We have all heard the phrase, “Newer is Better.” When it comes to a POS system, that is certainly true. But when does it make the most sense to switch? You don’t want to treat a POS system like an iPhone, turning the old one in and upgrading every year. That’s way too expensive. Nor do you want to treat it like a microwave, using it day-in and day-out, without a second thought until it dies. These are the five signs it’s time to update your POS system to help inform you on when to pull the trigger and lay down your time, money, and effort to switch out your POS system.
Quirks, Quirks, And More Quirks!
Is the first word people use to describe your POS system “quirky”? Do your employees have to rub their belly and pat their head while also jumping on one foot just to do a return? Maybe it’s not that drastic. But if training a new employee requires you to show them a loophole or two to get around a technology blip, then your POS system is not doing what it should. These quirks eat up your and your employee’s time, providing less time to focus on the customer. As new quirks emerge, you must deal with the stress of figuring out how to get around them. All this effort is wasted on helping a broken POS system hobble along when these resources could be better spent on the business.
Look What We Can Do!
Changes in the marketplace can push new tech to the forefront and drive new trends, changing how business is done day-to-day. The pandemic showed all of us that. Your business needs to adapt to be able to stay alive. But when you inquire about the availability of these new technologies for your current POS system, and constantly hear, “It’s coming,” that is a big, red flag. You’re missing out as your competitors reap the rewards of having a forward-thinking POS system. This will hurt your bottom line. QR ordering is a great example of this; the pandemic drove this trend forward, so now every restaurant is using it. So, if your POS system still can’t do QR ordering, it might be high time to move on.
Reality Is More Exciting Than the Report
When you first started with your current POS system, the reporting was fine. You could see how much you sold, the income from your sales, the taxes you had to pay, and your profits at the end of the day. But, as your business grew, the reporting did not. Now you want to see which items on your menu are ordered the most, or when you are the busiest on Sundays. The reports still can’t tell you, so you are flying blind. You can make educated guesses, but you don’t know what you could be missing. Detailed reporting could show you trends you are unaware of, and opportunities you are missing out on. Don’t leave future growth to guesswork; it’s a sign to get a new POS system when you don’t have the reporting you need.
Always Out of Stock
Things break—it is inevitable. A cash drawer gets jammed, or a printer burns out. When equipment falls by the wayside and needs to be replaced, how easy is it? Can you get a tech to run out and install a new one right away, or have one overnighted to you? Or is your POS system only compatible with a few thermal printer make and models, and you have to find them for yourself? If those few thermal printer models are becoming harder and harder to find—even used ones—then that’s a strong indication your POS system is aging out and needs to be replaced before you can’t find any replacement equipment at all!
So Many Different Companies, So Little Time
Does your whole POS system go through a bunch of different companies? Maybe there is one company that does your table reservations, and another that does your online ordering. Does one vendor do your POS software, while another one does your merchant processing? All these different companies and systems don’t talk to each other, so you have to re-enter info from one to another. When issues arise, you are then stuck in the middle with each company, pointing a finger at someone else while you try to figure out who is at fault. If you have to work with four or five different systems that don’t talk to each other just to get through one day of business, then it is time to shop around. There are better POS systems out there which have seamless integrations to a number of useful companies and services.
While each business is different, there is never a tried-and-true method of knowing exactly the best time to switch POS systems. Looking for these five signs and going with your gut instincts will point you to a good time to switch POS systems. If you want to work with a POS dealer that has a number of options, Total Merchant Supply is here to help you find a POS solution to fit your business’s individual needs. Contact us today to see how we can help you.