Nearly every reputable retail business and restaurant operates using a Point of Sale (POS) system. In fact, you would be hard-pressed to find a brick-and-mortar store that DOESN’T have one these days. A good POS system keeps accurate records of cash flow, simplifies communication, and reinforces cyber security measures. Let’s take a closer look at the reasons why your restaurant needs a quality POS system as soon as possible.
Cyber Security
In today’s fast-paced, high-tech world, processes continue to be electronically automated – including bookkeeping. Businesses in every industry handle large quantities of electronic data daily, and much of it is very sensitive customer info — names, addresses, credit card numbers, banking info, and more. With cyber security for businesses being such a major concern these days (60% of small businesses are forced to close within six months of a data breach!), responsible companies take any measure possible to ensure customer data protection. For restaurants, this means having a secure POS in place to ensure credit card transactions are processed safely and data is protected.
Did you know that businesses are required to implement a set of security standards to protect credit card data? Learn more here.
Simplified Communication
Clear and concise communication between staff members is key to running a smooth operation. Restaurant workers must communicate with each other all day — bartenders to waitstaff, waitstaff to kitchen, etc. A restaurant POS system fully integrates communication between workers and keeps records to make problem-solving easier if something goes awry.
When waitstaff takes an order from a customer, they enter it into the POS system, which immediately prints a ticket in the kitchen, making it easier to keep track of large-volume orders and who ordered what and when. After all, what’s easier to handle during a dinner rush: multiple waitstaff shouting food orders at the kitchen or an orderly queue of promptly printed food tickets?
Automated, Efficient Cash Flow Tracking
A good restaurant POS system will also improve your bookkeeping operations. All menu items and prices are entered into it, every order that is put into the system is tracked, and promos can be accounted for (happy hours, coupons, specials, etc.). It keeps updated information about the day’s revenue so when you count the cash, you know exactly how much there should be (including sales tax).
There are a few more helpful tracking functions: many restaurant POS systems are used by employees to clock in and out so you can keep track of exactly who was working and when, making payroll easier. Additionally, most systems can also help you track your most popular menu items, so if you decide to test new dishes, you can see just how liked (or disliked) they are and adjust accordingly.
Are There Any Disadvantages of Having a POS System?
Since POS systems are electronic, they have the same pitfalls as any other computer – it can crash or experience software glitches. However, it’s usually nothing a quick reset can’t take care of, so the benefits greatly outweigh this drawback.
Society Insurance is dedicated to protecting your restaurant from risks, including the costly dangers associated with data security. Find an agent near you for more information today!
