Still trying to figure out if your restaurant does need a POS system?
* POS – Point of Sale.
A type of system designed for the restaurant and retail industry. With a computerized system, it will allow business owners to track sales, the flow of cash, food inventory and can help simplify your bookkeeping effectively. Why it’s good for a restaurant: The high volume of cash and credit cards that pass through a restaurant each day make a POS system a necessary. Not only does a POS system keep track your sales, many POS programs also act as debit card processors. This can make swiping credit cards more secure for both the customer and the business. Servers are accountable for all their sales, and it is impossible to alter checks in the computer unless you have the password. This prevents employee theft.
* Benefits you can get from a restaurant POS system
One great benefit you can get from a restaurant POS system is that it simplfies the communication between the kitchen and the server. Orders go through the computer sending it to the kitchen printer. Another benefit of a restaurant POS programs is that it can track everything from food usage, to the most popular menu items. Because your POS system can act as a time clock, it can also help prepare payroll. It saves you a lot of money in your bookkeeping department. Along with the daily operations of running a restaurant, a POS system can organize profit and loss statement and sales tax.
* Any reasons to devalue a restaurant POS system?
The most obvious week spot to POS systems is that it’s a computer, and subject to all the same technological whims. If it crashes and you don’t have a back up, then you risk losing all your important files, not just sales, but profit and loss statements and also your payroll statements. Several important stuff that the IRS may need to examine some day. So, always have a backup.
* Do you need a warranty extension?
Remember all that money you saved on bookkeeping?
You might end up spending it on your tech guy, to help set up the POS and perform any trouble shooting. POS systems doesn’t have the same life span as good old fashioned cash register. Soon you will need to replace parts of your computers, upgrades on software and eventually replace the entire system with a new model. New POS systems come with limited warranties and tech support, but just like every other piece of equipment, the problems always starts when the warranty wears off. For this problem, you will also need to buy extra tech support.
* Need help from some of the most popular software providers?
There are many restaurant POS software providers.
• Aldelo
• Digital Dining
• POSitouch
• Radiant Systems
• Squirrel Systems
If you are planning a very small operation, such as bagel or sandwich shop, you may not need a POS system at first, especially if you aren’t going to take credit cards (and there are plenty of places that still don’t accept credit cards). However, if you are planning of expanding your business, then you may want to consider planning everything first before buying POS systems.
For more information and advice on this topic you can quickly contact a Restaurant Point of Sale professional serving your area.
The author of this article is the Vice President of Customer Relations at POS-For-Restaurants.com, with over 20 years experience in the restaurant point of sale industry.
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