Let’s assume that you have started a new business. You’ve done your research, hired hardworking staff, and managed to come up with the most outstandingly modern decoration out there. So far, so good!
Everything is sleek and modern, but there is that one machine that’s standing right in everyone’s face near the entrance door, making a clear statement with its outdated, bulky figure. Let’s call that machine, Paul.
Paul is a Point of Sale system that looks like it came from the Roaring Twenties. He is about to show every customer at your store how payment was processed during the Roaring Twenties- oh, so roaringly slow! Although history lovers might appreciate Paul, your business is likely to find him quite obnoxious.
Obviously, there are many more modern versions of Paul that prove really handy. However, one should think twice before purchasing a traditional POS system, especially if the targeted business is not extensively large or requires heavy loads of data processing.
The market offers endless options of POS systems, and one of our top-picks is definitely the iPad. If you’re excited to learn how the iPad can be your ideal POS candidate, keep on reading!
What is an iPad POS?
An iPad POS is a payment-processing device that, just like other POS systems, processes the systematic transaction that takes place between a customer and a merchant while purchasing a service or a product. Every POS system is a combination of a POS hardware and a POS software.
A typical POS machine can usually be broken down into a fixed touch screen, a receipt printer, a barcodes scanner, and a cash drawer. The iPad, on the other hand, is dfferent in various ways: the tablet is the hardware, and the operating apps are the software.
iPad POS is desrcibed as a cloud-POS system. It is portable and mobile, just like a cloud! The main difference between a traditional POS system and a cloud POS system is that the former is fixed on a counter and you need to join it when needed, while the latter is portable, so, it is the one to join you wherever you go.
iPad POS systems are some of the most modern and popular devices used for business management- and for good reasons! It is an app-based and wireless solution that allows for a cordless, on the go business conduction.
What are the advantages of iPad POS?
In terms of size, comparing a traditional POS machine to an iPad is seemingly an absurd attempt. However, looks can be tricky! The little guy can do more than you think, and may even outperform its traditional proponent in several aspects! The following are te major advantages of the iPad POS system:
Practicality:
- A portable POS system: many managers like to conduct their business on the go. The iPad’s portability is one of the main reasons behind its popularity. As mentioned earlier, a traditonal POS machine is a combination of multiple physical components, and each component has an independent function. The iPad’s portability will save you a lot of fuss. All you have to do is pack your tablet, your little credit card reader, and barcode scanner in your bag and you’re set to go!
You can now take the entire payments structure with you whenever you go.
- Easy to use: It is important to think about how your staff would adapt to your POS system. True, a reliable POS machine is your best employee, but it can ruin your business if the other employees reject it for whatever reason. One of the main reasons why overly complex on-premise POS machines could give your staff a hard time is their high learning curve. Your staff is certainly skilled, but not all of them can adapt to a complicated user interface, so don’t ignore this factor. Luckily, the iPad is here to save your staff and business! Your staff would be glad to use a touchscreen hardware that they’re already familiar with, which means two things: first, errors would be reduced and payment transcations would be made faster. Second, the only training your staff would need is on software use.
Budget-friendly:
If you are willing to get a traditional POS system, then you should expect to pay anything between $8,000 and a whopping $20,000. Traditional POS machines are nowhere as modern and effective as tablet POS devices, which means that you would pay big money for minimal features. Not a wise move, isn’t it? If you want to treat your wallet better, grab an $800- $1,200 iPad (along with its associated hardware), and get your money’s worth, and more! You would still pay a monthly fee which usually starts at $70 (by the way, we recommend Revel Systems!), but that’s still inexpensive compared to what you would pay for a traditional POS machine.
Cloud-Based:
Could-based POS systems offer considerable modern advantages:
- Enjoy regular and free software updates: It is vital to always have the latest version of your POS software. More importantly, the updates are easy to download. Remember POS Paul from the Roaring Twenties? Paul is too old to make its own updates, which means that Paul’s manager has to hire a specialist to get the job done. Unlike Paul, or any other traditional POS machine, your iPad does not need a helping hand.
- Easy Access: the Cloud allows you to keep track of your business from any device with an internet connection.
- Security: The Cloud will make sure to protect your business’ and customers’ data and maintain a strong technical security thanks to its advanced technology.
Optimized Customer Experience:
Great value resides within great customer experience. Your customers are the ones to help you grow a reputable business, but that’s conditioned with how satisfied they are with your services.
- Use your iPad POS as a catalog: You’ve entered a retail shop and you want to try on a red dress. So, instead of walking through all the dresses at the store, the seller would simply show you the entire selection on their tablet, and you will decide what to pick accordingly. Manageable, isn’t? Don’t you agree that it’s a better method than walking around the entire store and trying to serve more than one person? If you use your iPad, both you and your customers will have a great shopping experience!
- Fast Checkout: there is nothing that feels more modern than a waiter handing you their iPad to explain different offers or to receive payment. And even if you have to stand by the counter to make a payment, the whole checkout experience will be easy and quick. Since the store is equipped with the latest hardware and software systems, your customer won’t have to wait in line. Also, that makes tipping a lot easier, too. Hurray!
- Digital Receipts: Most customers do not enjoy physical receipts anymore because those bits of paper go straight to the trash bin in less than 15 minutes. Paper receipts are wasteful, so, we recommend opting for electronic receipts, which are also environmentally friendly: the email! Emailed receipts provide a neat and convenient way to keep their data organized.
A good-looking POS:
This is certainly a subjective statement to make, but we think that the modern, clean look of the iPad gives a sense of security to your staff as well as your customers. How so?
Your staff is likely to enjoy their job more because they can use the latest technology at work. It’s really a luxurious experience because providing your staff with comfortable devices says a lot about how you treat them. Your employees won’t stress over the POS system because they are familiar with it. They will also look classy and professional in the eyes of the customers –because seeing an angry cashier struggling with a clumsy cash register is the last thing a customer wants to experience.
As for the customers, they will certainly feel that the business owner cares about details and modern technology. They can trust you with their data and will certainly enjoy being at a place where everything looks modern and sleek. Sorry, Paul. You’re a thing of the past.
How to Make the Right Choice?
Now, let’s talk practice. How can you tell you’re making the right choice?
Is it really a traditional POS system that your business needs?
Think twice before sacrificing your wallet for a bulky, grotesque-looking POS machine. Remember, technology has come so far as to offer you a wider range of options. The iPad is a highly popular POS device for many retailers, and rightly so! Its low price, flexibility, and performativity are enough to put the traditional POS counterpart to rest.
Opting for an iPad POS? Grab a good one!
Start clean. It is highly advisable to purchase a brand new iPad POS system. We understand that being smart with money is a wise move, but not to the point of putting your entire payment infrastructure at risk. Buying a second-hand iPad POS is a no-go! Business can be unpredictable as it is, so don’t double the risk by purchasing a second-hand hardware with high chances of being defective.
Make sure that you have a good internet connection:
No matter the setting, the timing, or the urgency. A slow network speed is always as irritating as ever. One could tolerate a slow internet connection at home while scrolling through social media, but business cannot. We highly recommend providing your retail with the fastest and most reliable internet connection so that everything goes as planned. In case your internet fails you for whatever reason, make sure to always have a plan B for offline services.
Make sure to train your staff on the software even if they are familiar with the hardware:
Trial and error is an inevitable process. You need to make sure that all your employees get as familiar with the POS software as possible in order to avoid all types of surprises and be able to manage them if they appear.
Final tips
Traditional POS systems are no longer as practical as they need to be. They’re bulky, limiting, and possess a very complicated user interface. You need to run your business as comfortably as possible, and one the best user-friendly POS devices on the market in the iPad.
The iPad POS is easy to manage for both Retail and Restaurants, has excellent portability features, is budget-friendly, and guarantees outstanding customer services such as fast checkout and Emailed receipts.
