iPad Point Of Sale Systems, Are They The Future?

The rate of Point-of-Sale technology has upgraded over the last 100 years is staggering. We’ve seen traditional cash registers, which dominated merchants way of taking payments with clunky and noisy presence, to the clunky but efficient computer based models.

They’ve all changed to a newer, sleeker models, as the iPad begins to dominate the market as they new wave of POS systems.

 

Why are they so popular?

iPad’s have been popular for their sleek look, among small and large merchants. They tend to take up less space, and are usually cheaper than their clunky $20,000 siblings.

In truth, most of our sales are for sleek Pay Anywhere models, and Revel has become a popular POS amongst our customers.

It marks the desire for sleek technology, in the same way flat screen tvs have replaced their boxy counterparts.

 

Are they as good as traditional POS?

In many ways, yes.

Many iPad’s can run multiple POS apps, and tablet devices tend to run higher volume transactions over phone, which work for small volume merchants.

iPad’s also have come a long way in the types of jobs they can do. Recently, Revel, introduced an iPad to the world that is a POS system, rather than just an iPad with POS apps. It also became the first product on the market to have the ability to run off an ethernet cord.

One of the biggest complaints of iPad POS was their inability to run off of an ethernet cord, and instead had to run off of wifi.

Wifi is often finicky, and will more oft than not wave in and out. While you can still run transactions offline, you do not have a way to see if a card was declined or not. Putting yourself as financial risk.

Having an ability to run off the ethernet as well prevents the risk of having to run transactions offline.

 

Will everyone use an iPad Point-of-Sale system?

Sadly not.

While iPads are becoming a great fit, for some merchants and iPad will not be able to process the work a traditional POS would.

Grocery stores, for example, would not be the best for an iPad POS systems. They often require a studier POS with a table for weighing that’s part of their system.

Liquor stores also, are not the best fit for an iPad. These large volume transactions are best suited for a classic computer POS system.

 

Does that mean you can’t use them?

No. You could use an iPad POS and it will work.

It just won’t work excellently.

There’s much better POS systems that would excel in a grocery or liquor store, like StoreTender.

As the iPad POS movement continues to grow over the years, new technology may one day see all Point-of-Sale systems adapt a tablet style.

 

Want to see what POS system is best for your business?

If you’d like to learn more about what technologies steps to take with your own business, or would like a free demo, contact us here.

How EMV Will Affect Your Small Business' Point-of-Sale System

EMV has been making waves, causing merchants with credit card terminals to lose sleep over the new wave of technology.

However, in the rush to talk about credit card terminals, we seem to have forgotten about Point-of-Sales systems being affected as well.

Reading up on the topic has been, frustrating to say the least. Many of the articles have been misleading and making it sound like EMV is a law to be enforced, or merchants will take more fraud losses by not switching to EMV.

Panic & mayhem, and a great deal of misinformation have been pushed down merchants throats. Sometimes resulting into unnecessary purchases, and nonessential stress.

Credit Card processors have been heavily spreading chaos about the new the technology hardware through the woodwork, and many terminal markers have pushed production into overtime for EMV.

Should you panic?

No, why?

Because counterfeit card fraud is not that common.

From our experience, statistically, you’re more likely to see lost/stolen card fraud rather than counterfeit cards.

But what about for Point-of-Sale Systems?

Funny story about that.

Point-of-Sale systems developers haven’t finished the software to adapt the new EMV technology.

There’s been some complications.

A lot of Point-of-Sale systems aren’t syncing with their processor providers, and some POS software developers do not have the technology ready yet.

“Despite relatively slow EMV adoption in the United States, experts predict that the technology will go mainstream within a matter of years. According to a recent report by Javelin Strategy & Research, EMV credit card machines will become "ubiquitous" by 2018. The Wall Street Journal believes widespread adoption could arrive as soon as 2015.”

The article has a lot more promotion of EMV and POS systems, but it even mentions the mainstream availability of the technology won’t be “ubiquitous” until 2018.

The October 1st liability shift deadline has come and gone, and many POS providers have yet to release EMV software.

So why is the software development taking so long?

Point-of-Sale software is compatible, just not with all the processing platforms yet. Basically they are fine tuning the product rather than shoving out faulty software.

So it’s coming, it’s just not here yet.

The truth is that the chance of card present on a counterfeit card with a POS system is already a small slice of fraud.

If you’re a small to medium sized merchant, your chance of counterfeit fraud (because EMV only applies to counterfeit cards), with a POS system are minuscule.

Stop panicking

If you’re getting calls about being fined, ignore them.

Your POS provider or payment processor will be able to help with questions about upgrading to the technology.

Don’t get swept up in the sensationalism of EMV. You will want to upgrade eventually, but don’t be bullied by cold callers.

Wait for the hype to die down, and then upgrade when it becomes cheaper.

The software isn’t widely available for POS yet, so wait for your provider to contact you and say it’s ready.

Want a POS company that will walk you through the EMV changes?

If you’d like to learn more about what technologies steps to take with your own business, or would like a free demo, contact us here.

Bundling Your Point-of-Sale With A Payment Processor

We haven’t addressed much about payment processing, but it’s central to every Point-of-Sale (POS) system.

No matter if you’re in retail, service, or any other business to use a POS system, you’re going to need a processor to support your credit card payments.

When you do rent or buy a POS system, you will have to find a processing company to handle any credit card payments.

POS systems don’t just process themselves, or magically make the money appear in your account (though that would be sweet).

So should you bundle the two together?

If you can, yes!

Having a company to service both your POS system and your payment processing is a great way to simplify the two together.

Here are 3 excellent reasons to bundle your POS and payments processing.

• Communication with one company rather than multiple. Having one company to handle your processing and POS support is an invaluable resource, since you’ll be dealing with one company you trust to help grow your company. Chances of being outsourced are minimized.
• Guarantee your machines will talk to each other. If you go with a provider that covers both your POS system and credit card terminals, the machines will complement each other. Dealing with incompatible machines that will not work together will slow up your business.
• Streamlines your business to be more efficient. With the above reasons listed, streamlining your systems into one smooth process will speed up your processes, increasing your efficiency.

These make a great case for bundling your POS and processing together.

 

But there is a condition

Wait what kind of condition?

We don’t like giving one size fits all answers, because they usually are never that simple, and there tend to be exceptions.

About that condition....

 

Do you have the option to bundle them together?

Bundling these two items together is an uncommon thing, and not a huge trend for processors re-sellers of POS systems.

We at BNG Point-of-Sale offer support through our sister company BNG Holdings, but we are one of the few companies that offer such a service.

Finding other companies to do this maybe challenging, and finding a good company to do this is even more challenging.

Companies that offer everything under the sun (we’re looking at you banks) tend to spread themselves thin, and their customer experience suffers greatly.

So if you can find a company that will support both without having to outsource you to another company, bundle it up!

 

Alleviate POS and payments processing issues

If you’d like to learn more about what technologies steps to take with your own business, or would like a free demo, contact us here.

How To Prevent Your Point-of-Sale System From Ruining Your Day Part 2

As the sister blog discusses, many problems can be solved without calling your service provider, and it's a wise idea to troubleshoot all the common problems before you call support.

So, diving back into the world of malfunctioning POS systems, here are 5 more ways your point-of-sale might be failing you and how you can troubleshoot them on your own.

#1). My POS system is erroring

This could mean the printer is out of paper and just needs to be refilled. Reloading the ribbon ink cartridge is important to check before calling IT, if it’s run out replace the ink cartridge and it should work.

#2). My point-of-sale software isn’t working

Just like computer software, POS systems can error if too many programs are running. Check to see how many programs are open, and close unnecessary items.

#3). My POS keeps shutting down

We all tend to have bad habits with technology, leaving our computers on constantly is one of them. POS systems need to be restarted, and some systems come automatically programmed to restart at certain times.

There should be a feature in your program to control this and set an automatic "shut-down" option. Try resetting the number to zero, and it should prevent random shutdowns. Please do restart your system often, since it needs a chance to refresh.

We’d even suggest restarting it after closing your business for the day.

#4). My point-of-sale accuracy is off, despite being new

It's amazing how a small amount of dirt can ruin the most advanced technology. POS terminal screens need to be cleaned to run smoothly. Make sure you clean your POS terminal screen every day with the right equipment. Be sure to use recommended cleaning products on the device, not just any old rag.

#5). The power button isn’t responding at all

You may have blown a fuse, which can be common if your outlets aren't wired to handle the kind of power a POS system needs. Check the outlet to see if any other outlets work by looking for the system lights to glow.

If the outlet is in fact dead, resetting it by pushing the button on and off may solve the issue (if you're lucky). If that doesn’t work, the more complicated step of flipping the circuit breaker may be needed.

These issues will more often than not be solved through these hacks, but at the end of the day, if none of these areas working, you will have to call your point-of-sale system provider.

Learn how we can help your bar and restaurant

While other problems can arise, these are the most common that could usually be fixed without a long phone call with IT. There comes a time for every business when they need to weigh their current point-of-sale system and see if it is performing at the level it should be.

If you’re unsure whether your current system is up to the challenge or want a free consultation on if it’s time to upgrade, contact our team for a free consultation.

How To Prevent Your Point-of-Sale System From Ruining Your Day Part 1

There’s nothing like technology, it can be the greatest ally in a business owner’s fight to grow their company. But as great as it is, it can also bring about some stressful situations.

Point-of-sale systems are a prime example, they can help busy restaurant turntables at lighting speed, process complicated orders between front-of-house and kitchen, but when they don’t want to process credit cards and it’s rush hour, it can lead to some stressful situations.

While no POS system will always run flawlessly, it’s possible to try these quick tips for common errors and prevent a call to tech support. Every point-of-sale system is different, but we at BNG Point-Of-Sale present some of the most common glitches and how to fix them on your own, DIY style.

#1). My point-of-sale system isn’t printing properly

Most likely the cables are not connected properly or are malfunctioning. POS systems come with color-coded cables, so check to see if the colors are attached to their designated matching hookup.

Another common problem is loose connections. Check to see if the cables are tightly and properly fastened in their proper hookup. More often than not the cords were pulled loose from constant usage, or tripping or stepping over them. Simply checking for a tight fit will solve the issue.

No cables? If you have a bluetooth printer, you’ll need to check your wifi connection. Spotty wifi throughout your business is likely to affect your printer, so be sure to segment your wifi between customer-facing and business.

If printing problems persist, a more nefarious cause may be to blame, and you’ll have to call your point-of-sale support.

#2). My card reader has difficulty reading some credit cards

If the card scanner is damaged, you may have trouble reading the magnetic strip or chip properly, try sliding the card down and towards you first. Otherwise, you will manually have to enter the card’s data into the system.

A quick note, if you have to manually enter the card’s number it will be seen as a less secure transaction by your processing company and cost more to process. Additionally, if you’re not able to read the chip on the card, in the case of a chargeback, your business will be liable.

For keying in a few cards, it’s not a big deal, but you’ll want to replace your card reader sooner rather than later.

#3). Why do I have to keep adding pressure when I use my touchscreen?

Over time your screen will lose its sensitivity, making it difficult to register the correct input.

To easily rectify this, keep your manual nearby, and walk through the directions to calibrate the screen. This should do a trick, and your screen should be as good as new.

If the screen is having problems post recalibration and restarting the device, the screen will need to be fixed and you’ll have to contact support.

#4). My point-of-sale system is slow/ showing an error message

Most likely this is a network problem, and the first step is to check your internet server connection. Resetting the server by unplugging it will typically solve the issue.

One of the best ways to prevent issues during busy times is to plan updates and checking your network outside busy hours frequently.

#5). My POS system is running slowly/longer operating

This could also be related to your network, but sometimes it comes down to POS system updates. Depending on what package and support you have, some providers offer free updates as part of their package, while others do not. Like all computers, your POS software will need regular software updates to keep running at top efficiency.

Many times, if you are not on a support package agreement with your point-of-sale provider, your system will not be receiving regular updates. Be aware of what support and updates are included in your package upfront will save you trouble down the road.

Keeping up on system updates will help keep your POS flowing, along with your business. It’ll ensure employees can continue ringing up items, tracking inventory, and accepting payments seamlessly.

A quick tip: If you need to update your POS, do not install update not during high traffic hours.

#6). The receipt paper keeps turning black

Chances are you’re using the wrong kind of paper. Different point-of-sale printers require special paper to perform the different environments. If you are using thermal receipt paper, it will turn black when exposed to hot environments.

How can you tell if it’s thermal or impact paper? Impact requires a ribbon, where the thermal paper does not. If you don’t want to completely replace the printer, then you’ll have to move the printer to a cooler area.

Final thoughts

While other problems can arise, these are the most common that could usually be fixed without a long phone call with IT. There comes a time for every business when they need to weigh their current point-of-sale system and see if it is performing at the level it should be.

If you’re unsure whether your current system is up to the challenge or want a free consultation on if it’s time to upgrade, contact our team for a free consultation.

Top Features In A Point-of-Sale System That Caters To Your Bar or Restaurant

“I learned more from one bad restaurant that didn't work than from all the ones that were successes” Wolfgang Puck.

Even with a Point-of-Sale system; running a restaurant could be the most difficult business to keep alive. From slim margins and employee theft, to long hours, owning a restaurant is hard.
(for those who do it regularly, we salute you!)

Then there’s other problems that can occur like mistakes on food/alcohol orders, employee theft, accounting issues when tracking of food inventor the list can be endless.

Aside from the above, you also have to deal with changing menu items, keeping track of tables, and making it easy to split up tabs.

To help with this, we’re going how a POS system can help you ultimately more profitable and which features you should consider when shopping a POS system for your bar or restaurant.

A system that will not crack under pressure

As someone who's worked in fast food and as a barista, we know how busy it becomes, and how hard it is to keep track of orders.

Invest in a system that's able to handle busy times. This may mean skipping out on the cheapest model, but your servers and customers will thank you when the system doesn't crash on a Friday or Saturday night.

Easy management of menu updates and pricing changes

Ah specials, menu items that are seasonal can bring in tons of money (I'm looking at you McRib and Pumpkin Spice), but also drive employees and owners insane since they have to update menus and alter the items in your system. Look for a POS that can add menu items and alter prices with ease.

Eliminated the stress of theft through inventory management

It's unbelievably simple for employees to fleece your establishment and steal from your inventory.

This can come in the form of offering free meals without permission, or employees directly stealing food.

Now this isn't the same as giving out food that has to be thrown since it wasn't sold. That food is already been accounted for as a loss (you can give your employees someday old cookies and not go bankrupt). This is related to stealing food that has not been counted as a loss, throwing off your ordering and numbers of products in store.

Get a POS system that will help you catch employee theft with an excellent tracking system in it.

Have customer service and support

A lot of companies want to skip this feature, like waving insurances thinking it won't be necessary since technology never fails (when has that happened, name one time).

Look, even the best systems have the risk of faltering. So before the machines gain consciousness and take over the world through Skynet, you need to invest in customer support for your businesses.

It's even better if it's automatically included with your POS.

There's lots of other available features for POS systems, but these are some essentials you shouldn't skip.

For a world class POS system, look no further

If you’d like to learn more about what technologies steps to take with your own business, or would like a free demo, contact us here.

Why I need a Point-of-Sale… even in Fargo ND

Theft in the Restaurant and Bar Industry

The numbers are out! Employee theft is rampant in the restaurant and bar industry! Even though statistics show theft is a huge drag on bar and restaurant profits, people still think, "Well, not me and my staff. I hire good people. I trust my staff. We have better morals in this part of the country." Unfortunately this line of thinking is not only incorrect, at times, but can be very costly.

I have worked with restaurant owners all over the country, including small towns and big cities, and the truth is some of the worst theft, I have seen, has been in small town establishments because they do not expect it. These businesses provide too much trust and often make it hard for the employee to do the right thing, which can lead to theft that is more about being too lazy than wanting to steal from the company.

What Type of Thief is Your Employee?

In the article “Steal This Napkin. Feel No Guilt. Come Again.” by Bruce Buschel with the New York Times, Buschel sheds light on how diverse the term "theft" can be. Buschel refers to a customer that is pocketing every Sweet and Low packet in the restaurant and thinks nothing of it. He says that theft does not have to be taking all the cash out of the till and going home with it. Employees often see food wasted constantly as part of operating a restaurant. These employees may think, "If a steak is not cooked right and thrown out, then what's wrong with me just taking it home or letting a friend have it?"

An ex-police officer put it to me this way once, "5 percent of people will never steal from you, no matter what. If the world was full of those people, we wouldn’t need security at our store. Another 5 percent will steal from you no matter what you do and all you can do is fire those people when you catch them because nothing out there will stop them on their relentless path to stealing from you. The other 90 percent of the population will steal in various ways if it is easy for them to do the wrong thing and/or hard for them to do the right thing."

Here's an example. Your staff is supposed to ring up .25 cents for extra cheese, .50 cents for juice in a drink, and .75 cents for bacon. However, the employee has to remember to do this and memorize what the prices are for each item. The employee also has to know that if other staff members don’t charge your regular customers for these additions, and they accidentally do, the regular customer will get mad and, possibly, not leave a good tip. To the employee, .25 cents is not a big enough amount that they would consider it stealing. Unfortunately, as most restaurant owners can tell you, .25 cents adds up and even the most innocent error can cost the business hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per month.

Another example is when you get your tab at the bar and you realize that only a portion of your drinks have been applied to the bill. Whether the bartender intentionally didn't put the drinks on the tab or simply got too busy with other customers and forgot, you are so happy about the cheap bill that you leave a big tip. Unfortunately, the bar is still out that money and the liquor.

A final example is something many people can relate to. You are late only 5 minutes to work but don't want to get the repercussions of being late so you change your clock in time to say you came in on time. If an employee comes in 5 minutes late but clocks in the time their shift should have started, that is theft. They are stealing money from the business. Do they think they are stealing? No, but the fact of the matter is, they are and the business pays for it in the end.

There are many more examples that I could give you. Most are things your employees never consider as "stealing" or that they don't think could affect your business' bottom line. In the end, however, almost everyone does steal to some extent and it's the business' job to make it as hard as possible to do the wrong thing and as easy as possible to do the right thing. Minimizing your staff member's opportunity to steal keeps them trustworthy and your business profitable. No matter if you are in New York City or small town North Dakota, people are people and when it comes to your money you need to keep a close eye on it.

How Can a Point-of-Sale Solution Help with Theft?

So how can you make it easier for employees to do the right thing? The right Point-of-Sale solution can do wonders for your business. Point-of-Sale systems can calculate prices and taxes for you. That means if the employee enters in extra cheese, they don't have to know how much it is, let alone worry about whether another employee is charging for it or not. They simply let the system do the work. The kitchen staff knows to only make food that is sent through the printer, helping you put your mind at ease knowing that all food that is made is paid for, and paid for properly.

How about if you want to offer a discount? With a POS solution, you can be sure that they are configured properly. This means that if your happy hour ends at 8pm, then your Point-of-Sale system will automatically end the discount at 8pm. This makes the waitress' job easier and makes sure employees are not giving away discounts when they shouldn't be.

Let's say a coupon can only be used on Tuesdays. Your Point-of-Sale system can make sure that the specific coupon is only applied on Tuesdays.

What about those chronically, 5 minute late employees? If an employee clocks in 5 minutes late, the POS system makes sure they are clocked in when they actually started working.

Business owners that put a Point-of-Sale system in a bar or restaurant that did not originally have one before see about a 3 percent, or more, increase in their gross sales. This means hundreds, or possibly, thousands of dollars are collected, one .25 cent extra cheese at a time. Business owners cannot be everywhere and see everything all the time, but a Point-of-Sale system never sleeps, never takes a day off, and will be your most honest employee.

Contact BNG Point-of-Sale Today for your POS Solution!

If you are looking to get a Point-of-Sale solution to help with theft in your business or you simply want to prevent it from happening in a new business, Contact BNG Point-of-Sale Today and let us find the solution that best fits your business and your staff!

If you are more of a DIY’er, you can also check out our POS Doctor. After completing a series of questions you will be directed to a page with the best options for your business and staff. We can help you implement this solution and get your business as profitable as possible!