There are so many factors that often have an impact on how profitable a business is. One such factor is your choice of Point of Sale system. A good one will make your work easy and in the process, increase productivity which will in turn lead to better returns. Unfortunately, choosing that specific POS system that can turn things around for your small business is usually an uphill task. You have to sieve through a myriad of options, a process that is time consuming. Eventually, you find one that suits your needs. That does not mean though that your business needs are sorted. You must at all times, observe the following POS rules.
Know Your Needs
POS systems are different. That can be expected because they are designed to cater for specific business needs. While this is a good thing, it presents a challenge for business owners who know little or nothing about how POS systems work. The best you can do is to first figure out what is your business’s most important need. It could be ecommerce integration or inventory management. Either way, settle for a POS system that is designed with your main business need at its core.
Free Is Never A Good Idea
When it comes to POS systems, ‘Free’ is one trap you should avoid at all costs. What you see as free is usually a tradeoff, a trap to lure you into a service that may not match your business needs. To avoid such a scenario, take time to understand whether the terms and features of the free software on offer match what you are looking for.
Be particularly keen on credit card processing rates. Most software development companies usually have no qualms giving away their software if they can easily make money on the payment processing end. So keep this in mind if you wish to consider a free option. Then by all means, make sure you get a rate that makes business sense.
Understand POS Lingo
Whether you’re making a transition from a legacy cash register or setting up your first POS system, the process is hardly complicated. There are however, specific industry terms one should know. If terms such as ‘Order trigger’ or ‘X and Z’ reports leave you confused, then by all means consider brushing up on your POS lingo.
Leverage Inventory Management Features
Any small business should be able to take advantage of key point of sale features. The most valuable feature in nearly all small businesses happens to be the ability to fully manage an inventory. This does not just mean the ability to view current stock. Think of management here as the ability to make price changes with single click, crosschecking the inventory in minutes and tracking the popularly of your products. All these capabilities will make it easy for you to stay competitive. Even more importantly, they will provide you with accurate stock counts, help you save time and help you understand your business better. In simple terms, automate as much as you can.