How to compare point of sale solutions

Deciding on a restaurant point of sale (POS) system can quickly spiral out of control. Digital-this, e-that and cloud-based promises quickly pour out of your screen and into your head. Getting it all straight may feel impossible, but not if you stick to the fundamentals and make the best decision for your restaurant.

Assessing POS solutions is as simple as four steps:

Determine your restaurant’s technical needs
Weigh data management requirements
Consider mobile POS options
Investigate data analysis solutions

Step 1: Determine your restaurant’s technical needs

Before you can make any POS product comparisons, you must first understand what your technology needs are. This starts with a few important questions:

Modern point of sale solutions for restaurants will virtualize many of the manual tasks that occur in your restaurant. This means:

Orders are integrated digitally to reduce errors, waste and loss of sales.
A wider array of payment options for customers
Digital menus and payment conducted directly from the table.

Once you know the areas in your restaurant that you want to improve or upgrade, you can better identify a POS system that will benefit your business.

Integration is key for these systems; for example, cloud-based POS solutions connect you to both your POS integrated website. Both options broaden your reach to your customers.

Step 2: Weigh data management requirements

Adding online ordering, contactless dining or delivery services will add layers to your data tracking. Inventory management is similarly a must for establishments in all industries, as you need tools to keep track of your in-and-out. Of course, the data from the sale itself must be stored with tips and employee hours for accurate payroll.

A modern approach to data management via a POS system should start with storing all business information in the cloud as opposed to on-site. This will:

Provide you with an online reporting console
Provide universal access using your laptop, tablet or smartphone
Offer operational insights with open advanced operations metrics.

Step 3: Consider mobile POS options

All businesses are having to adopt mobile technologies into their processes to support consumer-driven expectations. Although mobile may not have been on your radar before, it warrants consideration, especially if:

Outside of questions about internet connectivity or a customer dynamic that shuns technology, there isn’t much reason to avoid embracing mobility. Servers can take orders via a graphics-based menu and send them directly to the kitchen without delay. Online menus offer advanced options for takeout and delivery while offering the option of using QR codes for quicker and faster service.

It is a new world out there, and the ability to have freedom in how you run your business will surely help build your reputation and profit.

Step 4: Investigate data analysis solutions

Tracking customer behaviors, whether it is through sales data or marketing statistics, will give you valuable insights into:

Your customers will appreciate your predictive ordering and loyalty offers. With the right POS, your customers won’t be the only ones letting you know what your strengths and weaknesses are.

Maximizing performance, accuracy and overall service are all dependent on your ability to give staff the proper tools necessary to excel. The POS system you choose must be simple and effective to use for your staff who will need to manage many different aspects at a single moment when you are open during peak hours, especially.

A restaurant point of sale system should fit your business personality

Comparing POS solutions starts with knowing what needs improvement. From that information, you can quickly create a defined list of features designed for two purposes:

Meet the expectations of the modern consumer
Provide performance-enhancing tools to your staff.

Before taking on this project alone, however, consider a partner with a strong reputation for helping restaurants with technology solutions.

The business-savvy consultants at talech have used their combined business and POS knowledge to create a restaurant point of sale system that works for your specific technology needs. With this, you can enjoy the benefits of using advanced POS functionalities to drive your business success. Reach out to us today to sign up for a demo and to learn more about how talech can be your valued POS partner.