Restaurant businesses, like many other businesses, have their ups and downs. However, when you are in the hospitality business, it is required of you to take steps to improve the experience of your customers in order to boost reviews and patronage. A great part of boosting customer experience is choosing and setting up a POS system to handle payments in the restaurant. While there are several options to choose from including the Touchbistro POS system, there is a need for you to be on the lookout for some of the common mistakes business owners make when choosing POS systems for their businesses.
As a business owner, avoiding some of these mistakes can save you cost and overall improve the experience of your customers, improving sales and overall positive reviews. Below are some of the common mistakes you should avoid.
– Not Defining Goals And Needs
Choosing a POS system is similar to some of the other business decisions you have made in the past, including the location of your business, color, menu and more. All these decisions have been based on the identified or perceived needs of the business, however, in a similar vein, you will be making a huge mistake if you fail to first identify your business needs before making a choice of a POS system. Having a clear understanding of what your business needs is the first step in the right direction, and this must be coupled with what features are presented by the POS system. You need to weigh the pros and cons of the POS system and how well it matches your needs. Failing to relate the features offered by the POS system and their direct impact on your business may lead you to make a choice you may later regret.
– Only Consider The Price
Good things come at a price. A smart business owner knows that to get the best in the market, they have to be willing to offer a reasonable price. When making the decision of the best POS system for your restaurant business, you should not be too particular about the price tag. Chances are that you may end up with a POS system that does not fulfill all your needs when you consider solely the price tag. Be on the lookout for a POS system that is cost-effective and smart, allowing you all the perks you need for a reasonable amount.
A great way to ensure that you do not overspend on the POS system is for you to come up with a list of the features that your business needs most from the POS system. Be sure to consider your business growth also as in the case of growth and expansion, you may be on the lookout for POS systems that support multiple locations. You may also want to consider, based on your business needs, POS systems that can integrate with eCommerce sites, accounting software, and other platforms.
– Making A Hardware Investment First
POS systems can be specific. This is because not every POS system can be integrated with existing hardware. A major error would be to have hardware in place before selecting your POS system. Chances are that if the POS system fails to integrate, you may be left with no other option than to re-invest in other compatible systems. It is most advisable that you first choose a POS system for your business and add more devices, this way, you are better able to center the POS system and operate better.
Please remember that each POS system has specific operating system functionalities, certain type scanners, printers, readers and cash drawers, you want to make sure that the choice that you make is one that is adapted to your restaurant business thus offering ease of operation and improving the overall payment experience of your customers. Customers are more likely to give a bad review when they have to go through some type of hassle to pay for their food.
– Insufficient Training
As with everything, expertise is key. You want to ensure that you have the right and adequate training on how to use the POS system. With your staff being one of the most valuable assets in your establishment, you want to ensure that they understand the pros and cons, and the intricacies of the POS system, allowing them to better operate it and set up the system even in your absence. Proper training is essential for your staff as this can significantly boost the effectiveness of the system and minimize delays.
Ensure that proper training is given to each and every one of your staff and make sure that they all get a test run to better understand their level of familiarity with the system.