Whether you run a cozy boutique, a quaint café, or a charming family restaurant, the right POS (point of sale) system can significantly impact your business flow. At its core, a POS system is designed to facilitate transactions at the point of sale, and that involves everything from managing customer purchases to providing receipts. When you have a reliable POS system at your disposal, it won’t be hard to streamline your transactions, integrate your business’s accounting with its inventory management, roll out better customer experiences, and enhance your overall business operations.
But not all POS systems available in the market are built the same way. The newest POS offerings will come with different functions and features, and they’ll be sold at price points that reflect what kind of business should use them. As a small business owner, it’s in your best interest to partner with a POS supplier Philippines entrepreneurs trust and to onboard a solution that truly meets your business’s needs.
To help you narrow down your search, here are six of the best qualities you should look for when shopping around for a new POS system:
1) Ease of Use
It shouldn’t be hard for you and your staff to use your POS system on a daily basis, so make sure to look for POS hardware and software that are easy to use. You’ll want a POS system that’s user-friendly and that will allow your staff to process transactions both swiftly and accurately, with minimal training.
To simplify the checkout process, you should also get a POS system that has a straightforward interface. Take Maya Business’s flagship payment devices, the Maya Terminal and Maya Terminal Lite, for example. Both devices come with a bright touchscreen display that’s easier to view and to operate compared to traditional payment terminals. These devices also have dip (EMV) and tap (NFC) features, enabling customers to make quick and easy payments. To top it all off, they’re portable, which will allow you and your staff to complete transactions from almost anywhere.
2) The Ability to Accommodate Various Payment Options
Any modern POS system that you use for your business should also be able to accommodate a variety of payment methods. With a POS Philippines consumers can rely on to complete any method of payment they want, you’ll be able to enhance customer convenience and increase your customers’ return rate. You’ll also minimize your risk of losing out on sales to competitors who offer similar products or services, but whose payment experiences are better and more comprehensive than yours.
Invest in a POS system that can accept credit cards, debit cards, mobile payments, and payments via QR code so that your customers have a lot of options. For the great improvement you’ll see in your future payment experiences, the investment will be worth it.
3) Seamless Integration with Other Software and Equipment
It’s also in your best interest to look for a POS system that can easily integrate with other essential equipment and software that your business is already using. This will help you avoid disrupting your business flow just for the sake of accommodating a new solution.
If you want to retain your cash register, for example, find a POS provider that offers electronic cash register (ECR) integration. This ensures that the cashier using the POS system doesn’t have to input the amount that was entered into the device into the cash register just to complete the transaction. Limiting the number of interfaces or devices needed to process a transaction will prevent you from accidentally double-punching and making errors on your transaction records.
Another benefit of having a POS system that offers seamless integration is that you get to use it alongside enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, which can further streamline your business operations and data management. You’ll be able to depend on an integrated ecosystem of software tools that will save you precious time on reconciling your sales, inventory, and customer data, which will be a boon to your small business’s profitability.
4) Reasonable POS Software and Hardware Fees
When choosing a new POS system for your small business, you’ll also want to consider the software and hardware fees associated with the solution. While some POS providers offer affordable monthly subscriptions, others might charge upfront fees for hardware or software licenses.
Evaluate the POS’s cost structure carefully to ensure that it aligns with your budget and business needs. You should also look for transparent pricing models that provide clarity on the total cost of ownership. Moreover, consider the level of customer support and updates included in the fees, as ongoing assistance and software upgrades contribute to the overall value of the POS system.
5) Enhanced Safety and Security Features
Security and privacy should be among your top priorities when handling customer payment information and sensitive business data. That means that you should onboard a POS system that complies with industry security standards and utilizes encryption to protect your customers’ personal information.
A POS device, for example, must be Europay-Mastercard-Visa or EMV-certified and comply with the regulations set by the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS). An EMV-certified system means that it can function properly without experiencing or causing interference in the presence of electromagnetic disturbances like radio waves and lightning strikes. A device that’s PCI-DSS compliant, on the other hand, ensures the security of your customers’ credit card transactions, reducing the risk of data breaches while also increasing the safety and security of cardholders’ data.
6) Reliable Customer Support
Lastly, it’s important to look for a POS provider that offers dependable customer support channels and responsive customer support. It shouldn’t be hard to get in touch with your provider so that you can address technical issues and resolve common questions and concerns as quickly as possible, thus minimizing disruptions to your business.
To ensure that you’re working with the right POS provider, do some research and read customer reviews and testimonials. You may also want to ask for recommendations from fellow small business owners or entrepreneurs who also work in your industry.
A good POS system will be a major investment in your small business’s growth. Make sure to purchase one that suits your business’s mission, vision, and financial goals, and use it to improve your customers’ experiences at the point of sale.
