For businesses in the restaurant industry, having the right tools and technology in place can make a world of difference when it comes to effectively running your business and turning a profit.
Profit margins can be thin in foodservice, meaning restaurants and bars need all the help they can get in order to be successful. One of your greatest resources? A 21st-century restaurant point of sale.
Point of sale (POS) technology has traveled leaps and bounds over the last decade in order to keep up with growing consumer demand for a more seamless restaurant experience.
Your customers, whether they’re at the table or the bar, want tech solutions incorporated at every stage in the dining experience, from the moment they place their orders to closing out their check. This is why your restaurant’s next tech purchase should be a fully-loaded point of sale.
Let’s take a look at all you need to know before investing in your next POS system.
Let’s get back to the basics. Your POS system should first-and-foremost serve as a point of sale solution.
Whether you’re a counter service or table service restaurant, your next POS should (at the very least) conduct seamless transactions. However, if you want to choose a POS system that’s built to last, you won’t just want to choose a solution that processes payments.
Rather, you should choose a POS system that’s designed to optimize the payment processing experience for both your customers andyour staff.
Consider some of these essential features your team should seek out in its restaurant POS:
The bottom line? Your next POS purchase should give your team the power to optimize every step of the transaction process: from placing orders to closing out checks.
Even though POS technology has changed so much in the past few years, too many restaurants are still using outdated legacy POS terminals.
If you’re thinking of investing in a modern POS system, then your business probably is using one of these older platforms to manage restaurant transactions. Or, maybe this is your very first time purchasing a POS for a new restaurant venture.
Either way, before you take the leap and choose your POS platform, you’ll want to keep in mind some of the ways that legacy POS tech has fallen short for restaurants just like yours.
Some of the most common problems with legacy POS terminals include:
By keeping common POS shortcomings in mind when making your investment, your restaurant can better understand why new developments in POS tech make such a difference.
As your team reviews different restaurant POS options, one thing to keep in mind are the extra features your platform should offer that take it to the next level.
After all, your POS system really is at the helm of your restaurant’s business strategy. Transacting and payment processing aren’t separate activities from your restaurant’s overall operations, but foundational activities that set the tone for your customer experience on the whole.
This is why your restaurant or bar needs to consider the many ways in which your next POS investment can distinguish itself as a fully-loaded tech platform.
Some stand out POS system features include:
Ultimately, your team should pick a POS system that conducts transactions effectively and efficiently while also bringing stand-out features to the table. Look to fully-loaded POS platforms like Lavu’s restaurant POS system.
Another question your team should be aware of before choosing your restaurant’s next POS is how your team can impact the success of the new system.
While your new POS platform can bring a lot to the table by offering great features, it comes down to your restaurant’s management team and employees to effectively implement this useful technology in your business.
Luckily, making the most of your restaurant’s POS depends on setting expectations for how the system should perform, as well as encouraging staff to voice any problems they have with mastering their new tools.
As you consider your next POS purchase, keep these best practices in mind:
Your restaurant’s POS should work well for your team, and your team should be empowered to make the system work well for themselves.
Choosing a restaurant POS system can be difficult, whether you’re graduating from a legacy platform or investing in a point of sale solution for the very first time.
Now that we’ve answered your top POS questions, your restaurant is ready to get started making the right decision about your next POS investment!
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Ohad Jehassi is the President of Lavu. He has over fifteen years of international product-centric general management and marketing experience, has launched four start-ups and been the CEO or founder of three, leading the rapid growth of digital media, marketplace, and marketing services businesses. Ohad is also a business mentor with Endeavor and serves on the executive committee of the New World Symphony. |
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