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An EPoS system is used for taking and
recording payments in a shop, restaurant, hotel, or any other
business that serves customers.
EPoS stands for Electronic Point Of Sale and,
given the description above, it might be easy to think of it as
nothing more than a fancy till.
However, it is a lot more than that. Yes, an
EPoS system’s main function is as somewhere to put the money,
but it can also link to other systems in the business and make the
whole thing run more smoothly.
For example, it can link to stock-control
systems so that every time an item is sold it can tell the
stock-control system to replace it.
When it comes to buying the right system for
you, the question to ask is not "Do I need it?" but
"What do I need it to do?"
Will a new EPoS system help your customers
feel they’re getting a better service? Are you sacrificing human
contact with customers for efficiency? These are all
considerations.
What do I need?
There is a huge range of EPoS systems
available but for a restaurant or hotel the ideal type is an
EFTPoS, or electronic funds transfer point of sale. These are the
systems that allow for payment using a credit card, essential in
any hospitality establishment in this day and age.
Where to begin?
The best place to start is in other
businesses similar to your own. The beauty of the hospitality
industry is that you can be a customer in your rivals’
restaurant or hotel and see what they do and what systems they
use.
You’ll find there are very rarely any new
ideas and many businesses will have systems that do the same
things you want.
Go to exhibitions and events to talk
informally to vendors and look at the possible options, work out
what’s available and how this matches your expectations.
Get on the Internet and find all the
different suppliers and details of what they offer. Also look for
useful user guides, preferably independent ones.
And for those with a bigger budget, there are
consultants who will help you through the whole purchase process.
Then what?
Sit down and make a list of all the functions
you want your EPoS system to have, for example:
·
allow credit card payments
·
give a daily list of sales, ranked by product type
·
print out a neat receipt with a personalized message
·
print quickly
·
expand to allow add-on modules and function in case
you want them in the future
Now score each requirement on your list out
of five, with five being the most important. For example, you
would give the ability to accept credit card payments a score of
five, but the print speed might get a two.
You’re now looking for a system that gets
the highest score when measured against your list. In other words,
you want the lowest level of compromise.
It’s important to bear in mind at this
point that you needn’t worry about the technology of these
systems. What happens under the lid isn’t important. What the
system actually does for you is.
What extras should I be looking for?
What happens when you press the buttons is
very important, but there are plenty of other questions you should
be asking your salesman. For example:
·
What are the details of the warranty?
·
Is there a helpdesk? What hours is it open?
·
What happens if I have a problem at 9.00pm on a
Saturday night with a restaurant full of customers?
·
What happens with systems upgrades?
·
Do I pay an annual maintenance fee?
Tell the vendors in writing what you want.
Get them to tell you whether their systems can do it. If they
offer you something similar, ask them why it isn’t exact?
If they say they’re going to customize
their system for you, or add on any extras, make sure they put it
in writing. If the system doesn’t include it when it arrives,
you have proof that they said it would.
Get suppliers to tell you of similar
establishments to yours that use their system. Go and see them and
ask for a demonstration.
What about the cost?
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to give an
idea of cost here. It all depends on the size of your business and
what exactly you want to do. The cheapest systems will run on a
normal PC, which are comparatively cheap to buy, but another might
need dedicated hardware which could cost $13,00 or more for one
unit.
Conclusion
An EPoS system is an important part of any
business that takes payments from customers. The trick when buying
one is not to get blinded by the science and technology of it and
just consider the practicalities.
Above all, keep asking questions, as much to
yourself as to the salesman. Is this right for me? Does it fit all
of my needs? And will it improve the service to my customer?
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