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While it is a little corny, it is important to consider the effectiveness of your POS at any stage of your restaurantWhether you're just starting out, taking on an existing business, or looking to take your restaurant to the next level.
Believe it or not, the system POS of a restaurant has the power to prevent it from providing efficient service, optimizing its staff, taking strategic smart inventory and much more. A high-quality solution can help you take your operations into a whole new world of profitability.
Does that make you wonder how your system is up to speed?
In this article, we'll walk you through the señales that it may be time to change your restaurant's POS. We will also give you the Questions to ask your current POS provider or its potential successor to make sure you're getting the features you need to keep your restaurant running smoothly.
12 signs you need to change your restaurant's point of sale system
Not sure if you should make the switch? Here are 12 signs the time has come.
1. The point of sale of your restaurant does not help to optimize inventory management
"Can a POS system even do that?" If you are using the most basic software, this question might be on your mind.
The answer: Yes, it can.
In fact, the excellent POS solutions for restaurants are configured with administration inventory to help make sure you're adequately stocked with what you need, no more, no less. They also provide the cost of each ingredient so you can easily see what each dish costs! to the ingredient! - and make adjustments based on real data. If your POS system isn't doing that, it's time to move on.
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure your new system meets your inventory needs:
- Does your solution have an inventory countdown so you can see when I need to reorder?
- Do you provide the price of raw materials?
- Is there a feature that allows staff to count, track and organize each item digitally?
2. Your restaurant's point of sale does not offer enough payment options
Does your restaurant's POS system offer all the payment options today's diners want? Swipe, dip, and tap are important, but so are digital payments like Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. If you don't offer payment options , could alienate customers, especially customers Millennials .
Additionally, older technology slows down servers or counter staff, increases the possibility of credit card fraud and error, and does not provide key functions such as splitting invoices or paying with multiple forms of bidding (as part of the cash bill and part on card).
Is the payment function of your POS system delayed? Find a new one!
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure your new system meets your needs for payment options:
- What types of payment does your solution accept?
- What kind of payment functions does your system have (like bill splitting)?
- Can you accept payments even when the internet connection goes down?
3. Your restaurant's point of sale cannot go to the table
Many POS solutions from restaurants They come with a handful of payment terminals that allow customers to use their credit cards. And that is.
But did you know that newer solutions are more mobile and can help servers provide better, more personalized service?
POS systems with tabletop ordering features have easy-to-navigate interfaces that servers can use to take an order, but they also sell higher-margin items using a list of pop-up modifiers designed for suggestive sales. This type of order taking also entails greater precision and more immediate communication with the kitchen, since the waiters can confirm with the diner at the moment. Does your POS do that?
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure your new system is mobile:
- Does your system offer tabletop ordering with tablets?
- What are the characteristics of your table ordering system?
- Does your POS system connect the front of the house to the back?
4. Your restaurant's point of sale does not help schedule or manage staff
Are you still scheduling your staff on a spreadsheet or pencil and paper? Your POS system should help you save time on scheduling your staff while giving you key staff performance metrics such as table turnover time and average tip size. If not, it's time to look elsewhere.
POS systems restaurants can play an integral role in management staff, including scheduling. The good guys can do things like let staff in and out, keep payroll details (like hourly wages by role), help you calculate staff salaries, and keep track of things like overtime and performance. of staff.
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure your new system will help you maximize your equipment:
- Does your system have a management and staff scheduling?
- Can you help me track employee activity and help me manage payroll details?
- Does your system provide reports to staff, including sales by shift or hours worked?
5. Your restaurant point of sale does not have solid resources or technical support
Even the most advanced technology has occasional glitches or comes with features that may seem complex at first. What if you have a question about customizing your menu at your POS?
These are all reasons why your POS system technical support is so important, but if it is impossible to locate them, figuring out how to answer these questions becomes one more item in su to-do list.
Find a POS that you can reach by phone, online chat, or email at any time of the day. Some companies charge more for support, so try to make sure it's included.
Bonus: You can also look for a POS system that has a great list of self-sufficiency options, such as FAQs, videos, or other blog resources on how to run your restaurant.
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure you have support when you need it:
- Do you offer customer service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week?
- Does technical support have an additional cost?
- What kinds of training or online resources are available?
- Where is your support center located?
6. Your restaurant point of sale lacks analytics and reporting capabilities
Does your POS system help you discover valuable information about your restaurant? I know debería .
The right POS technology can incorporate Insights detailed in regular reports to help you determine things like margins de greed of each menu item, staff performance, end-of-day summaries, and much more.
If you still use just Spreadsheets and your instinct for making your business decisions, it's time to look for other POS solutions.
Questions to ask POS providers to arm themselves with the most powerful business insights:
- What kind of reports are included in the system?
- What are the most popular with your customers?
- What insight can I expect from the reporting capabilities your solution offers?
- Do I have access to my reports from any device?
7. Your point of sale is not specifically designed for restaurants
As the needs of business owners grow beyond the functionality that a cash register can provide, the point of sale market has grown to accommodate those needs - there are dozens of solutions on the market right now. Some are designed for certain industries, while others are tailored to a wide variety of merchants.
The thing is, as a restaurant owner, you want a POS solution built by a company that understands your business. You don't want a one-size-fits-all system that can't meet the unique needs of homeowners. restaurants. Look for features that are specific to your industry, such as food inventory tracking, menu planning, floor plans, and restaurant analytics.
There are many point of sale providers available; The trick is to find the one that best suits you and your business.
Questions to ask point of sale providers will ensure that you get a system suitable for restaurants:
- Is your solution designed for restaurants?
- What features do you offer that are specifically geared towards the catering industry?
- What do you have that other restaurant POS solutions don't?
8. Your restaurant's point of sale is not in the cloud
Does your POS system have you tied to your back office? Are you operating with software that is loaded on a single computer so that you cannot log in elsewhere? Do you have to update that software from time to time, for an additional cost?
If you answered yes to any of these questions, it's time to look at the Cloud.
The most modern systems, in particularly hybrid POS systems , have characteristics of systems local and cloud-based, and are popular for their agility, security, and “always-on” nature. You get access to your data where you want it, when you want it, whether you are online or offline.
Questions to ask POS providers that will ensure you are not afraid of offline mode:
- Is your solution cloud-based?
- Is my data available even when I am offline?
- What are the security features of your solution?
9. Your restaurant point of sale does not have a customer relationship management (CRM) feature
Have you always wanted to start a loyalty program that rewards repeat customers for their patronage and builds buzz with every visit?
That's a difficult endeavor to accomplish without technology that allows you to track customer information and communicate with them via text message or email, but your restaurant POS can help you do just that.
One of the best parts of having a great restaurant POS partner is leveraging a stronger CRM feature. A superior POS solution will help you create a CRM program in an instant and keep it up and running with ease.
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure their customers keep coming back:
- Do you offer a loyalty program?
- What are the CRM features in your solution?
- Will they allow me to communicate and send automatic notifications to clients?
10. Your restaurant's point of sale is complicated
Restaurant POS systems loaded with brilliant features and ultra-fast functionality are only as good as their ability to use them Really .
Unfortunately, many vendors overcomplicate their design, making it difficult to get the most out of all these powerful features. If you and your staff are constantly slowing down while trying to make sense of your POS system, you are on your way to finding a new solution.
You want bright, vibrant icons that help you get the information you need quickly and a flow of users that makes sense. Solutions like this exist!
What to ask to make sure you get a simple system:
- Have a demo you can try to see how it works?
- How many clicks or taps from the main panel to access my functions? administration (like scheduling, reports, inventory)?
- When was the interface designed? (Anything over five or 10 years old is probably out of date)
11. Your restaurant's point of sale does not help with menu planning and management
Your menu is constantly changing, so you need a system that can keep up. If your POS can not , it's time to start looking elsewhere.
And the management menu goes way beyond your special offers list - your restaurant's point of sale should help you track inventory, plan and price your menu, modify the articles according to your preferences or allergies and send orders to the kitchen.
Point of sale solutions that do not incorporate a robust management of menus will prevent your restaurant from reaching its true potential. You need a system that is designed to streamline your operations from menu to plate in front of your diners.
Questions to ask POS providers to make sure their system functions as a menu analyst:
- What menu planning and management features does your solution have?
- Does your system have menu reports to help me determine my best performing dishes?
- Can you automatically schedule menus and promotions?
12. Your restaurant's POS is not helping you design the perfect floor plan
Many restaurant owners may think that it is too much to ask their POS system to help them optimize their floor plan But design is a feature offered by top-tier solutions. It's helpful to try new things and base your experiments on data. If your solution is not helpful in this area, it is a sign to look elsewhere.
A great point-of-sale system will help you identify tables that tend to have higher value, keep track of table status (are they in snacks or waiting to pay?), And even keep records of the impact the prices have. changes, so you know if it's a good idea. to keep or try again.
Questions to ask POS providers to end up with a system that helps optimize their floor plan:
- Can I design a floor plan with your system?
- Can I create custom floor plans for different events or days?
- How will your table management function help me optimize restaurant flow and customer satisfaction?
If you've said yes to even some of the warning signs above, it might be time to start exploring your POS options. You want a solution that suits your industry, your business y the goals you have set for your restaurant.
You have the questions to ask, it's time to find answers.
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