Cash Register – 10 Reasons to Ditch Your Cash Register
If you’re a restaurant, or retail business starting out, perhaps you bought a cash register. It’s simple, easy to use. It gets the job done. But as you grow, a cash register becomes unmanageable. Too little technology, too little oversight. These things can lead to bad time management, or even theft.
Plus! You’re missing out on all the features you get with a full fledged POS system. POS Systems leave cash registers in the dust. They have advanced reporting, inventory costing, and more. Let’s take a look at 10 features that will make you want to dump your cash register.
1.) Cash Management
Your business has employees. Employees can be your greatest asset, and your biggest liability. With a POS System, you’ll be able to see who rings in which transactions. You’ll be able to see which of your staff members opens the cash drawer. Even limit access so only managers can open the drawer outside transactions.
An expanding business is going to expand in staff. And not everyone you hire is going to work out. It’s best that you protect yourself, and protect the good employees. Make sure the cash handling is managedelectronically.
Which POS companies offer this?
Essentiallyall of them do. This is the cornerstone of electronic point of sale systems.
2.) Online Ordering
Super important for restaurants in recent years. Online ordering is a staple of the millennial lifestyle. I’m in the same boat. I hate ordering even a simple pizza over the phone. If you do delivery, or even take out, online ordering might be huge for your business.
Some of the POS companies that have integrated online ordering are:
3.) Ordering/Pay at the Table
Another huge feature that’s been popping up in restaurants is pay at the table.
Ordering at the table using a tablet can be awesome. It’s a great way for servers to ensure accuracy. Paying at the table allows guests to easily pay using a credit card at the table with the server. The server no longer disappears with your card for 20 minutes, then comes back.
Pay at the table also makes it easier to split up checks. And restaurants using pay at the table tend to see higher tips. Another bonus is you cut way down on the amount of receipt paper you buy.
Some of the companies that offer pay at the table are:
4.) Reporting
We can all agree that more information about your business is always good. So why wouldn’t you want advanced reporting about your business?
A Cash register will take money. That’s what they do. But they’re not detailed. POS Systems will track which items are your best sellers. You’d be surprised how many business owners think they know what their best sellers are, and don’t.
A POS will also track profit and loss, it will help with food costing, and inventory. This will help you hone in on the most profitable items.
Which POS Systems do reporting? Well, they all do. But some of the best reporting I’ve seen is with:
Rewards Program
I know you’ve all heard me bang on about loyalty and rewards programs. But if you’re not using one you’re losing money. See my post here about how to use a loyalty program to make money.
Loyalty programs reward your best customers sure. But they entice ALL your customers to come back. And it costs a fraction of the price to retain customers versus finding new customers. So if you don’t have a loyalty program, get one!
POS Systems with integrated loyalty are:
6.) Enterprise Management
What do I mean by “enterprise management?” I mean multiple locations. I mean big volumes of customers. And creating the network to connect your stores.
If you don’t do this right, it can be an unholy mess. So make sure you’re using a system that can scale with you from 1 location to 30 if that’s your goal.
Systems that are enterprise scalable:
7.) Inexpensive
So, the number one complaint I hear from people who have cash registers, is that it’ll be too expensive to switch. Well, guess what. It’s not.
For the cost of an iPad, and a small monthly fee, you can be setup. Many companies offer hardware, but you can start off simple. Even with modest hardware, the setup would cost less than $500.
A cash register can cost $200 – 800 depending on features. Wouldn’t you rather spend less than $500 and get all these features?
Examples of inexpensive POS Systems are:
8.) Digital Signage
Digital signage is a big deal in the quick serve restaurant world. It’s important to be able to easily display and change your menu.
So for those looking for digital signage, we have a few suggestiosn for you:
Who does digital signage?
9.) Kiosks
Kiosks are controversial in the restaurant business. Some think it’s the future. Some think it’s a hassle. But if you’re looking to move to a kiosk style ordering format, there are a lot of benefits. The initial cost will be high, but the labor savings could be emense.
A few POS Companies that offer kiosks are:
10.) Quickbooks Integration
They say you should always save the best for last. And while this isn’t the most glamorous feature, everyone uses quickbooks. And if you’re using Quickbooks, you need a POS with a Quickbooks integration that’s seamless.
A few examples of POS with Quickbooks integration:
Wrap up
These companies are in no particular order. And each different provider will fit different types of restaurants. When selecting a POS system, you have to look at a lot of angles.
That’s why, if you’re looking for a POS Solution to replace your cash register you should look us up for a free consultation! Check us out here:
if you’re so inclined!