If you're a veteran retailer, you know the problem: Your inventory doesn't match your tallies. Sales are going unrecorded. Your staff is spending far too much time chasing mistakes instead of tending to customers.
Something is seriously wrong, and you're just not sure what the problem is.
These and other snafus suggest that it's time that your business did away with its cash registers and stepped up to a point-of-sale (POS) system, such as Microsoft Dynamics Retail Management System and Microsoft Dynamics Point of Sale (POS) . A POS system is a computer software and hardware network that records sales as they're occurring; it solves a variety of operational and record-keeping headaches.
If you need more proof, here are seven signs that your business could boom with a point-of-sale system.
1. Your "sudden shrink" no longer goes undetected. POS systems such as Retail Management System are designed to immediately record any and all sales. Not only does that mean timely and accurate sales tracking, but a POS system also lets you readily identify inventory levels, particularly when what you have on the books doesn't jibe with actual stock. "You see it with the onset of sudden shrink—when you realize that inventory is missing or your numbers just never seem to match up," says John Rarrick of RBS Inc., a Nyack, N.Y., consulting concern specializing in startups and small businesses. "Almost every modern POS has a receiving and inventory module that, when used properly, can help pinpoint the cause of the shrink."
2. Markdown management is much easier. A common land mine for many small to medium-sized businesses is price reduction—knowing which items have been marked down and recording those discounts accordingly. Rather than wrestling with cash-register receipts at day's end, a POS automates the process of introducing markdowns and, in turn, tracking them accurately. "The trends in POS are not just inventory accuracy but the use of pricing models to allow for markdown management," says Gary Ruffing, senior director of retail services for BBK Ltd., a business advisory firm in Southfield, Mich.
3. Promotions can be tracked more successfully. A similar dynamic holds true with promotions. Whether through coupons, special discounts or other vehicles, promotions can be central to attracting and retaining business. Trouble is, managing and reconciling short-term specials—not to mention pinpointing their impact—can be nigh impossible without the automation and immediacy of a point-of-sale system. "Many small retailers invest in things such as direct home marketing," Rarrick says. "At the end of the promotion, those with manual cash registers are hard pressed to tell you how successful the promotion was. The POS store can pretty much tell you to the penny how they did."
4. You can maintain control in absentia. You may be surprised to discover that you actually run two businesses: one when you're there and its evil twin when you don't happen to be around. Many operations suffer in employee efficiency and customer service when the boss is away. Automating a host of functions via a POS can help boost those areas, no matter where the head honcho happens to be."You simply can't be there all the time," says Jim Melvin, chief executive officer of Siva Corp., a Delray Beach, Fla., company which provides point-of-sale systems to restaurants. "A POS lets you have that important level of control when you're not there."
5. Your prices are consistent from one location to the next. Nothing can prove more embarrassing than having a customer question why one item has one price at one store, yet a different price at another. If your business operates at more than one location, a point-of-sale system ensures pricing consistency.Even better, a POS system automates overall inventory control, helping to keep stocks in proper balance depending on demand and other factors, which can vary from one location to the next. "It really lends itself to a better overall customer experience—the sorts of things a customer expects when he walks through the front door," says Melvin.
6. You get many tools in a single package. Buying business equipment piecemeal can be pricey. If you find your checkbook wearing thin from the expense of software and other gear, a comprehensive point-of-sale system may include them in a single package. "Most POS systems have add-on modules like payroll time clocks and customer preference databases," says Rarrick. "That removes the need for small businesses to invest in separate systems for those purposes."
7. You can make better use of your personnel. Little is more maddening to a business owner than watching his or her staff bogged down with inefficient, unproductive responsibilities, from double-checking inventory disparities to seemingly endless cash-register reconciliation. Perhaps the greatest advantage to a comprehensive point-of-sale network is the freedom it can afford your personnel to devote their energy to what genuinely matters the most: helping customers."A good POS allows you to allocate your human resources to the customer service area of the business," Ruffing says. "That means they no longer have to be counting, calculating, ordering, and checking cash-register accuracy."
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Senin, 25 Juni 2012
How are point-of-sale systems going mobile?
Today, technology can zip your restaurant order to the kitchen in an instant, allow you pay your taxi fare by credit card, and let you scan your groceries as you place them in your cart. Welcome to the world of mobile point-of-sale systems. Wireless connections are in the process of altering the way we shop. And the trend continues to grow.
Point of sale (POS) is business lingo for the spot where a retail transaction takes place -- where money changes hands. Though today many people pay for things with credit or debit cards, most payments used to be made by cash or check, and merchants stored the money in a cash drawer or box. Then along came the cash register. Invented in the 1870s, it was a mechanical way to keep track of revenues and was the first POS system [source: RetailSystems.com].
Not much changed until the 1970s when the next POS innovation -- the barcode -- became available. Beginning in 1974, Universal Product Codes began to appear on items. Merchants were able to use scanners to read these codes and process sales more quickly and accurately [source: National Barcode]. In the past 20 years, retailers have added a few more gadgets to speed checkout lines, including card swipe devices for accepting credit and debit cards, as well as signature pads and personal identification number (PIN) pads.
During the 1990s, wireless computer networks -- which send radio waves through the air to transmit data -- became available, allowing POS systems to go mobile. Restaurants were among the first to adopt this new technology. They accelerated the payment process by letting staff process credit cards at customers' tables. Other businesses followed suit. Car rental companies, for example, added mobile POS to allow curb-side handling of car returns. Hotels sent servers poolside to take guests' drink orders on mobile devices.
Some retailers are now replacing centralized checkouts and letting clerks use portable computers to complete transactions. Many Apple stores, for example, which sell Apple computers and other hard- and software, have gotten rid of cash registers. Representatives answer customers' questions, check stock and finalize sales with hand-held devices [source: First Data].
Mobile POS can be especially useful in the field. For example, the Hampton Jitney bus service, which carries New Yorkers to Long Island beach communities, uses an onboard system that allows attendants to check reservations, take payments and print out receipts [source: Zebra.com]. Today, there are also systems that allow small-scale merchants like flea market vendors and bake sale operators to accept credit cards and process transactions using an ordinary mobile phone [source: Extended Retail Solutions].
Though some have concerns about the security of wireless transactions, both consumers and merchants may benefit from the availability of mobile POS. Retailers and service companies can make employees more productive and lower labor costs. A restaurant server, for example, can save considerable legwork with fewer trips to the kitchen or cash register. Also, accuracy is increased by eliminating written orders. Customers may receive speedier service and error-free, detailed receipts on the spot.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Point of sale (POS) is business lingo for the spot where a retail transaction takes place -- where money changes hands. Though today many people pay for things with credit or debit cards, most payments used to be made by cash or check, and merchants stored the money in a cash drawer or box. Then along came the cash register. Invented in the 1870s, it was a mechanical way to keep track of revenues and was the first POS system [source: RetailSystems.com].
Not much changed until the 1970s when the next POS innovation -- the barcode -- became available. Beginning in 1974, Universal Product Codes began to appear on items. Merchants were able to use scanners to read these codes and process sales more quickly and accurately [source: National Barcode]. In the past 20 years, retailers have added a few more gadgets to speed checkout lines, including card swipe devices for accepting credit and debit cards, as well as signature pads and personal identification number (PIN) pads.
During the 1990s, wireless computer networks -- which send radio waves through the air to transmit data -- became available, allowing POS systems to go mobile. Restaurants were among the first to adopt this new technology. They accelerated the payment process by letting staff process credit cards at customers' tables. Other businesses followed suit. Car rental companies, for example, added mobile POS to allow curb-side handling of car returns. Hotels sent servers poolside to take guests' drink orders on mobile devices.
Some retailers are now replacing centralized checkouts and letting clerks use portable computers to complete transactions. Many Apple stores, for example, which sell Apple computers and other hard- and software, have gotten rid of cash registers. Representatives answer customers' questions, check stock and finalize sales with hand-held devices [source: First Data].
Mobile POS can be especially useful in the field. For example, the Hampton Jitney bus service, which carries New Yorkers to Long Island beach communities, uses an onboard system that allows attendants to check reservations, take payments and print out receipts [source: Zebra.com]. Today, there are also systems that allow small-scale merchants like flea market vendors and bake sale operators to accept credit cards and process transactions using an ordinary mobile phone [source: Extended Retail Solutions].
Though some have concerns about the security of wireless transactions, both consumers and merchants may benefit from the availability of mobile POS. Retailers and service companies can make employees more productive and lower labor costs. A restaurant server, for example, can save considerable legwork with fewer trips to the kitchen or cash register. Also, accuracy is increased by eliminating written orders. Customers may receive speedier service and error-free, detailed receipts on the spot.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
ShopAssist Point of Sale System
ShopAssist is a Windows-based point of sale system suitable for most types of retail business. Transaction types: Cash, C.O.D., account, hire, appro, lay by, quotation, credit note, refund, exchange. Modules: Point of sale, cashup, stock control, stock receiving, stocktake, banking, cash book, petty cash, spreadsheet, creditor payments, purchase orders, repairs, trip sheet, staff register, item and shelf labels (with barcodes), loyal customer card, promotions, gift vouchers. Features: item lookup by item description, item code, barcode, keyword or point and click interface (touchscreen). Promotions: free items, department discounts, timed specials, bulk discounts, purchase with purchase. Information: sales histories by various categories, stock on hand by various categories. Over three hundred reports and charts. Multi-store support.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
What is Point of Sale (POS)?
And Why it is Essential for a Retail Business
POS or PoS is an abbreviation for Point of Sale (or Point-of-Sale, or Point of Service). The term is applicable to a retail shop or store, the checkout/cashier counter in the store, or a location where such transactions can occur in this type of environment. It can also apply to the actual Point of Sale (POS) Hardware & Software including but not limited to : electronic cash register systems, touch-screen display, barcode scanners, receipt printers, scales and pole displays. Point of Sale Systems are utilized in many different industries, ranging from restaurants, hotels & hospitality businesses, nail/beauty salons, casinos, stadiums, and let's not forget - the retail environments. In the most basic sense, if something can be exchanged for monetary value - a Point of Sale System can be used.
Point of Sale (POS) Technology
The term Point of Sale is often used in connection or relative with the hardware and software for checkouts. In the case of some locations, with wireless capable systems or network wired via TCP/IP.
Point of Sale Systems made huge advancements from the mechanical cash registers of the first half of the 20th century. An example of such type of registers were the NCR models, operated by a crank, and the lever-operated Burroughs registers. These registers recorded data on paper tapes or journal tapes and required extra steps to transcribe the information into the retailer's accounting platform. The obvious next step in evolution of the POS was to convert the mechanical workings into electrical. An example of such type of register was the NCR Class 5 model. In 1973, new registers that were operated by computers were introduced, such as the IBM 3653 Store System and the NCR 2150. The other computer-based manufacturers were Rigitel, TRW, and Datachecked. That same year brought about the introduction of the UPC/EAN barcode readers that integrated with Point of Sale Systems. And in 1986, the Point of Sale Systems became based on PC (Personal Computer) technology with the introduction of the IBM 4683.
During most of late 1980s and throughout the 90s, stand alone credit card devices were developed and introduced so that credit card processing could be more easily and securely integrated. Some popular examples include the VeriFone Tranz 330, Hypercom T7 Plus, or Lipman Nurit 2085. These relatively simple devices (compared to technologies today) have evolved in recent years to provide processing of multiple applications (credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, EBT cards) and also provide age verification & employee time clock. All processes can now reside on a single device. Certain wireless Point of Sale systems not only allow for mobile payment processing but in the case of restaurants, they also allow servers processing of the entire order at the tables.
Currently, retail POS Systems were among the most sophisticated, powerful and user friendly computer networks in commercial usage. In fact, most Point of Sale Systems do much more than just "Point of Sale" tasks.Even for the smaller tier 4 & 5 retailers, there are Point of Sale Solutions available that include fully integrated accounting, inventory tracking & management, open-to-buy forecasting, customer relation management (CRM), service management, rental services, operation reporting and payroll modules.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
POS or PoS is an abbreviation for Point of Sale (or Point-of-Sale, or Point of Service). The term is applicable to a retail shop or store, the checkout/cashier counter in the store, or a location where such transactions can occur in this type of environment. It can also apply to the actual Point of Sale (POS) Hardware & Software including but not limited to : electronic cash register systems, touch-screen display, barcode scanners, receipt printers, scales and pole displays. Point of Sale Systems are utilized in many different industries, ranging from restaurants, hotels & hospitality businesses, nail/beauty salons, casinos, stadiums, and let's not forget - the retail environments. In the most basic sense, if something can be exchanged for monetary value - a Point of Sale System can be used.
Point of Sale (POS) Technology
The term Point of Sale is often used in connection or relative with the hardware and software for checkouts. In the case of some locations, with wireless capable systems or network wired via TCP/IP.
Point of Sale Systems made huge advancements from the mechanical cash registers of the first half of the 20th century. An example of such type of registers were the NCR models, operated by a crank, and the lever-operated Burroughs registers. These registers recorded data on paper tapes or journal tapes and required extra steps to transcribe the information into the retailer's accounting platform. The obvious next step in evolution of the POS was to convert the mechanical workings into electrical. An example of such type of register was the NCR Class 5 model. In 1973, new registers that were operated by computers were introduced, such as the IBM 3653 Store System and the NCR 2150. The other computer-based manufacturers were Rigitel, TRW, and Datachecked. That same year brought about the introduction of the UPC/EAN barcode readers that integrated with Point of Sale Systems. And in 1986, the Point of Sale Systems became based on PC (Personal Computer) technology with the introduction of the IBM 4683.
During most of late 1980s and throughout the 90s, stand alone credit card devices were developed and introduced so that credit card processing could be more easily and securely integrated. Some popular examples include the VeriFone Tranz 330, Hypercom T7 Plus, or Lipman Nurit 2085. These relatively simple devices (compared to technologies today) have evolved in recent years to provide processing of multiple applications (credit cards, debit cards, gift cards, EBT cards) and also provide age verification & employee time clock. All processes can now reside on a single device. Certain wireless Point of Sale systems not only allow for mobile payment processing but in the case of restaurants, they also allow servers processing of the entire order at the tables.
Currently, retail POS Systems were among the most sophisticated, powerful and user friendly computer networks in commercial usage. In fact, most Point of Sale Systems do much more than just "Point of Sale" tasks.Even for the smaller tier 4 & 5 retailers, there are Point of Sale Solutions available that include fully integrated accounting, inventory tracking & management, open-to-buy forecasting, customer relation management (CRM), service management, rental services, operation reporting and payroll modules.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
POS Point of Sale Software
Fedelta Point of Sale provides businesses with complete and integrated solutions that streamline front and back office operations, whilst maximizing profitability and efficiency.
Fedelta is the most comprehensive, flexible and user friendly Point of Sale system available on the market today. With extensive POS software solution options Fedelta Point of Sale suits a broad range of businesses including bars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, resorts, casinos, stadiums, quick service restaurants and franchises of all sizes. These can all be managed from one tailored solution.
Fedelta Point of Sale is the most reliable and robust touch screen solution available, combined with Fedelta's comprehensive support packages and superior technology this ensures that your business is operational at all times.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Fedelta is the most comprehensive, flexible and user friendly Point of Sale system available on the market today. With extensive POS software solution options Fedelta Point of Sale suits a broad range of businesses including bars, restaurants, cafes, hotels, resorts, casinos, stadiums, quick service restaurants and franchises of all sizes. These can all be managed from one tailored solution.
Fedelta Point of Sale is the most reliable and robust touch screen solution available, combined with Fedelta's comprehensive support packages and superior technology this ensures that your business is operational at all times.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
POS Software & Systems Experts
Sorento Systems delivers easy to use point of sale software solutions that streamline your business processes, have a low cost of ownership, and are backed up with a local support desk. Based in Melbourne, we pride ourselves on providing both exceptional quality in point of sale software and systems and exceptional ongoing service to customers in Melbourne and Australia wide.
We are expert builders of Point of Sale software and solutions and integrated cash registers for the Hospitality, Retail and Leisure industries. Our mission is to deliver POS software and systems that meet your specific needs, and to use our many years of point of sale experience to determine the most efficient way to meet your objectives.
In our experience, the key to successful and efficient point of sale systems and cash registers is to ensure the benefits exceed the total cost of ownership, and as such this is the goal of all our POS software solutions. Our emphasis on meeting your needs means we choose the best point of sale software for the job – so whether you are looking for retail POS, restaurant POS, hospitality POS, or any POS system for that matter, we know from experience that one size does not fit all.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
We are expert builders of Point of Sale software and solutions and integrated cash registers for the Hospitality, Retail and Leisure industries. Our mission is to deliver POS software and systems that meet your specific needs, and to use our many years of point of sale experience to determine the most efficient way to meet your objectives.
In our experience, the key to successful and efficient point of sale systems and cash registers is to ensure the benefits exceed the total cost of ownership, and as such this is the goal of all our POS software solutions. Our emphasis on meeting your needs means we choose the best point of sale software for the job – so whether you are looking for retail POS, restaurant POS, hospitality POS, or any POS system for that matter, we know from experience that one size does not fit all.
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Point-Of-Sale (POS) System
Point of sale (POS) systems are electronic systems that provide businesses with the capability to retain and analyze a wide variety of inventory and transaction data on a continuous basis. POS systems have been touted as valuable tools for a wide variety of business purposes, including refining target marketing strategies; tracking supplier purchases; determining customer purchasing patterns; analyzing sales (on a daily, monthly, or annual basis) of each inventory item, department, or supplier; and creating reports for use in making purchases, reorders, etc. Basic point of sale systems currently in use include standalone electronic cash registers, also known as ECRs; ECR-based network systems; and controller-based systems. All function essentially as sales and cash management tools, but each has features that are unique.
Standalone ECRs. These electronic registers operate independently of one another, and are thus the most limited of the three POS system types. They cannot provide their owners with storewide reporting or file sharing; they can merely report the business activity at that particular register. Given its limitations, ECRs are usually used by small independent retailers that feature a limited number of register sites. Indeed, these systems are often well suited for small businesses because they are the least expensive of the POS system options, they nonetheless provide many helpful features, including automatic sales and tax calculation ability; calculation of change owed to the customer; sales report generation capability; capacity to sort food stamps and trading stamps (through programming of function keys); and scanning.
Network Systems. Network or ECR-based point-of-sale systems feature multiple terminals arranged into a primary/secondary configuration. One ECR in the store, equipped with extra memory capacity, serves as the primary terminal and receives data from the secondary terminals. These systems give businesses the added capacity to manage storewide data and transmit data to mainframe systems.
Controller-Based POS Systems. The top POS systems are controller-based systems in which each terminal is connected to a computer—the "controller" of the system—which receives and stores all sales, merchandise, and credit data. "The controller checks all data from the terminals for transmission errors and reformats the data for use by the headquarters computer," explained Chain Store Age Executive. "It may also perform sales analysis and price look-up. By having a dual-controller arrangement in which the computers back each other up, the chance for a total system failure can be reduced. Because of the importance of accurate data capture in sophisticated point-of-sale systems, retailers are increasingly turning to scanning as an alternative to error-prone keypunch entry." Indeed, scanning became a ubiquitous feature in many of the nation's most modestly-sized retail outlets during the 1990s.
Point of sale systems, like many other computer based innovations, continue to change and develop at a rapid pace. In addition, the demand for POS systems has spawned many new manufacturers, each of which offer a dizzying array of standard and optional POS features to their customers. For example, some electronic POS systems now cover hand-held scanning devices, customer promotions, credit-card confirmations, counterfeit money checks, and staff scheduling. Given the expense involved and the proliferating number of POS software packages, small business owners should make sure that they adequately research both their current and future needs before making a purchase, so that they are able to acquire a customized POS system that best fills their current operating requirements and can accommodate future changes in the business. "Consider value—don't make your decision on price alone," counseled National Petroleum News. "Look for a high level of connectivity and compatibility with a multitude of peripherals. Demand customization capabilities. Don't accept a system that's almost what you want when today's technology makes it possible to customize one to exactly what you need."
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
Standalone ECRs. These electronic registers operate independently of one another, and are thus the most limited of the three POS system types. They cannot provide their owners with storewide reporting or file sharing; they can merely report the business activity at that particular register. Given its limitations, ECRs are usually used by small independent retailers that feature a limited number of register sites. Indeed, these systems are often well suited for small businesses because they are the least expensive of the POS system options, they nonetheless provide many helpful features, including automatic sales and tax calculation ability; calculation of change owed to the customer; sales report generation capability; capacity to sort food stamps and trading stamps (through programming of function keys); and scanning.
Network Systems. Network or ECR-based point-of-sale systems feature multiple terminals arranged into a primary/secondary configuration. One ECR in the store, equipped with extra memory capacity, serves as the primary terminal and receives data from the secondary terminals. These systems give businesses the added capacity to manage storewide data and transmit data to mainframe systems.
Controller-Based POS Systems. The top POS systems are controller-based systems in which each terminal is connected to a computer—the "controller" of the system—which receives and stores all sales, merchandise, and credit data. "The controller checks all data from the terminals for transmission errors and reformats the data for use by the headquarters computer," explained Chain Store Age Executive. "It may also perform sales analysis and price look-up. By having a dual-controller arrangement in which the computers back each other up, the chance for a total system failure can be reduced. Because of the importance of accurate data capture in sophisticated point-of-sale systems, retailers are increasingly turning to scanning as an alternative to error-prone keypunch entry." Indeed, scanning became a ubiquitous feature in many of the nation's most modestly-sized retail outlets during the 1990s.
Point of sale systems, like many other computer based innovations, continue to change and develop at a rapid pace. In addition, the demand for POS systems has spawned many new manufacturers, each of which offer a dizzying array of standard and optional POS features to their customers. For example, some electronic POS systems now cover hand-held scanning devices, customer promotions, credit-card confirmations, counterfeit money checks, and staff scheduling. Given the expense involved and the proliferating number of POS software packages, small business owners should make sure that they adequately research both their current and future needs before making a purchase, so that they are able to acquire a customized POS system that best fills their current operating requirements and can accommodate future changes in the business. "Consider value—don't make your decision on price alone," counseled National Petroleum News. "Look for a high level of connectivity and compatibility with a multitude of peripherals. Demand customization capabilities. Don't accept a system that's almost what you want when today's technology makes it possible to customize one to exactly what you need."
Source: http://id.berita.yahoo.com/teknologi/
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