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Restaurant EPOS Systems

12 May 2017
Written by Libby James
Libby James is co-founder, director and an expert in all things merchant services. Libby is the go-to specialist for business with more complex requirements or businesses that are struggling to find a provider that will accept them. Libby is regularly cited in trade, national and international media.
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    Point of sale systems for Restaurants

    Technology has transformed the world of point of sales systems and tills, and nowhere is this more apparent than within the hospitality sector. When it comes to sourcing restaurant POS systems, it can be tricky to understand exactly what your business needs, especially if you haven’t opened your doors to customers yet.

    At Merchant Advice Service, we assess EPOS systems on four main factors;

    Security
    Back office functionality
    Customer profiling
    Staff management

    Here we look at all four elements related to POS systems for restaurants to help you decide what your business needs and to really make your EPOS system work for you.

    Technology has transformed the world of point of sales systems and tills, and nowhere is this more apparent than within the hospitality sector. When it comes to sourcing restaurant POS systems, it can be tricky to understand exactly what your business needs, especially if you haven’t opened your doors to customers yet.

    At Merchant Advice Service, we assess EPOS systems on four main factors;

    Security
    Back office functionality
    Customer profiling
    Staff management

    Here we look at all four elements related to POS systems for restaurants to help you decide what your business needs and to really make your EPOS system work for you.

    SECURITY

    Restaurants can be very busy places, with numerous members of staff on site at one time. Installing a restaurant till system with restricted access for various levels of staff is vital. For example, refunds and discounts can only be issued by managing staff. Equally each team member has a unique pin code or log on card/fob, this way no unwanted hands can gain access to both funds or valuable business information.

    BACK OFFICE

    ‘Knowledge will be your passport to wherever you want to go in the world.’
    Marco Pierre White.

    Having access to reports is important to running a successful restaurant or cafe. The best restaurant POS software documents everything from staff performance to the best-selling items on the menu. This enables managers and owners to make informed decisions when it comes to marketing, opening hours, staff rotas and menu changes. The beauty of having a smart back office system is that with a click of a button information can be accessed by the right people.

    If the restaurant software has a clock in and out system for staff, payroll becomes easier and less time consuming. This very clever bit of software can handle all sorts of tasks, and if cloud based can be used from anywhere with an internet connection. Up to date restaurant POS system software can have the benefits of the following, saving businesses time and money.

    CUSTOMERS

    A smooth transaction will increase repeat custom. The best restaurant POS systems have the ability to take bookings and deposits, have a loyalty system in place and can issue refunds if the customer isn’t happy. If the EPOS can work alongside PDQ machines, this limits staff error when it comes to paying the bill. Equally some restaurant software systems can split the bill easily if customers wish to pay for items rather than splitting the overall cost with other dinners.

    STAFF

    The majority of restaurant staff would welcome a restaurant system that is easy to use and understand. Most popular POS systems for restaurants, are touch screen and very user-friendly. They can include the following features;

    Staff clock in/out
    Table plans and prompts
    Prompts to up-sell
    Reward/discounts

    How we can help

    At Merchant Advice Service, we do not believe that one size fits all. There are many elements to consider when finding the correct POS restaurant system for the business now and in the future.

    Whether you are searching for a complete solution or an iPad based alternative we will aid you in finding the best POS system tailored to your restaurant at a price that’s comfortable for you.

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