3 POS Must-Upgrades

Working in a company that's dedicated in creating IT solutions, in particularly POS solutions, has made me insanely aware of the types of devices being used when I go shopping or when I go eat at a restaurant. "What's that they're holding?" I wonder as I hold my menu and start listing off dishes to the waiter, "How efficient is the ordering tablet?" I continue thinking. I've been doing this a lot recently and sometimes I enter stores or restaurants where their POS system is completely worn down and there's a frustrated server struggling to tap in our orders. At this point, a number of thoughts begin to manifest in my head. What could they do to improve their POS system? What should they add? I've decided to compile 3 upgrades modern retailers and restaurateurs should consider adding to their POS system to increase sales.

1. Integrate a Mobile/Tablet App with your POS

Last night at dinner, our waiter came up to my friends and I with his iPhone and I thought, what is he doing - writing down our orders on his "Notes" app? Wrong. It was a mobile tablet used for ordering. How did I find out? I was curious to see what he was doing with his phone so after we ordered, he told me that all he does is tap whatever food we order and it automatically transfers our orders to the kitchen. Easy for those looking for a summer job at a restaurant.

These ordering tablets make it incredibly cheaper, more environmentally-friendly, and more efficient than scribbling food orders on pieces of paper. It also gets the job done quicker. Upgrading your POS system to a mobile/tablet software solution is so much more convenient and the room for error decreases since all you're doing is tapping on a tablet. It creates a more organized environment - you won't mix orders up or forget them.

2. Multiple Payment Methods

You've probably noticed people paying with their phones more and more as you shop. E-payment is becoming increasingly popular, especially with the mass use of WeChat and its third-party payment platform, WeChat Pay. We've also got Apple Pay landing this summer in Hong Kong - your wallet is basically now a part of your phone, and people love that idea. Everyone's so attached to their phones, why not also pay with it? It's definitely easier than scavenging the right credit card or the right amount of cash without dropping a few miscellaneous items.

3. Cloud Hosting

Put everything on the cloud and all of a sudden you can get real-time alerts and reports on how your business is doing. You can be on vacation in the Bahamas and with a click of an app, you can watch how business is doing back home. Having your POS on the cloud allows you to track all customer purchases and use this data to help maximize profits. You can use data of your customers to target certain promotions or suggest products based on their buying habits, and many more. I'm not going to list all benefits so if you want to know more benefits, click here.

Upgrading your POS system with all these features is going to make your life a hundred times easier and more productive so start looking at how to integrate these features!

Need somewhere to start? No problem. Retailarc by Qualicom Innovations Ltd. has a POS system that's able to do all the above features. They've integrated multiple payment methods, including Alipay, WeChat Pay and (soon-to-happen) Apple Pay. They also let you choose whether you want to Cloud host or have it on premises - whatever floats your boat. They've also recently revamped their staff tablets; perfect for your restaurants or retail stores. A special feature on the tablet for retail is the ability to streamline customer experience by having their desired items sent straight to the main POS terminal from wherever you're standing in the store. How convenient is that? Looking for a specific size or colour? Just find a staff with a tablet and search it up! If you want to know more, just click on the About Us tab!