After
all invention is the major demand of the world in every step and is
the key to success.. Man keeps inventing new technologies, overcoming
the disadvantages of the former in-order to make it a much better and perfect tool. It is not an exception in the case of POS in
restaurants. With the POS playing a major part in restaurant
management today, it is crucial to make it much more fruitful and
favorable. Keeping that in mind iPad/tablet POS has been introduced
in the markets by various firms. Thus, this article focuses on how
beneficiary it is to replace the traditional POS with tablet POS in
the restaurants.
For that it is good to have an understanding of the working of the traditional POS system.
For that it is good to have an understanding of the working of the traditional POS system.
1. UNDERSTANDING THE POS SYSTEM
1.1. EMPLOYEE'S USAGE
- The employee checks in to the traditional POS system by entering his user number and selects the table he is prepared to serve.
- He selects the number of customers and the orders he has taken from the particular table with all the additives and reductions they opted for on the food.
- He then sends it to the kitchen, where it is received in a printed format or shown on a display screen for the chefs in the kitchen.
- The kitchen staff prepares the food items listed and the waiter serves the customers with items.
- Finally, he prints the bill and hands it over to the customer. Depending on the customer's mode of payment he works on the payment section of the POs, splits bill and checks out once the payment process is over. Now the table is kept free for the next set of customers.
1.2. WHY YOU NEED A POS SYSTEM?
You need a POS because it integrates inventory management, Labor management and payment processing in one and eases the restaurant management.
1.2.1. INVENTORY MANAGEMENT
With the buying of stock goods for the business, they must be entered into the system along with their quantity and price. With this the POs keeps track of the usage, availability and needs. i.e. When a particular item is used in the kitchen it is subtracted from the available list of stock goods and is displayed under the need to be purchased list. This is vital for the tracking of ingredients and keeping them under maintenance.
1.2.2. LABOR MANAGEMENT
The POS system keeps track of the employee's clock-in and clock-out time, tables he has handled, order taken, his productivity and finally his sales summary for the day or month. It enables the owners to analyze the labor's activities and keep the labor management under control.
1.2.3. PAYMENT PROCESSING
The POS has options for the mode of payment to be made by, the patrons either by cash or credit or debit cards. With the staff entering the mode of payment and the cash received, it splits the bills, according to the orders taken and the amount received and keeps stored the information about the cash on the counter. It has credit card processors for the customers using cards mode of payment and the card can be swiped with the added device in the POS and the payment is processed.
1.2.2. LABOR MANAGEMENT
The POS system keeps track of the employee's clock-in and clock-out time, tables he has handled, order taken, his productivity and finally his sales summary for the day or month. It enables the owners to analyze the labor's activities and keep the labor management under control.
1.2.3. PAYMENT PROCESSING
The POS has options for the mode of payment to be made by, the patrons either by cash or credit or debit cards. With the staff entering the mode of payment and the cash received, it splits the bills, according to the orders taken and the amount received and keeps stored the information about the cash on the counter. It has credit card processors for the customers using cards mode of payment and the card can be swiped with the added device in the POS and the payment is processed.
2. BENEFITS OF TABLET POS OVER TRADITIONAL POS SYSTEM
Tablets have transformed the way how the POS is being used in every business. They have come up with improved features, thus yielding quick sales, profitable restaurant management and better customer experience.
2.1. MOBILITY
2.2. USER-FRIENDLY
The staff gets resorted to the clever usage of it in a very short span and can operate it with no much effort through the touch screen and it provides an intuitive understanding of the technology to the staff.
With the mobile POS the business owners can observe the employees clock-in, clock-out time, sales records, inventory, staff analysis and customer study from anywhere, eliminating the need to stay at the business place to keep everything under track.
2.3. UNCOMPLICATED MAINTENANCE AND COST EFECTIVENESS
The traditional POS system involves bulk cables, huge hardware requirements, complicated software program with only limited features and many become defunct at times. Repairing them involves more cost as they are equipped with more hardware. Whereas with a tablet POS there is no need for wires to be connected and fits out with the latest software with more features that automatically updates the data stored enabling free and automatic upgrades of the software. It provides better synchronization and relaxed execution of the functions. It is easy to fix in the case of repair and very less expensive.
The iPad POS can be equipped with printers for Kitchen and bills, credit card scanners and bar code readers depending upon the business needs facilitating easy access and connection through WiFi.
2.4. IMPROVED INVENTORY AND LABOR MANAGEMENT
It features completely improved, not complicated and updated software program for automatic inventory checks, employees' shift management and sales record. It accurately tracks the sales and labor activities, producing quick and real time reports and making it easily accessible for the owners from anywhere at anytime.
With tablet POS like Itura's "eOrder" along with the benefits stated above, it is also possible to store information on the customer rewards and discount programs and apply them through the POS using their code number. Thus giving the patrons a pleasant dining experience.
