Choosing a point of sale system for your business is a big decision. It will become the heart of your business where essential info is created and stored. Here are a few answers to common and not so common questions. We trust it will make finding your dream point of sale system a whole lot easier.
Is my business too small to warrant or benefit from a point of sale?
All businesses who sell a product or service can benefit from a point of sale as long as you find one that fits your needs and budget (if your point of sale costs you more than you earn, then it is obviously not a great idea.) For a small business being run by one person, it’s often even more important to save yourself time so you can focus on growth. There is a system to suit everyone.
Can a point of sale system help me make more money?
When used right a point of sale can help you cut costs and increase profits. Here’s how:
1. Reduce costly manual errors and fraud
2. Identify top and bottom sellers
3. Track your gross profit
4. Faster checkout means shorter queues and more sales in less time
I’m concerned that a point of sale system will be too complicated for my staff to learn.
Most modern point of sale systems, like Yoco, are very intuitive and require very little training – if any. If your staff can use a cellphone, they will have no problem with a point of sale. Also, mistakes will always happen, but if you have a point of sale system in place it means you can see exactly what happened and work to rectify it.
I’ve heard there are cloud-based point of sale systems and traditional point of sale. What’s the difference?
Traditional systems store data on local servers and run on a closed internal network (think of a Microsoft word document saved on your PC).
Cloud-based systems host your data on the web or “in the cloud.” This means you can access the information from anywhere as long as you have an internet connection (think of how you can log into your Facebook account on different phones and computers).
Most point of sale providers, like Yoco, are moving to cloud-based solutions because it is more cost-efficient, and allows you to run your business from anywhere.
Is it always better to get point of sale software that is specially designed for my industry
This depends on the size of your business and the specific features you need. If you are a large restaurant and you need table layout functionality, then consider going for a restaurant-specific point of sale like iKentoo (TabletPOS). However, if you run a small deli or cafe, a more general point of sale app like the Yoco Point of Sale will cover all your basic needs and do so at a lower cost.
Is it essential to have a point of sale system that can integrate with other systems?
Absolutely. Having an integrated system is a huge time-saver and will dramatically reduce the number of errors and potential for fraud.
You can learn more about the benefits of integrated Point of Sale and payments here.
You can also learn more about the benefits of an integrated point of sale, payments and accounting platforms here.
Does every point of sale have to be set up by a technical specialist?
No, fortunately not. With some of the larger, more complex systems, you will need a specialist to help you. However many point of sale systems, such as the Yoco Point of Sale, can be downloaded from your app store, and you will be set up and running in minutes.
What costs are involved when purchasing point of sale software?
When choosing a point of sale, it’s essential to read the fine print. Something that may look like a good deal could quickly end up costing you more than you can afford.
Remember to ask about:
- Monthly rental fee
- Set up charge
- Support charges or call-out fees
- Charge per device, user or location
- What hardware you will need and what it will cost
Finally, keep in mind that if you are using a system created in another country, you may encounter price fluctuations due to the exchange rate.
With Yoco, the basic point of sale comes free of charge when you purchase a Yoco card machine. There is no setup cost or monthly support fees. Regarding hardware, all you need is your Android or iOS phone or tablet.
