New technology to help small businesses improve customer service

In the world of small businesses, the point of sale (POS) technology used can directly impact the bottom line. The more effectively the features of your POS can support your business, the better you can serve your customers. In order to drive success, you will be tasked with choosing from different types of point of sale solutions for small business owners that are on the market today.

It is very tempting to simply look at buying a newer version of what you already have in place. You know how it works, and you are well versed in getting to accomplish the tasks you need it to. But what if you are missing some important features that could, once applied, push your business outward to new audiences and improve future sales?

The traditional POS till system

There is something to be said about the traditional POS till system. Its simplicity makes it easy to learn, and upgrading the underlying software may mean that you get to keep the hardware you already have in place. However, like the business world, it is not that simple. Sticking to the traditional POS system can yield some disadvantages that can cause issues even after an upgrade is complete:

You may still be left with manual data management tasks.
Reliance on spreadsheets and manual data entry for performance monitoring.
Hand-count inventory processes may be required.
Inability to effectively engage new and existing customers through multiple channels.

One reason for not transitioning to forward-looking POS systems is because owners do not think them to be obtainable. It can be surprising to learn just how accessible the latest POS technology is and how well it can perform in your business model, while staying safely under budget.

Cloud-based technology steps up the game of small businesses

The most commonly seen move by small businesses is to enlist the limitless potential of the cloud to power their POS systems. Cloud-based POS solutions offer the small business owner multiple options for building a feature-rich solution without the need to invest in on-site supporting infrastructure. This yields immediate cost savings, while offering tools that can scale to each unique business.

So, why upgrade?

Here are some of the core features that can benefit your small business:

How invoice automation technology reduces common errors

If you are in a type of business such as catering, plumbing, pest control, or other mobile services that requires frequent invoicing prior to work completion, the best point of sale systems reduce or eliminate the mistakes that are most likely to delay payment. Enterprise software vendor NetSuite lists the six invoicing problems small businesses are most likely to encounter: