Point of sale or POS systems are a necessary and invaluable part of most businesses. While they traditionally referred to an automated cash register, modern technology has seen that change to include a number of other elements that all make a business more efficient and easier to run.
Common POS systems include a computer, receipt printer, lockable cash drawer, a scanner to read the bar code, a magnetic swipe reader and a modem and pole display. Then there is the POS software. POS systems these days have come a long way from the early ones and do much more work. In fact they now do so much more that the POS element has now become just one more module in amongst many others, but it is none the less an important part of each business.
As well as actually allowing the customer to purchase goods, POS systems allow the business operator to do nearly everything from ordering and purchasing stock to generating reports on sales. As they continue to evolve, many more tasks can be done with POS systems, including the integration of e-commerce for online selling, electronic payment processing, integrated accounting, marketing, video surveillance, and much more.
Sales are the most important part of any business and so they come from customers, so POS systems should streamline the customer experience to make it as hassle free and pleasant as possible. For instance, POS systems for the restaurant business can enhance customer loyalty and retention by being used for promotions via email or sms. A member database that supports targeted marketing such as coupons and points schemes has high value in increasing sales and keeping customers.
Speed and reliability of service are also important aspects of any POS system - and the ability to add more features seamlessly is always a handy feature. A POS system that is easy to learn and simple to operate will increase efficiency in terms of sales and many other aspects of running a business.