Cleaning Your Point-of-Sale System 101

Point-of-Sale systems are quite the investment. While they are becoming cheaper and cheaper, the larger computer based models are pricy, making it in your best interest to keep in top condition as long as possible.

Regular cleaning is a vital aspect in keeping it running smoothly.

If you’ve read our previous blogs on common POS problems, you’ll notice keeping your machine dirt free will prevent it from malfunctioning.

Why should I clean it?

While POS computers over iPads are more durable, they all should be cleaned regularly to perform at their best.

Screens can easily lose sensitivity over time, and the monitors can easy have dirt and dust sneak into the crevices.
• Prolongs screen sensitivity
• Keeps computer running
• Prevents oils from ruining the screen
• Makes overall business look better
One of the keys to succeed with your POS is how well you’ll take care of it. Although they are sophisticated devices, they need care.

How often should you clean it?

At least once every day.

We’re not germaphobes (okay some of us are), but swiping your machine down every day will keep it dirt free.

Why do it this often?

It’s amazing how quickly dust can begin to form, and dirt will come in unexpected days, even if you’re not in a high mess business like bars or restaurant. Dirt blows in from doors opening, comes in on peoples shoes.

Alright we’re sounding a bit neurotic.

POS systems can be unbelievable tough, Restaurant Manager can take a beating, having soda or water splashed on them, but just because they can stand up to it, doesn’t mean you should abuse it.

Dirt and dust can easily creep into your system, causing it to act up. It’ll mess up the accuracy, making the sensitivity less and making the touch screen touchy.

So how do you clean it?

• First, make sure you find a POS friendly cleaner. You could use ammonia-free glass cleaner or CRT which is specifically made for touch screens. If you’re looking for some special cleaner made with POS’s in mind, here’s some to check out.
• Second, try wiping the screen done with a dry cloth first, it’ll remove the first layer of dry dirt. To remove sticky substances, spray your cleaner into a freshly cleaned cloth (don’t spray it directly onto the screen). Don’t get the cloth to wet, this will damage the screen.
• Third, wipe the screen down and the printer inside and out.
• Fourth, let the POS dry off before touching it again.

Sometimes, you may just need to wipe down with a dry cloth instead of using a cleaner. Also make sure the POS is turned off, or at least in a mode where the buttons will not be activated when cleaning the screen.

It’s not very glamorous

Cleaning your POS is probably not high on your day-to-day to do list, but it’s something necessary to lengthen the life of your system.

Want to talk with POS care experts?

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.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting a Point-of-Sale System: Restaurant Edition [part 1]

If you’ve read our previous blog about the blessings of a Point-of-Sale systems, you may have decided to get one.

Congratulations!

To help you on your journey, here’s some advice of what you should expect for basic hardware with your Point-of-Sale system.

You may be thinking “Now I can just build one myself!”

Slow down MacGyver.

You may think you’ll be able to use that sweet old Dell to construct it, DIY style (all you need is duct tape and superglue!), but from all our years of handling POS, we’ve never seen one actually work. Usually they will die, or be ungodly slow. This one product you should leave up to the experts.

Bundle or buy separately?

First off, try and go for an all in one POS rather than getting all the pieces separately online from different vendors. It may seem cheaper, but the costs will add up quickly, and there’s no guarantee they will work together.

Touch Screen/Computer

These will be a blessing and the most efficient for a bar or restaurant. Touch Screens on Point-of-Sale systems made for restaurant will sometimes have the bonus of quick access to ring up popular items onto tabs quickly. Some will have additional features that allow you to make seasonal menu items.

Thermal printer

This is a printer that will print receipts for the merchant and customer, usually next to the touch screen. They are roughly seven times faster than impact printers, also, they will print the second receipt while the customer signs they first receipt. Fair warning, do not put this printer in the kitchen.

Kitchen printer (Impact Printer)

Yes you’ll need two different types of printers, if you’ve read our blog about POS nightmares, you’ll know thermal printers are heat sensitive (hence the name “thermal”) and the paper in them will turn black if exposed to lots of heat. The kitchen printer is designed to handle heat, and should the printer used to print off orders for the kitchen to fill.

POS Restaurant Software

Any hardware you buy will essentially be useless without the correct software to operate it. That’s also why we recommend buying all these pieces together from the same vendor, since it’s easier to order the wrong software online. Always ask to make sure this is included with your package with the provider you choose!

Now it’s time for the bonus item you may want to consider!

Mobile Terminal

Your restaurant may want a terminal that is either an iPad or Windows Tablet that will be portable. These are not good in the kitchen, but useful if you want to have a outside seating area, or a multi floor building; this way your wait staff can fill orders without so many trips to the kitchen. These could also be used so the server could carry and take orders at each table, submitting them as they go. It may be an expensive option, but does speed up the process.

That covers the basic hardware for a restaurant Point-of-Sale system, there’s lots of brands out there, but keep all the above features in mind, and ask if that brand provides all those pieces.

Want to talk to a POS equipment expert?

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 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

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.

2 Best Point-of-Sale Solutions for Bars, Restaurants, and Small Retailers

So your small retail business is finally taking off, and you're making a name for yourself in the community.

Steady customers, returning guests, and the like are adding more profits so you're not scraping together pennies at the end of the month just to stay open.

You've made it right? Your earnings are greater than your expenses, so now it’s time to relax and sip on a daiquiri, and not waste money on a Point-of-Sale System.

Not so fast

It’s time to start investing your profits into your growing retail business.

Investments into things like inventory management, transnational history for customers and receipts, time tracking for employee, etc. What should you do?

What’s the best option for a POS solution for your operation?

There's two options

One. Completely ignore the issues and pretend they don't exist (Congress does it all the time).

Or, option two: you could devote your funds into a product that will aid in your business flourishing.

If you picked option two, congratulations, you're an intelligent business owner.

The next step in growing your business may involve investing in a solid point-of-sale system.

According to Jim Hawkins in his article, "How Integrated Point-of-Sale Systems Can Help Reduce Inventory Shrinkage," the retail industry reports that 20% of inventory loss is due to poor paperwork, 50% is due to external theft, and 30% is due to internal theft.

Don’t miss what’s important

POS systems help your retail business to not miss important aspects by streamlining your inventory tracking, making shrinkage detectable before traditional paperwork would catch it.

Not having a POS system costs business owners in the long run, since they lack a standard system to track their profit margins.

Even the tightest bookkeeping, kept in spreadsheets, will still let inventory slip through the cracks (even if you did spend 20 hours on your epic excel spreadsheet).

POS systems will aid in predicting how much merchandise to order for the coming quarter, and predict future profits based on previous sales.

It can be overwhelming to invest into a POS system, after you've spent time and effort to have extra profits.

Overall, you'll lose less by using a POS system paying the upfront costs of owning one, rather than lose funds from over ordering and theft.

In the end, even if you're not a large business, your company can still reap the benefits from an essential piece of technology.

Learn more about POS

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.

What Every Restaurant and Bar Owner Ought to Know About Backing Up Their POS Data

If you are a restaurant and bar GM or owner reading this you could be at risk of losing your point-of-sale data.

If you are a restaurant and bar that used another Twin Cities Restaurant Manager dealer in the past year, your POS data may not be backed up.

What happens if my POS data isn’t backed up?

You lose lots of valuable things. Let us explain.

If you’re not 100% certain that your restaurants point-of-sale data is being backed-up remotely, you need to call us to ensure that your data is being backed up.

Reach us here and we will validate this for you, at NO COST.

Your restaurant and bar operates based on data. Data like menu items, menu pricing, printer data, employee data, sales and revenue history, and top selling menu items.

This data helps you run your business. Without it, you can survive, but this data is extremely valuable and losing it could negatively impact your venue.

You would have to re-enter all your menu items, employee data, re-sync your accounting software and may also have terminals that could potentially not take credit cards.

That means sharpen your pencil and grab a calculator, because you’re going to be manually keying payment transactions without a properly working POS system.

If your POS data isn’t being backed up, you could lose it. And losing this data is not good.

How do I know if my POS data is being backed up or not?

If your restaurant’s POS provider was TRS, which was before BNG, then chances are your restaurant and bar do not have this nightly POS back-up service.

If you do not have a monthly, recurring POS maintenance contract with BNG Point-of-Sale, then the data from your POS terminals is not being backed up.

That’s how you would know if your data is being backed up or not.

Quick books will not keep track of your restaurant menu data.

QuickBooks is accounting software, not restaurant management software. QuickBooks will not measure tips, employee hours, menu items or best-selling add-ons from your lunch menu. It just measures revenue versus expenses.

We have yet to see a restaurant operate without POS data, by just using accounting software.

If you’re not 100% certain that your restaurants point-of-sale data is being backed-up remotely, you need to call us to ensure that your data is being backed up.

Reach us here and we will validate this for you, at NO COST.

Is there a normal POS back-up process?

Yes there is a normal POS data back-up process and your bar/restaurant should have this process established!

Recently, BNG Point-of-Sale received a phone call from a frantic Twin Cities restaurant and bar that lost all their data. Needless to say, they were not happy.

But with BNG Point-of-Sale, the restaurant GM can now rest a bit easier knowing we can help eliminate this hassle of losing valuable business POS data.

Your restaurant does not need a monthly service contract but it’s a good idea and here’s why.

No restaurant and hospitality owner has ever said “I lost my POS data from our two POS terminals, and we didn’t regret losing the data, because of a lack of POS back-up protection.”

In our many years of business, we have never heard a restaurant owner say they regret getting a monthly maintenance contract, after they’ve lost data.

And losing this POS data happens more often than you think which is why we recommend a monthly service agreement that will give you peace of mind that your POS data is remotely stored.

Here is what your restaurant and bar will get from us to solve this issue.

BNG Point-of-Sale is a Restaurant Manager reseller based in Fargo, ND. We now service the Twin Cities TRS restaurants customers.

BNG Point-of-Sale offers service contracts that will do the following for your Twin Cities business:

We will back up all POS data every day at 4am.
Your restaurant and bar will be protected against malware and viruses, through managed-anti-virus protection.
Your bar will always be running efficiently, by having the most up-to-date software installed on your POS terminals.
Your venue is assured that you are up and running, as we support your business on a Monday through Friday and 24/7 access.
Save your restaurant money by offering discounts on monthly service contracts, if your establishment uses BNG’s payment processing.

Do not hesitate, take the next step.

It’s much easier to deal with this issue up front, rather than the carnage, after losing your POS data.

To avoid this headache, and if you’re not 100% certain that your restaurants point-of-sale data is being backed-up remotely, you need to call us to ensure that your data is being backed up.

Reach us here and we will validate this for you, at NO COST.

Smart Tax | How Smart is Your Tax?

How Smart is Your Tax?

That seems like an odd question at first glance, yet it is a very important question. All point-of-sale systems compute the tax due on checks with ease. Heck, even the old cash registers could handle that. So how can tax possibly be smart? If you don’t know the answer yet keep reading, you could be leaving thousands of dollars of revenue on the table!

What is Smart Tax?

Smart Tax, in short, is the ability to change the way tax is computed in real time based on the items ordered on a check. Wait, how does changing the way tax is computed equal more revenue, it is a standard percentage right? Well often times restaurants and bars go hand in hand. Bars that serve food, and restaurants that serve alcohol. And this is where smart tax can really make a difference.

Even though all items are taxable, it is a fairly common practice to include the tax on beer and liquor in the item price. This is called VAT or Value Added Tax. Using VAT tax with a 9% tax rate, a $4.00 beer is actually $3.67 plus the tax of $0.33. Most point-of-sale systems can be configured to compute standard tax for food and VAT tax for alcohol.

How Does Smart Tax Work?

In many instances due to point-of-sale system limitations, standard tax is always charged on top of food prices while VAT tax is always included in the price of all alcohol. Smart Tax allows a point-of-sale system to recalculate and use standard tax on all items when both food and alcohol are present on the same check. This means an extra $0.33 of revenue is generated each time a $4.00 alcoholic beverage is ordered with food.

Don’t worry when using Smart Tax with Restaurant Manager VAT tax can still be used when beer and liquor items are ordered without food.

The Value of Smart Tax

So what does this mean if we take a step back and look at the big picture? While that all depends how much alcohol you sell with food, but in many cases this can mean thousands, yes thousands of dollars of extra revenue each month!

Here is an Example:

Total Sales	$100,000
50% of Total Sales were Alcohol	$50,000
50% of Alcohol Sales Sold With Food	$25,000
Previous Revenue Using VAT Tax at 9%	$22,936
Increase In Revue using Smart Tax	$2,064

Where to go from here?

The first step is taking a look and your monthly sales and determining what percentage of your alcohol sales are sold with food. Then the value of using Smart Tax can be estimated. If your current point-of-sale system does not support Smart Tax it may be time to consider upgrading to a point-of-sale system that does like Restaurant Manager.

If you are currently using Restaurant Manager you can learn more about about Smart Tax by accessing our Restaurant Manager POS Training Portal or by contacting your system support technician directly.