this occasion Mr. Owen Chen, CEO, POSIFLEX Technology Inc., said, “We saw great potential in the Indian market and decided to enter India by acquiring a majority stake in Protocol Solutions. We were happy with our relationship with Protocol and impressed with their track record. They understand our products well and have played a vital role in creating a demand for our products in India. So when we thought of having a direct presence in India, Protocol was undoubtedly our choice. We will be investing US$ 10 million over the next 3-5 years, which will include setting up of R&D team in India to deliver customised solutions, strengthening our marketing and channel partners as well as an option of starting an assembly line.”

“There is tremendous potential in the Indian retail market. With hundreds of malls that are projected to open in the coming years, the sector is expected to invest around US$ 500 million in retail technology service solutions in the current financial year. This could go further up to US$ 1.26 billion in the next four to five years. So it was an important strategic milestone for us to have a direct presence in India,” added Mr. Chen

Mr. Dinesh, Director, Protocol Solutions, said, “The organised retail sector accounts for only 5 per cent of the Indian retail market, which leaves us with the big chunk of untapped unorganised retail market. As POSIFLEX India, we intend to enter the huge unorganised retail market through channel partners across India.”

Mr. Baskar, Director, Protocol Solutions, said, “We have been working as POSIFLEX distributors for over eight years and today their solutions are widely used by most of the large retails chains in India. We have worked with POSIFLEX and have been instrumental in making the product second largest in India with over 20 per cent market share. As we have developed great success stories in the organised retail segment, POSIFLEX Technology will be leveraging these successful cases in other countries.”

POSIFLEX POS solutions are used in multiple market segments such as, hospitality, retail, entertainment, logistics, manufacturing, banking, information services etc. Protocol has successfully deployed POSIFLEX products in both Industrial Automation & Retail Automation. Their clientele includes, Ford India, IFB, Hindustan Motors, Ashok Leyland, Schneider Electric, Shopper Stop, KFC, HyperCity, SPAR hypermarket, Fresh@, Subway, Costa Coffee, Café Coffee Day, Food World, Royal Orchid, Arvind Brands, Peter England, Lifestyle to name a few.

Taiwan-based POS maker Posiflex to acquire India sales agent Protocol Solution

2009-11-06T07:53:00.000-08:00

Taiwan-based own-brand POS maker Posiflex Technologies has announced that it will acquire Protocol Solution Pvt, its general sales agent in the India market.

Posiflex said it will then establish a new marketing subsidiary headquartered in Bangalore, leveraging Protocol's original staff and resources to make further inroads into the India market.

The company said it will also seek to capitalize on India's strong software sector to develop POS solutions ranging from entry-level to high-end ones.

With more than five million retail stores as well as thousands of department stores and supermarkets, India has large potential for POS products, Posiflex indicated. Posiflex has tapped the India market for several years and become the second largest vendor with a market share of 17-18% next only to IBM, the company cited IDC as indicating.

Thanks : DIGITIMES

ProPOS.net - The Benefits of Point of Sale Systems

2009-11-06T07:39:00.000-08:00

The early days of using a cash register and pen and notebook for accounting and processing transactions are no longer an effective means of keeping up with today's advancements in business technology. In order to stay competitive businesses have to adapt and change with emerging technologies.

The early days of using a cash register and pen and notebook for accounting and processing transactions are no longer an effective means of keeping up with today’s advancements in business technology. In order to stay competitive businesses have to adapt and change with emerging technologies. A technological advancement that businesses are now using is the point-of-sale (POS) system. They are now realizing the many benefits POS have on their businesses

The following are the many benefits of utilizing point of sale systems:

1. POS systems provide a business with a real-time detailed report of sales. This allows businesses to assess what products are being sold and what products are lagging in sales. The business can then implement marketing strategies to boost sales of the popular products. They will also know in real-time what is not selling so they can decide whether or not to order that product. A POS system provides the latest sales reports for the day, week, month, or year.

2. POS allows for improved customer service. Transactions are processed much quicker, item that are scanned for their price are accurate which lessens sales discrepancies.

There is also a wide selection of methods to take payments such as credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, etc.

3. POS provides an efficient method of managing inventory. By being able to view in real time what is selling, they will be able to reorder products that are running low. POS software will also let you know when you need to reorder a product. Businesses can also keep track of the time of day that certain products are selling so they can arrange marketing displays around peak selling times. As well, businesses will spend less time on paperwork, accounting, inventory management, sales record keeping, as well as managing such programs as marketing, special advertising programs, loyalty programs, discount programs, and much more.

4. POS allows for the management of gift cards, coupons, and loyalty programs. This is effective way of monitoring the program and keeping track of the success of the programs.

5. POS systems and software is easy to learn. Most POS sellers will train staff and management on how to use the system. It is also easy to install and maintain. As well, POS software can be integrated into other applications so that all areas of business management can be viewed in one central place. It gives the user better control of the business. As well, technical support is only a phone call away.

6. POS retail software makes it easier to keep track of customer personal information, staff payroll, customer billing and shipping, vendor listings, and inventory management.

The many benefits of point of sale systems make it an essential business investment. The type of retail software a small business chooses depends on the type of business, size of the business, amount of sales, and the type and amount of inventory.

Point of sale systems allow for better management of a business, improve customer satisfaction, and helps increase sales. With POS, businesses are able to run a more effective and efficient operation.