Gone are the days that restaurants needed to rely on notepads and mnemonics to process guests’ orders. Point of Sale (POS) systems have popped up with various capabilities across the restaurant and hospitality industries, however it can be frustrating to determine which system is best for your restaurant. Often times, it can take a test run and some trial and error to become accustomed to a POS system, yet there are some factors that every restaurant owner/manager should consider before making that final decision.
Determine the Quality of the Software
It may be a good idea to research online reviews and features before purchasing your POS system to ensure that you’re investing in the highest quality software that won’t lead to future problems or setbacks. Quality isn’t necessarily in the system itself either. You should also inquire as to whether the system comes with a highly responsive local support team who are available during working hours and come with strong references.
Establish Whether the System is Available Offline
Nothing can be more troublesome than a POS system that goes down every time the wifi signal gets weak or the ethernet cord gets accidentally pulled out. The last thing you want is to have to waste time trying to set the connection back up again before you can send any orders to the kitchen.
Ensure a Speedy Interface Without Lagging During Busy Periods
If your restaurant often gets busy in the evenings and weekends, having a lagging interface can seriously affect how quick you can feed the guests and ensure everyone - even your staff in the kitchen - remain happy.
Can it Integrate With Delivery Platforms
Huge delivery companies such as GrabFood, Deliveroo and FoodPanda often rely on their own app integrations to send and pickup orders from your restaurant. Having the capability to connect your POS system with delivery platforms means more business to your restaurant and a smooth ordering process.
Does the System Come With Analytics Features
One of the biggest advantages any business has in our technical age is our ability to better analyze our customers’ buying habits and behaviors to ensure we’re putting in the proper effort to bring them what they want. A POS system with a guest feedback survey option may also be beneficial to your restaurant.
Are There Table Management, Bar Service, and Reservation Functions available
If your restaurant often takes reservations and is a busy spot for waiting times and seating, these functions are a huge stress saver. Imagine being able to track where waiting patrons are abiding and be able to roughly schedule reservation times, etc without depending completely on your host or hostess to keep track.
Determine How Easy the System is to Learn and Use
By testing the system prior to purchasing or attending a product demonstration, you can determine if a system will be easy to manage and use by all members on your staff team. If a menu requires constant tapping and scrolling through various screens, it lengthens the amount of time a server takes to gather orders. In the busyness of a dinner shift, this can really make a difference.
Does it Allow Customers to Pay at The Table?
One of the biggest complaints in busy restaurants is the sometimes frustrating wait for a server to come back with a debit machine in order to pay a bill. Many POS systems include pay at the table functions that allow for a quick and easy payment whenever the guests are ready.
Find Out if the POS System has Cloud Capabilities
Imagine being able to connect everything from accounting, invoicing, and even kitchen orders all from one easy to manage cloud-based platform. Sounds perfect? Make sure it’s part of the package.
Consider Whether You Require a Enterprise POS Function
If you have the franchise and the expansion to back it up, then choosing a highly functional POS system and software would be the right choice, however, if you’re a small or family-run restaurant, you can save yourself the extra expenses and go for a simple system that covers every unique need.
Easy Reporting of KPIs and other custom reports
Your KPIs are an important function for reporting and managing sales costs, employee hours, number of customers, and other highly valuable information. Allowing for custom reports in accordance with your restaurant’s or third-party requirements can save valuable time having to manually input numbers on your computer later.
Many of the above features are important to our services at EISOL. If you’re interested in learning more about how EISOL cloud integrator’s Eats365 POS system could possibly be the right for your restaurant? Reach out today for a conversation!
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