Are you looking to streamline operations for your convenience store? Looking to increase sales and boost cash flow? Chances are that you have a long list of things to change, or to upgrade. Unfortunately, many owners are yet to realize that upgrading to the best pos system for convenience store operations could make all the difference. It is also the secret to achieving some of the goals they’ve struggled to achieve.
The fact is, using an outdated POS system in today’s fast-paced and competitive marketplace is a bit like bringing a knife to a gunfight. To further clarify this point, let’s consider a couple of things. First, the point of sale system comprises both the software and all the hardware with which you close sales. It ranges from a barcode reader, cash registers, to terminals and tablet devices. Hence, the best POS system for convenience store management has to be well-balanced.
You may ask, “in what sense?” Let’s take a closer look at the convenience store POS system to get a better understanding.
What’s the Best POS System for Convenience Store?
Ideally, the best POS solution for convenience stores is made of the highest quality software and hardware that provides all the functions and processing necessary for the best customer experience. All the hardware components of the best pos system work together through the coordination of a central system or brain, so to speak. This brain is the software.
Irrespective of the capabilities of the software, it can only perform its functions through the hardware. As such, it is only in working together that the best POS systems get to achieve their full potential. Unfortunately, outdated POS software poses many threats to the system as a whole.
Therefore, you stand to derive many benefits from upgrading an outdated POS system. So how do you know you’re using an outdated POS system at your convenience store? The answer is simple, depending on your projections, you can ask yourself whether your store is achieving its full potential in terms of sales and revenue? If your answer to this question isn’t no, chances are you’re using an outdated POS system that can’t keep up with the latest trends and customer demands.
Overall, you should get more money in your pocket when you choose the best system. As a result, your sales process becomes smoother and faster.
Upgrading
It can be a tough decision trying to select the POS solution for an upgrade. You have to consider your employees, who might need the training to use the system well. Not to mention other factors like maintenance, licenses, and fees.
Given the momentous nature of this decision, many convenience stores decide not to upgrade. After all, the old system isn’t exactly broken, right? The analogy is, if it’s not broken, why fix it? Let’s take a look at some common POS issues an outdated system may give your convenience store. Then we run through how the best POS system for convenience stores can help you overcome these issues once you upgrade.
Common Issues
If your convenience store deals with the following issues, then you need to upgrade to the best POS system for convenience store operations.
Delays
It’s a fast-paced world, and customers are more impatient than ever. Hence, if you’re experiencing slow performance and bad user experience for your POS system, then your convenience store will have a long line at the checkout counter. You may not realize how much this is affecting customer retention in your business.
Also, because older systems lack robust reports and analytics features to tell you when you’re losing customers and what could be the cause. Hence, it would help if both your hardware and software work at peak performance. The time you waste trying to scan the same barcode, again and again, costs your business several dollars.
Looking at things from the perspective of the customer, these little delays will add up to a significant waste of time over the course of a year. Remember, time is money! Therefore, you want to improve your transaction speeds at all costs, both for processing online payments and offline credit card transactions.
Otherwise, the delays in processing transactions, payment, and check out will cost your business much more in the long run. We always want to think long term, because it’s the long term investments that make the most difference.
Unfriendly User Interface
If you’ve ever had to stand around while the cashier wrestles with the POS system to configure it for your particular transaction, then you have a good idea of what it feels like to be on the end of the counter. The cashier is not to blame. In fact, many cashiers are very competent and professional. But you can’t give your customers the kind of friendly experience they deserve if your POS system is working against you.
Outdated systems make things complicated for your staff and get some customers frustrated. Imagine you’re in a real hurry, probably late to a very important appointment, but you can’t have the product you need because the connection on the POS system is down. In some cases, you may end up dealing with difficult customers who won’t have their time wasted. But can you blame them?
Such situations do not work for anyone involved. Hence, once you detect such challenges, it might be about time to choose a better POS system for your store. Ideally, you shouldn’t wait till things deteriorate to the point where your customer leaves you for your competition.
Other common issues of that should prompt you to look for the best POS system for convenience store and retailers are the following:
- No customer portfolio - The best POS systems have portfolios for regular customers
- Connection and software issues - These are hardware - server connection issues associated with outdated systems.
Choosing the Best POS System for Convenience Store Retailers
Selecting a new point of sale system or upgrading an existing one for a convenience store is a bit like choosing a grocery store POS system. In both cases, we strongly advise our readers to know their objectives. However, you also need to be very clear about what you want to achieve with your new POS system.
Usually, some of these objectives may be, increasing revenue, boosting customer retention, reducing time leakages, and improving customer experience, among many others. It’s always better to select a POS system that’s specifically designed for your kind of business; in this case, convenience stores. If you’re reading this article, chances are, you’re already looking for a point of sale solution.
In many ways, the best POS system for convenience store transactions is different from your regular retail pos system. Usually, they require lots of detail, especially in inventory management and employee scheduling features.
Good thing the top POS companies offer clients several options and configurations based on their specific needs. However, some of the main features you need to look out for in your ideal POS system include:
- Easy inventory management
- Employee management
- Portability
- Support for age-restricted items
- Support for multiple payment methods
- Price book management
- Reports and analytics
- Flexible pricing model
Final Thoughts
The expectations your customers have for your convenience store are usually high. For example, they want to be served in a timely manner, get a wide variety of products, and good value for their money. Hence, you will need the best POS system for convenience store management to meet their expectations. Fortunately, you don’t have to look any further than Synio’s versatile POS system to achieve all these and avoid the common issues posed by outdated systems.
