Any retail business which is just starting out will benefit enormously from having the right point of sale (POS) system in place. However, the traditional POS system is no longer enough. Cash transactions are on the decline. These days, people prefer to use cards or smartphones to make payments. In our increasingly electronic world, the electronic point of sale (EPOS) system looks like the safest bet for the future.
Money is no longer synonymous with cash. It is in the interest of any business to make sure that they are equipped with an EPOS system that can handle card transactions. Contactless NFC features are not an essential requirement, but they are rapidly becoming the standard; your business will certainly not lose out by adopting the technology.
Businesses who don’t move with the times are sacrificing potentially thousands in annual sales. The only way to stem this financial bleeding is to start looking for an up-to-date EPOS system. However, the more you know beforehand, the easier it will be for you to choose one.
They Don’t Need to be Expensive.
You might assume that because EPOS is a new technology it would be more expensive, but this is not the case. A really neat electronic cash till will set you back around £70. On the other hand, an EPOS can be run on a smartphone or tablet and is EPOS software available for free. These apps can be linked up to compatible physical hardware, opening the door for setups as complicated or simple as you desire. Check out VendHQ.com for an example of epos software which is compatible with smartphones, PC and Mac desktops, and laptops.
They’re Faster.
Dealing with cash is slower than handling card payments, or at least it should be. Having aging and ineffective hardware, potentially coupled with a clunky and bloated POS system, can make processing card payments so slow that your customers lose the convenience of faster transaction times. EPOS systems make everything digital and, because they are run on devices such as tablets and smartphones, which have considerable computing power at their disposal, they are way faster than traditional POS systems.
Do Away With Maintenance Fees.
Once you have the relevant app downloaded onto your device, your EPOS system is ready to go. There’s no prolonged, expensive setup process, no need for extensive training, and you don’t need to go through the torture of wiring up all the disparate components of your setup. If you want to connect hardware components into the mix (assuming that your EPOS system allows you to do this) then this should be simple and straightforward.
Contactless is the Future.
There are many reasons why it is in the interests of businesses and consumers to make contactless payments more widespread. It allows for faster and easier checking out at shops, and when a phone app is used, there are massive security benefits. The more widespread NFC payments become, the more investment there will be in the infrastructure, which has endless uses.
If your business is not currently using an EPOS system, then you should give some serious consideration to making the switch. EPOS systems make the customer’s experience smoother and your employee’s lives easier.
