Getting your POS system right doesn't have to be a headache. There are so many good features that modern POS systems offer to busy coffee shop owners, and they also make a cashier's life easier too.
Here are our tips for choosing the right coffee shop POS system:
- Ensure A CRM Integration
- And Easy Loyalty Card Programming
- Look For A Customisable Interface
- Check For Offline Use
- Try A Tablet-Based System
- Ensure Easy Use and Keep Staff Happy
Ensure A CRM Integration
A CRM (Customer Relation Management) system may or may not be already in place at your coffee shop, so, just in case it isn't, let's start at the top.
If you're new to the world of CRMs, it's basically a piece of software which allows you to monitor and improve engagement with your database of customers. Customer behaviour in your coffee shop is tracked by a CRM, which means messaging can be tailored depending on behaviour. For example, sending an email with a 'free drink token for a friend as a thank you' to your top 20 customers in the month and the same offer to those who haven't frequented in a while will help encourage more business.
You might want to look into using something like Salesforce or SugarCRM. And you can use something like Mailchimp and Facebook for the messaging delivery.
Once you're comfortable with your chosen CRM, make sure your POS system integrates (or the other way around). Having the two tools talking to each other means that data capture and database updating is automated. Every transaction can be logged by scanning their loyalty card and you'll know what their favourite drinks order is, when they like to visit and spot other patterns which help optimise your stock levels and choices, and even better manage staffing requirements.
In short, this will help move on your customer relationship building beyond offering a stamped card. Here's some further reading on the benefits of CRM-x-POS hook-ups over on Business News Daily.
And Easy Loyalty Card Programming
If you do decide to implement an electronic loyalty card scheme, make sure your POS has the capability to track transactions and behaviour accordingly.
It needs to be as seamless as a barcode scan on the customer end but, behind the scenes, the POS should be assigning the transaction to the loyalty card number and updating your CRM accordingly. When it comes to sending out promotions, you can then highly target your customers to increase success rates.
Look For A Customisable Interface
You'll need to update your POS regularly due to menu changes and fluctuating prices. And with frequent shift changes throughout the day and seasonal changes of employment, lots of people need to be able to use your POS.
Having a rigid system which can't be tailored makes life more difficult.
When assessing your POS options, look for one which allows you to customise it easily so that it can change along with your seasonal drinks and food items. Also, set it up in a way which cashiers can process orders smoothly with minimal training, to keep the queue moving quickly, but allow you to properly track orders for monitoring purposes.
If you're unsure about how easy the POS will be to use or customise, simply ask for a demo.
Check For Offline Use
No Wi-Fi can be annoying to customers, but don't let it cripple your whole POS and harm the day's takings. When your system is app based, ensure your POS has offline capabilities. This will ensure that any data which is compiled during the down-time can then be saved and synchronised when back online.
Try A Tablet-Based System
Traditional POS systems came as dedicated, fixed machines which require cashiers to remain tied to the till. Modern POS systems, however, can be app-based which allows you to download the POS onto a tablet and staff can move around the shop.
This allows taking orders and contactless payments at the customer's table and is more likely to increase sales. An added bonus for you is that the app can allow you to access the data from home, so you don't need to stay even later at night than you already do.
There are plenty of software providers who sell cloud-based POS apps for iPads, such as Vend, Breadcrumb and Toast.
Ensure Ease Of Use
Having all of these amazing features available on your POS system is super important, but not as important as your staff being able to use them. Having something filled with great analytics and endless amounts of custom product integration is pointless if your baristas can't get past the main menu.
Looking at how easy your POS system will be to use is possibly your biggest consideration. Five minutes training should be enough for your employees to have gotten their heads around 99% of the functions and features. The rest of their first shift should see a decreasing amount of questions aimed at more experienced staff.
So, you should be able to find a POS system that works well for your business and your employees. Your staff are the backbone of your business and you need to make sure they're happy.
Keep Staff Happy
A good POS system should make your employees' lives easier and your customer experience smoother. This will result in happier staff.
They're the face of your coffee shop and need to offer a relaxing experience to your customers. Having a well chosen POS system in use will mean your staff have one less thing to worry about so can deliver drinks with a smile on their face. Also, it will help speed up service overall and allow you to give customers more of what they like.
The end result? Happy staff and customers who spend more.
And how else can you make sure your staff are happy? Many factors go into job satisfaction but safety and security is one of the biggest. Your team are on their feet for hours, so how do you help make sure they don't injure their back? Are they protected from slipping on hot water spills?
Slips, trips, and falls are the most common workplace accidents and you need to make sure your staff are protected by having slip-resistant shoes.
SHOES FOR CREWS EUROPE LTD. are providers of safe and comfortable slip-resistant shoes which will keep your staff secure through the mochas, the lattes, and the frappes and then get them home safely, too.