There are many components needed to make your POS system. It includes a cash drawer, printer, barcode scanner, credit card readers, monitors and other hardware. The most important part is the POS software. With thousands of POS software options, you must be careful to choose software that will work well for your business.
Recognizing the benefits of the POS system requires a strong commitment from you. That commitment must begin before purchasing any system. The success of implementing a POS system will greatly depend on choosing the right POS software. After installation, discipline and commitment needed to implement the functionality needed to make accurate data in the system. For example, the amount of inventory that will never be accurate if all delivery of products not included in the POS system.
There are two main types of POS systems.
Retail POS - Small Retailers do not have an absolute requirement for POS as well as the transaction is completed by the end of the transaction. Usually, retailers do business with little variation in the product offerings of their products. except for department stores, where retail POS system may be needed if you sell different types of products in a fast turnover of goods. or on clothing and shoe stores. The matrix allows you to track sales at individual item level, while giving you the ability to create sales reports with a more general category. For example, you may wish to report sales data from sales of brown shoes 11 size 6 shoe styles from 3 manufacturers of chocolate.
Restaurant POS / Hospital - Types of POS systems require different functions from the Retail Point of Sale system. At the restaurant "fast food" restaurant POS system will provide the information relayed to the monitor in the kitchen, which need to be able to create, store, add and varied menu and checking process. Some systems allow the components to take orders, payment at the table, etc.
Buying POS software is a great investment, and can have a significant impact on the efficiency and success of your business. However, many business people who do not take the time and put in the effort needed to make intelligent choices POS software. Generally, the software features that enrich the POS system to attract the widest possible customer base. These features are sometimes difficult to understand how each "module" of the system (such as check-out and acceptance of products) work together. Furthermore, there are so many options that any understanding of the POS software is good enough to compare the benefits of one other version is time-consuming and confusing. So - it's important to do research in advance and qualification of software or software this.
Backup and Recovery Plans for POS
By now, hopefully the recovery from the effect of super storm Sandy is almost complete for most people and businesses. Sandy is yet another reminder of how vulnerable we are to natural disasters. Past STCR Newsletter articles highlighted the importance of having a backup and recovery plan for your POS system. With the recent super storm, it is worth it to bring this topic to attention again.
For starters, it is very important to have a backup routine for your mission critical systems. POS controllers and servers are such mission critical machines. Some systems have automated backup routines and some require manual processing. Either way, the backup routine should be done at minimum on a weekly basis. Then the backup media should be verified and removed from the store. This will ensure that the machines and the backup media are not exposed to the same adverse impact.
Secondly, you should have redundant methods of processing electronic payments. A common method is using dual high-speed lines from different providers. Another method is to utilize a wireless signal as a backup connection to the Internet. The phone line is a third option that can be utilized. Besides these communication methods, we highly recommend having a stand-alone device to process payments in the event that the POS controller or server is not operational.
Lastly, an important device to have is the UPS (Unlimited Power Supply). Most UPS devices have two sides: one side of plugs with surge protection only and the other side with surge protection and battery backup. In case of a power outage, it is important to only plug in the mission critical devices to the battery backup side to prolong the battery life. The purpose of the UPS is really to provide enough power to complete and save works in progress before properly powering down the devices. Regularly checking the health of the batteries and replacing batteries that are out of useful life is an important and often neglected routine.
Is Your POS System Secure?
Security – it’s the buzz word these days and everyone wants to feel secure. How secure is your grocery store? Obviously it’s important to make your store secure from intruders, you probably have security systems to prevent intrusion and theft. Beyond the physical security, do you know how secure your virtual security is?
You should know that as a store operator, you are required to follow the PCI guidelines to protect the personal data of your customers. One of the many things that you have to do is to make sure that your POS software and hardware is updated to the level that is compliant. This is probably the most obvious step; however there are several other areas that you need to address.
If you have Internet connection, you are vulnerable to Internet intrusions such as virus, spyware, etc. There are also more active ways that a hacker could gain access to your computer. The challenge is to stay ahead of these intrusions. For example, to secure your network a Firewall segregates your internal network from the public Internet. It has an array of functions and features that protects your internal network as well as providing backup connections to the Internet. Another option is to have a subscribed comprehensive network security service that bundles hardware, software, and monitoring service to actively protect your network. Even with all the technology to protect your system, the best practice is to limit the Web access to business related traffic only.
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