Mobility is the next big thing in technology. Over the years, there has been a noticeable rise in mobile gaming, mobile transport, mobile banking, and even mobile-learning. A report by Mckinsey & Company found that mobility technology will dominate the marketplace in the year 2020. It is no surprise that mobile POS solutions have taken the retail space by storm. Regardless of business type, a mobile POS system eliminates limitations of location and adds many benefits to operations. Most people know them for being fast, secure, and reliable. Nonetheless, there is a multitude of benefits of mobile POS hardware and systems.
With each one deserving a detailed review and in-depth analysis to see whether they are truly what they claim to be. This article explains why a mobile POS solution is a must-have for your business, especially, if you are still using traditional point-of-sales technologies.
Mobility
The most important feature of this POS system is apparent from its name: mobility. It allows business owners and managers to monitor and run operations wherever they want without being restricted to the traditional cash register. It is an incredible advantage for small businesses that do not have a physical location or operate on the go. For instance, street food sellers, farmers markets, food trucks change their place of work frequently. A mobile POS suits the work conditions of these businesses as it allows accepting payments regardless of the location.
Regardless of which solution a business utilizes, whether an Android or iPad POS system, Mobile POS hardware brings a competitive advantage to small businesses. It eliminates all geographical limitations as literally anywhere can be their point-of-sale. This way, mobile POS systems give companies access to a broad base of potential customers.
Data Collection
Another way of gaining a point of difference or competitive advantage is by collecting data. Data collection helps businesses to speed up operations and make accurate decisions. A mobile point of sale is a tool to gain this advantage. It can provide a company with critical information while dealing with every-day transactions. Therefore, it is an excellent opportunity for small businesses that do not have the necessary resources to invest in data collection.
A mobile POS system gathers information regarding business operations such as inventory management, sales locations, together with customer data. Business managers can identify which products are best-sellers and in which locations they make the most sales. Plus, mobile POS software stores customer data, such as email addresses for future use. Managers can analyze sales performance info whenever and wherever they want to make decisions and establish future strategies.
Convenience
The mobile POS system makes operations convenient both for customers and employees. Cables restrict the movement of POS machines. However, mobile POS solutions do not have this limitation, which leads to a premium customer experience. Let’s imagine a shoe retail store. Salespeople who assist customers in finding the right size, color, or style can manage transactions where the customer is sitting. Alternatively, in restaurant businesses, staff can take table-side orders. There is no need for the migration of customers to the counter to make payment, which leaves them satisfied with your business.
It is also possible to use a standard POS system and mobile POS at the same time. This strategy is even more helpful because it reduces the wait time considerably. In fast-food chains or bars, this method works perfectly, and fast service makes customers happy.
Boost Sales
The mobility of this POS system empowers staff members to better market products and services. They can serve more people than ever as it allows them to accept payments faster and reduce waiting time. Busy restaurants or retail stores are good examples of that case. How many times have you decided not to purchase a product or get an additional food item just because there were too many people in the queue? Mobile POS, either iPad or Android POS system, enables employees in busy locations to step up, get out on the floor, and make sales faster. Plus, it boosts sales because the staff can communicate and convince clients to taste other appetizers, get more drinks, or order a dessert. This upselling strategy is also an incredible way to boost sales of less preferred products.
Reducing Errors
In restaurant businesses, waiters are usually proud of their memory skills. They can baffle customers with their ability to memorize orders of entire tables. While we appreciate memory skills, it is not always the best strategy to keep up with customer satisfaction. Staff members can forget details of orders at any time, which will leave customers dissatisfied. Excessive reliance on memory can harm the image of the businesses. Therefore, it is better if the staff relies on a mobile POS system to enter every single detail of the order. They can also remind customers of additional items with the help of modifiers, pop-ups, and special requests.
Clients can also ask questions about the ingredients used in the preparation of food items. This comes especially handy when they might not like onions or can be allergic to nuts. It can look highly unprofessional if every time a waiter goes back to the register or to the kitchen to learn the answers to clients’ concerns. Plus, as we’ve seen time and again, memorizing ingredients is not a reliable strategy. In these cases, a mobile POS system can give them much needed access to all details of menu items. They can check not only the ingredients, but also the availability of the products. As a result, mobile POS hardware helps waiters to answer questions immediately, which improves service levels and creates a positive brand image.
Minor Training
There are a few other benefits that also exist, which require discussion. One of them is employee training. Teaching the usage of a mobile POS to a restaurant or retail staff is simple and requires less time. Usually, mobile iPad, as well as the Android POS system, are easy to learn. As Jill Soltau, executive vice president at JCPenney, mentions, “teaching staff members the iPad POS system was fast because the iPad is a user-friendly and secure tool to use.”
Cloud-Based Solution
Another benefit of a mobile POS system is not very apparent compared to the first few mentioned already; however, it is vital for small businesses. Almost all mobile POS solutions work based on cloud computing. It eliminates the need for in-store servers, hard drives, and full-time IT employees. If you run a small business, you might not own the necessary resources and time to deal with data storing infrastructure. A solution to all these problems is a cloud-based mobile POS solution. It reduces costs, while not having to lose out on power, and still store inventory, customer, or cash flow management data securely. Plus, business owners and managers can access this data effortlessly from any location at any time.
Final Words
Mobility is a necessary trait in today’s technology. Similarly, POS providers utilize this characteristic and offer a mobile POS solution. Small Businesses can use this technology alone or can utilize it jointly with traditional POS systems. In both cases, a mobile POS system brings an abundance of benefits to small businesses. Most importantly, customers do not need to wait much longer to get a product or service they need urgently. They can complete transactions in a few seconds from where they are seated. There is no need to move them over to the cash counter to make payments. Plus, the system is easy-to-implement, requires minor training, and reduces errors. Both clients and employees gain significantly from the convenience offered by these solutions.
