5 key checks to be made before investing in a new retail point-of-sale (POS) software solution.

1. Top 5 questions to ask before investing in a
Retail POS Solution

2. POS in Retail
• It can be used as an effective tool to fulfill the
expectations of the retail business
• In retail, the POS is where the ‘business promise’ is
realized by the customer
• Today, POS represents much more than a system
to process purchases
• It can be employed as an effective medium to
enhance customer experience

3. 5 Key checks to be made before investing in a new retail POS system
1. Does it provide true integration with enterprise data?
When a customer, approaches the POS terminal to complete a purchase,
the cashier, feeds in the customer’s name or swipes her membership card
to access her buying history.
The system interface now displays the customer’s purchase patterns
and past sale analysis enabling the cashier to make recommendations
basis the most frequent bought items, and current offerings on her
loyalty credits and identifies promotions to cross/up-sell.
If a product is not available in-store, the cashier views, ships and
tracks products directly from other stores/warehouses to the
customer’s desired location.
Through an integrated POS system, the cashier accesses real-time
enterprise CRM and inventory data, store sales reports, product
performance and business analysis.
It empowers him to fulfill customer expectations and thus drive demand optimally.

4. 5 Key checks to be made before investing in a new retail POS system
2. What about omni-channel functions?
Consumer expectations are not just getting the right product at the right price,
at the right place at the right time, but also the right interaction and
the right service everywhere.
An omni-channel POS system streamlines business operations
across physical and digital retail platforms.
Customers value instant connect with the brand and staying
informed, updated and engaged seamlessly across channels.
Retailers also manage multiple touch-points through a
centralized supply chain and intuitive system interface.
The capability to delight customers across multiple channels
lends to a bigger market share and favorable social quotient.
The sustained engagement and accessibility also fosters
loyalty and distinction from the competition.

5. 5 Key checks to be made before investing in a new retail POS system
3. So is it completely mobile?
In the age of instant gratification, the sight of a long waiting line would
deter walk-ins and even lead to basket abandonment.
Installing more POS terminals is an impractical solution in terms of
added expense, floor space utilization and viability during low rush hours.
mPOS technology extends the functions and capabilities of the
POS system on smart devices, as an application.
It helps in-store staff to approach the customers, consult them basis
their CRM profile and conclude the purchase from anywhere in the store.
Happy customers often spread the love to other prospects and
drive demand.
Saving in-store floor space and using cost-effective smart devices
optimizes operational costs further.

6. 5 Key checks to be made before investing in a new retail POS system
4. But will it support business growth?
Considering the time it takes to set-up or upgrade enterprise
technology software, it is essential to ensure the POS system
is future-ready.
The POS solution needs to be easily scalable and secure with
the flexibility to adapt to different markets and industry
dynamism.
The ROI increases steadily with low administration costs
and virtual system updates across the enterprise.
The POS system processes are seamlessly automated across
channels, providing centralized control.
This helps deliver uniform brand experience, uncompromised
customer service with complete operational visibility.

7. 5 Key checks to be made before investing in a new retail POS system
5. Vendor or partner?
Implementing technology is a long-term commitment which
requires equal collaboration between the solution partner
and the retail organization.
While a software vendor might support to the point of
implementation, a solution partner will share business goals
towards innovation, growth and profitability.
It is vital to choose a solution partner who has created a solid
foundation in the industry with the experience of working with
retailers of similar size and scope of operation.
The solution partner should be able to dedicate expert teams with
in-depth best practices knowledge. This helps structure the
implementation, training, consecutive project phases and support
in line with the business projections.
or

8. Source
Top 5 questions to ask before investing in retail POS technology
http://softwaresolution.etpgroup.com/2015/05/top-5-questions-every-retailer-
should.html

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